TEAMS
Our teams have taken multiple products from idea to commercial launch.
Extensive experience in developing, scaling production methodology, manufacturing and commercializing specialty molecules.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Paul Goldenheim, CEO
Paul is trained as a pulmonary physician and has a long history in pharmaceutical research, development, and management, most recently as President of TransForm Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Johnson & Johnson) as well as serving the Board of Directors of Hypnion (acquired by Eli Lilly), Adenium and Hydra Biosciences. Dr. Goldenheim received his AB from Harvard College magna cum laude with highest honors in biochemical sciences and his MD from Harvard Medical School.
Mr Richard (“Dick”) Cashin
President of One Equity Partners (“OEP”), a private equity firm that currently manages $7 billion for over 100 individual & institutional investors. In 1980, joined Citigroup Venture Capital (President 1994-2000) and in 2001, founded OEP which became the private equity business of JP Morgan Chase before it was spun out in early 2015. Dick has a BA in East Asian Studies from Harvard College (1975), an MBA from Harvard Business School (1980), was a member of the 1976 and 1980 U.S. Olympic Rowing Teams & was a world champion in 1974.
James (“Jeb”) Besser
Managing member and General Partner of Manchester Management LLC, a family of investment funds that invests in public and private equities, primarily in the health care space. Previously Jeb worked at Highfields Capital and Media Group Investors in a variety of investment orientated roles. Jeb graduated from Brown University in 1997 with a B.A. in History, where he was a varsity rower and team captain.
SENIOR TEAM
Simon Ball, COO
Prior to his appointment Simon was the Global Head of Business Development of the Leadiant Biosciences Group where he also served as Country General Manager in UK, Ireland and the Nordics (2014 – 2018). 2011 - 2014, Simon held a number of senior positions within GlaxoSmithKline. Simon has also held several senior positions in the areas of Business Development, Corporate Development and Emerging Markets with Cephalon Inc., Zeneus Pharma Ltd), EUSA Pharma Ltd. and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. Simon obtained his degree in physiology from the University of Leeds, UK.
Jørgen Hansen, CSO, CEO Denmark
From 2013-2018, Jørgen served as Evolva’s Chief Scientific Officer, running a five-site R&D organization with the full complement of synthetic biology, from idea stage and bioinformatics over strain development to scale-up of upstream and downstream processes. Before that and since 2005, he has directed the activities of the Evolva Copenhagen laboratory. Previously he worked at Poalis Biotech, Carlsberg Laboratory, Danish Technical University and Aarhus University.
Tim Bowser,CDO
30+ years in GSK & Sun Pharma – R&D, BD, GM & API roles Developed products from lab to market. Co-author 3 Science papers on API biosynthesis.
Esben Halkjær Hansen, VP, R&D
Esben has 14 years of experience within microbial production strain development, pathway discovery, and optimization. From 2011-2017, Esben served as Program Manager at Evolva, running several different strain development programs and has successfully brought projects from idea phase, over strain optimization to production. Previously he has worked at Poalis Biotech. He has a PhD in Molecular Biology/Pharmaceutical Science from University of Copenhagen.
Paula Hicks, SVP Technology & IP
Paula has 20 years of technology expertise in diverse industries utilizing biotechnology. From 2011 to 2018 Paula held several senior technical leadership roles at Evolva Inc. successfully scaling up multiple projects and managing programs with industrial, university, and government partners. Prior to that she served as a technical program manager for biopharmaceutical projects at Bend Research, Inc. (now Lonza). Hicks started her career at Cargill leading development of new processes for food ingredients. She holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from North Carolina State University.
Paul Goldenheim, CEO
Paul is trained as a pulmonary physician and has a long history in pharmaceutical research, development, and management, most recently as President of TransForm Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Johnson & Johnson) as well as serving the Board of Directors of Hypnion (acquired by Eli Lilly), Adenium and Hydra Biosciences. Dr. Goldenheim received his AB from Harvard College magna cum laude with highest honors in biochemical sciences and his MD from Harvard Medical School.