CENTOGENE announced today that Dr. Flemming Ornskov has been appointed to the Supervisory Board and has been elected Non-Executive Chairman. His appointment is effective April 1, 2019.
Dr. Flemming Ornskov most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Shire Plc, building Shire into a $15bn global leader in rare diseases and specialty pharmaceuticals. Dr. Ornskov brings extensive international, strategic and operational experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. Prior to Shire, Dr. Ornskov held senior positions at several pharmaceutical companies, including Bayer, Novartis, and Merck & Co.. He is a medical doctor with training in pediatrics and received his MBA from INSEAD and his MPH from Harvard.
In his role as Non-Executive Chairman, Flemming will oversee CENTOGENE's strategy development, US expansion and strategic M&A activities. His deep knowledge of the challenges facing patients living with rare diseases will help identify promising opportunities for future growth. The Board of Directors has also elected Dr. Hubert Birner, the current Chairman of the Board to the position of Vice Chairman. In the last two years Hubert has made significant contributions to the global development of CENTOGENE.
“I am grateful to the Board of Directors, Dr. Hubert Birner and Dr. Arndt Rolfs, CEO and Founder of CENTOGENE, for the opportunity to be part of the compelling future growth of the company. I am convinced that the company’s capabilities, including its substantial expertise, data, and knowledge in rare diseases, will have the power to generate innovation in personalized medicine around the world. I look forward to contributing to CENTOGENE’s vision, and helping drive forward a commitment to creating hope and solutions for rare disease patients,” Dr. Flemming Ornskov said.
“I am delighted to continue my involvement with the fascinating growth story of CENTOGENE, and the up-coming chapter with Flemming’s guidance for the Company’s strategy. CENTOGENE has had significant impact in advancing the early identification of patients with rare genetic diseases and positioned itself as a strong partner to companies developing orphan drugs. I look forward to collaborating with Flemming, and I believe that with our collective expertise and that of the other Board members, we will be able to strengthen the Company’s position – in particular in the important US market,” said Dr. Hubert Birner, Managing Partner, TVM Capital Life Science, and current Chairman of CENTOGENE Supervisory Board.
