About Us

Management

Executive Committee

Andrew Bird

Interim Chief Executive Officer

MBA, Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield

PhD in Organic Chemistry, University of York, York

BSc (Hons) Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich

  • 2018-23

    General Manager, Head of Region, Middle East, Turkey, and Africa at Acino

  • 2017-18

    General Manager Gulf, Eastern Mediterranean & Maghreb Region at Bristol-Myers Squibb

  • 2011-17

    Strategy & Operations Director Middle East, Africa & India at Bristol-Myers Squibb

  • 2016-17

    General Manager Maghreb Region at Bristol-Myers Squibb

  • 2013-14

    General Manager South Africa at Bristol-Myers Squibb

  • 2011-11

    Business Director at Pase II Gulf, Dubai

  • 2009-10

    Regional Marketing Director Africa & Middle East (AfME)

  • 2008-09

    Senior European brand Manager at Pfizer

  • 1999-07

    Sales & Marketing roles at Janssen-Cilag Ltd. Uk & Ireland

  • 1997-98

    Medicinal Chemist at Cerebrus Ltd.

  • 1996-97

    Research Chemist at Glaxowellcome

  • 1995-96

    Production Manager at Croda International


Max Sorokin

Chief Financial Officer

MBA, International Institute for Management Development (IMD)

BA, Economics, Business, German, Wabash College

  • 2019-23

    Head of Group Commercial Finance at Acino in Zurich, Switzerland

  • 2018-19

    ESSA Beverages Supply Chain Finance Lead at PepsiCo in Barcelona, Spain

  • 2013-18

    Senior Manager Finance at PepsiCo in Geneva, Switzerland

  • 2010-12

    Associate Director, Licensing & Business Development at Merck Serono in Geneva, Switzerland

  • 2009-10

    Consultant/Talent Partner, Life Science Practice at a-connect in Zurich, Switzerland

  • 2002-09

    Various roles in Finance at Eli Lilly & Co in Indianapolis, USA


Richard Letzelter

Chief Human Resources Officer​

MSc Business Marketing, Ecole Supérieure des Technologies et des Affaires – ESTA

  • 2020-23

    Directeur des Resources Humaines France - P&O Head at Novartis, Paris

  • 2019-20

    HR Head Region Europe a.i. at Novartis, Basel

  • 2016-19

    Head of Talent management and OD - Region Europe at Novartis, Basel

  • 2012-16

    Head of Talent management and OD - Middle East and North Africa cluster at Novartis, Dubai

  • 2007-12

    Head of Capability and Organisation Development - Egypt at Vodafone

  • 2005-07

    Human Resources Manager global teams - Japan at Vodafone

  • 2003-05

    Human Resources Manager - Global Content Services at Vodafone, London

  • 2000-02

    Head of Human Resources at Vizzavi, Paris

  • 1997-00

    Marketing HR and HR Manger - UK at Altran


Rafael Ferrer

Interim Chief Business Officer

MSc in Business Administration, International Business, FIU Chapman Graduate School of Business, Florida

BSc in Biology and Chemistry, University of Miami

  • 2019-24

    SVP, Chief Corporate Development Officer at M8 Pharmaceuticals, Miami

  • 2016-19

    Head of Business Development and Alliance Management - Latam at Novartis (Sandoz Division), São Paulo and Miami

  • 2012-16

    Marketing and Global Strategic Portfolio Development Manager at Stryker, Kalamazoo

  • 2011-12

    Regional Product Manager - Latam at LEO Pharma, Miami


Christina Peusch

Chief Legal Officer

German qualified lawyer, University of Passau, Passau, Germany

  • 2013-15

    Head of Legal EUCAN (Europe/Canada), Emerging Markets and North Asia, Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH, Zurich

  • 2012-13

    Senior Director Corporate Legal Affairs, Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH, Zurich

  • 2010-12

    Senior Director International Legal Affairs, Nycomed Germany Holding GmbH, Konstanz, Germany

  • 2007-09

    Director International Legal Affairs, Nycomed Germany Holding GmbH, Konstanz, Germany

  • 2004-07

    International Legal Affairs Manager, Altana Pharma AG, Konstanz, Germany

  • 1995-04

    Clifford Chance (prev. Pünder, Volhard, Weber & Axster), member of the Commercial Law and Corporate Finance practice areas and (chief) representative of the Beijing office; Frankfurt am Main and Munich, Germany, and Beijing, PRC.


Samir El Nasharty

Chief Operations Officer

BSc of Management Sciences, Sadat Academy for Management Sciences, MBA, CPIM /APICS.

  • 2023-24

    Global Head of Supply Chain at Acino, United Arab Emirates

  • 2022-23

    Regional Supply Chain Director META – Middle East, Turkey and Africa at Acino, United Arab Emirates

  • 2021-22

    APMA (Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa) Innovative Medicines Regional Supply Chain Head at Novartis, United Arab Emirates

  • 2016-22

    MEA Cluster SC Head at Novartis, United Arab Emirates

  • 2013-16

    Supply Chain Head at Novartis (Innovative Medicine), Saudi Arabia

  • 2008-13

    Product Supply Section head, Egypt, Near East and North Africa at Novartis OTC, Egypt

  • 2007-08

    Material Planner at GSK, Egypt


Eugene Zaika

Head of Ukraine and CIS

DBA degree (ongoing), International Management Institute (IMI-Kyiv)

MBA, International Management Institute (IMI-Kyiv)

PhD in cardiology, Research Institute of Therapy (Academy of Medical Science of Ukraine)

MD, Kharkiv Medical Institute, honors

  • 2011-15

    Takeda Cluster Head for Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and Israel / General Director LLC Takeda Ukraine

  • 2008-11

    General Director, LLC Nycomed Ukraine

  • 2005-08

    Head of Represenative office of Nycomed in Ukraine and Moldova

  • 2005-05

    Marketing Manager, Sanofi-Aventis Ukraine and Moldova

  • 2000-04

    Marketing Manager, Aventis Intercontinental (Ukraine)

  • 1998-00

    East Ukraine Area Manager, Rhone-Poulenc Rorer (Ukraine)

  • 1994-97

    Medical representative, Rhone-Poulenc Rorer (Ukraine)

  • 1993-97

    Cardiologist, scientific associate in the department of clinical pharmacology, Research Institute of Therapy (Kharkiv)


Mansoor Menai

Interim Head of Middle East, Turkey and Africa

MBA, Finance, Business Administration and Management Sciences, Imperial College London

BSc (Hons), Computer Science

  • 2017-19

    Finance Director META Region, Acino

  • 2016-20

    Partner, Amwaaj Life Sciences

  • 2001-15

    Various Finance Director roles, GSK

  • 1991-98

    Various senior roles, SmithKline Beecham


Joel Barlan

Head of LATAM

Ingénieur, Ecole de Purpan, Toulouse

  • 2015-24

    CEO at M8 Pharmaceuticals, Mexico

  • 2012-14

    CEO of Meizler UCB Brazil

  • 2005-12

    Latin America Regional Manager at UCB

  • 2004-05

    Interlatina Regional Manager at Sanofi

  • 2000-04

    General Manager Central America & Caribbean at Aventis Pharmaceutical


John Norman

Head of Africa

Bachelor of Commerce Majored in Marketing & Economics

  • 2017-18

    General Manager Litha Healthcare, South Africa

  • 2014-17

    Managing Director Africa at Takeda

  • 2007-14

    CEO Takeda South Africa, Sub Saharan Africa & Indian Ocean Islands

  • 1999-08

    Marketing & Sales Director Janssen- Cilag Pharmaceuticals, South Africa

  • 1998-99

    Business Unit Manager Janssen-Cilag Consumer Pharmaceuticals, South Africa

  • 1993-98

    Regional Sales Manager Jannsen-Cilag Pharmaceuticals, South Africa

  • 1991-93

    Product Manager Adcock Ingram Pharmaceuticals, South Africa

  • 1988-91

    Product Manager J&J Medical, South Africa

  • 1987-88

    Professional Sales Representative J&J Medical, South Africa


Global Leadership Team (GLT)

Gamal Khallaf

Global Head of Supply Chain

MBA, International Public Health/International Health, University of Basel

Bachelor of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Misr University for Science and Technology

  • 2023-24

    Director of Distribution, Tender management & Business Development - METAP region at Bayer, United Arab Emirates

  • 2022-24

    Sustainability Low Income Consumer Access Program Lead - EMEA at Bayer, United Arab Emirates

  • 2022-23

    Head of Distribution, Tender Management & Business Development MEA at Bayer, United Arab Emirates

  • 2020-22

    Head of Business Development MEA at Bayer, Switzerland and United Arab Emirates

  • 2018-20

    Senior Project Manager - Global SC at Bayer, Switzerland

  • 2012-18

    Various Demand and Process Manager roles at Novartis, Egypt and Switzerland


Ingrid Eberle

Chief Compliance and Sustainability Officer

B.A., English Literature and Middle East Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison

J.D., University of California, Berkeley – School of Law

  • 2021-24

    Global Head of Integrity and Compliance at Acino

  • 2020-21

    Compliance Manager and Legal Advisor at Roche

  • 2019-19

    Lawyer at Axiom

  • 2014-19

    Compliance Officer and Legal Counsel at Tillotts Pharma AG


Klyde Takaline

Global Head of Quality

Klyde holds a Master of Science – Physics from the University of Strasbourg and a Master in Project Management

  • 2020-23

    VP Head Corporate Quality Assurance, Boehringer Ingelheim, Germany

  • 2019-20

    Head Global Development Quality Operations & Continuous Improvement, Novartis, Switzerland

  • 2018-20

    Head Quality Business Unit (Anti-Infectives Spain Aseptic Process), Sandoz, Spain

  • 2016-18

    Global Head, Strategy & Project Management Office - Novartis Technical Operations (NTO), Novartis, Switzerland

  • 2016-16

    Head of Commercial Quality Saudi Arabia, Novartis, Saudi Arabia

  • 2013-16

    Global Head Operations & Strategic Planning - Global Pharma Quality, Novartis, Switzerland

  • 2011-13

    Site Quality Head, Novartis, Brazil / PM International Assignment at Novartis, USA

  • 2008-11

    CVM Business Unit: Sr. Global Progr. Operations Manager - Heart Failure, Novartis, Switzerland

  • 2007-08

    Sr. Clinical Manager, Novartis, Switzerland


Eva Kopecna

Global Head of Regulatory Affairs, Medical Affairs and Pharmacovigilance

MD University of Palacky, CZ

MSc in Regulatory Affairs University of Wales, UK

PhD in Clinical and Social Pharmacy Charles University, CZ

  • 2019-20

    Head of Regulatory Affairs, Zentiva, Prague

  • 2012-18

    Senior Director Regulatory Affairs Global OTC, PGT Healthcare, Geneva

  • 2006-12

    Regulatory Affairs Director, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Opava, Czech Republic

  • 2004-06

    Director of Regulatory Affairs and Pharmacovigilance - CEE Region, Ivax Pharmaceuticals, Czech Republic

  • 2002-04

    Regulatory Affairs Manager - CEE region & Site RA, Ivax Pharmaceuticals, Czech Republic

  • 2000-02

    Head of Clinical Trials, Head of Clinical Trials, Ivax Pharmaceuticals, Czech Republic


Larisa Bernstein

Global Head of Communications

Larisa holds a degree from the University of Oslo, Norway, where she majored in English and marketing communications.

 

  • 2020-21

    Senior Communications Leader, Global Neuroscience and Rare Diseases DTA, Hoffmann-La Roche, Switzerland

  • 2018-20

    Communications Leader, Global Medical Affairs, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Switzerland

  • 2010-18

    Marketing and Communications Manager, Landis+Gyr, Switzerland

  • 2006-09

    Senior Corporate Communications Manager, Nycomed (now Takeda Pharmaceuticals), Denmark & Switzerland

  • 2000-06

    PR and Communications Manager, Nycomed Russia/CIS (now Takeda Pharmaceuticals), Russia


Ralph Halter

Global Head of IT

BSc Marketing, University of Applied Science FHNW Basel

  • 2009-19

    Corporate Head of IT Strategy and Planning, Panalpina, Basel

  • 2003-05

    Head of IT Competence Center Latin America, Panalpina, Brazil

  • 1995-03

    Head of Corporate Data Center, Panalpina Basel

  • 1993-95

    Senior Data Administrator Retail, Ikea, Southern Europe, Basel

  • 1990-92

    Product Manager, Fides Informatik, Basel


Board of Directors

Isabel Afonso

Chairwoman of the Board of Acino Group since June 2024

Computer science engineer, Minho University, Portugal

General management program, INSEAD, Paris and Singapore.

Executive education programs at IMD business school in Switzerland, Wharton and Harvard business school in the USA.

Isabel Afonso is the CEO of the Life Sciences international platform, owned by ADQ. Prior to this role, Isabel was the Head of In-Market Brands and Business Innovation for Novartis International based in Basel, Switzerland. Before moving to HQ she was the general manager in China for Novartis Oncology, a major focus market for Novartis. Until beginning of 2021, Isabel served as the Chief Commercial Officer at Performance Health. Between 2002 and 2018, she held multiple business and functional leadership roles in the Novartis group.


Milad Hadziabdic

Member of the Board of Acino Group since December 2023

MBA (honors), The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA

BS Electrical Engineering, Grove City College, USA

Milad Hadziabdic is the Head of Mergers & Acquisitions at ADQ. Prior to ADQ, Milad was a Managing Director in Mergers & Acquisitions Investment Banking at Citigroup for over 16 years in both New York and London. At Citigroup, he led M&A advisory efforts for the Healthcare Services sector in the US and for the Industrials sector across EMEA. Prior to Citigroup, Milad spent 7 years at General Electric, in engineering and finance roles, most recently managing finance for a division of GE Transportation Systems.


Hamda Eid AlMheiri

Member of the Board of Acino Group since December 2023

Corporate Director Certificate from Harvard Business School

Hamda Eid AlMheiri is the Head of Government Affairs at ADQ and a member of Presight’s board of directors . In a prior position at ADQ, Hamda led the Corporate Planning and Performance Department which forms part of the Strategy function. Her professional track record includes roles with the Abu Dhabi Executive Office as a Project Manager in charge of financial policy and efficiency and the General Secretariat of the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi as a Financial Policy and Efficiency Specialist. Previously, Hamda served as Manager Commercial Analyst for Strategy and Planning at Etihad Airways.


Abdullah Tahlak

Member of the Board of Acino Group since December 2023

Executive education, Yale School of Management

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Finance, American University of Sharjah

Abdullah Tahlak is an Investment Manager of ADQ’s Healthcare, Life Sciences and Financial Services Portfolio. Prior to joining ADQ, Abdullah served as an investment professional within Mubadala Capital’s Private Equity Team.


Andrew Bird

Member of the Board of Acino Group since December 2023

MBA, Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield

PhD in Organic Chemistry, University of York, York

BSc (Hons) Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich

Andrew Bird serves as Acino’s Interim Chief Executive Officer since July 2023. Before taking on this role, he was the Head of Middle East, Turkey and Africa for the company. Prior to joining Acino, Andrew held various executive positions in the Middle East and Africa for companies such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, PHASE II Gulf, Pfizer, and Janssen.