Alan E. Walts

Alan joined Advent in 2013 and brings 27 years of industry experience in corporate venture capital, business development, R and D, and general management at Genzyme Corporation.

Alan most recently managed Genzyme’s corporate venture fund, Genzyme Ventures (now Sanofi-Genzyme BioVentures), where he was responsible for identifying and closing several new investments, and for managing a portfolio of direct and LP investments. Alan earlier led business and corporate development activities in Genzyme’s Therapeutics business, where he initiated and executed a number of transactions and new business initiatives that led to several innovative marketed products. Alan’s roles at Genzyme also included President of Genzyme Pharmaceuticals and head of chemistry and biopolymer research.

Alan received a Ph.D. in chemistry from MIT in 1985, carried out post-doctoral research in biochemistry at MIT with Professor Christopher Walsh, and completed the executive Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School in 1993.

In addition to his role at Advent, Alan currently works as a business advisor to Genzyme’s former Chairman and CEO, Henri Termeer, and as a board member and advisor to various life science companies.

Alan is Chairman of Aura Biosciences, a founder of Arrakis and an advisor to Levicept, Inc.