Akan O.

Akan O. has a diverse work experience spanning over two decades in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. They started their career at Procter & Gamble, where they served as a Senior Scientist, responsible for developing product strategies and regulatory standards. They also led market research studies.

After that, Akan O. joined Johnson & Johnson as an Associate Product Director, where they played a key role in outlining market entry strategies and extending the MONISTAT brand into non-drug areas.

Akan O. then moved on to Cardinal Health PTS (now Catalent) as the Global Marketing Director. In this position, they were responsible for global marketing and business development for a division of Catalent, focusing on packaging and clinical supply services.

Their next role was at Catalent Pharma Solutions, where they served as the Director of Business Development, Product Ventures, Innovation & Growth Function. In this role, they collaborated with business units and corporate staff to develop the company's technology roadmap. They were also responsible for portfolio management and identifying targets for M&A in the drug delivery space.

Akan O. then joined Sandoz - a Novartis Company as the Executive Director of Business Development & Licensing. They held this position for three years before joining Barings as the Managing Director, Private Equity Sector Head - Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare. At Barings, they focused on direct equity investments, structured debt, and royalties in the pharmaceutical sector.

In addition to their work at Barings, Akan O. also served on the Board of Directors for Validus Pharmaceuticals and Fortovia Therapeutics.

Overall, Akan O. has extensive experience in various leadership and strategic roles within the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, with a strong focus on business development, licensing, and market expansion.

Akan O. has a strong educational background in mechanical engineering and business. They obtained their Bachelor of Science (BS) in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University in 1996. Following that, they pursued a Master of Science (MS) in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which they completed in 1998. Later, Akan O. attended The Wharton School, where they earned an MBA in Business between 2001 and 2003. In addition to their degrees, Akan O. holds a certification as a Certified Licensing Professional (CLP).