AusBiotech’s Board of Directors welcomes Kingsford Smith, VP, Medical Affairs, Market Access & Government Affairs, Cochlear, as Board Observer.
Dell Kingsford Smith is a senior life science executive, bringing with her 25 years of experience in clinical and commercial strategy in leading global organisations, from technology discovery to full commercialisation.
Dell is currently Vice President, Medical Affairs, Market Access and Government Affairs for Cochlear Asia Pacific, based at Cochlear Ltd headquarters on the Macquarie University campus in Sydney. In this role, Dell defines and ensures implementation of critical access strategies to drive the mid to long-term growth of new and existing implantable hearing solutions across Asia Pacific. This role requires identification of strategies that address barriers to patient access through clinical evidence generation, clinical guidelines, regulatory and payer policy and stakeholder advocacy.
Prior to joining Cochlear Ltd in 2019, Dell spent 13 years with Janssen, the pharmaceutical company of Johnson & Johnson, in Australia and New Zealand and then in the United States. In 2010, Dell was recognised with the Pat Clear Award, the Australian medicine industry's most prestigious award, for her work with the Australian Federal Government in expanding patient access through regulatory and reimbursement policy.
Dell Kingsford Smith said, “I am honoured to join the AusBiotech Board as an Observer, at such a pivotal time for Australia’s life science ecosystem as it expands its footprint and impact. I am passionate about increasing patients’ access to breakthrough medicines and medical devices that improve health, reduce the burden of disease and disability, and save lives. I look forward to providing a lens to the Board as the sector works with Government to speed up patient access to new medicines.”
After leaving Australia, she held a succession of senior roles within the Janssen Global Commercial Strategy Organisation in New Jersey in market access, access policy and global pricing. In these roles, Dell was involved in the diligence, acquisition and successful commercial integration of several early-stage oncology and haematology biotechnology companies; the pricing of immunology, oncology, diabetes, neuroscience, infectious diseases, and vaccines; and expanding commercial access in a range of middle-income countries.
On behalf of the AusBiotech Board, Dr James Campbell, AusBiotech’s Interim Chair, said that “Dell’s appointment brings extensive market access as well as government and policy experience to the Board. Her deep understanding of the regulation, market access and reimbursement pathways across the life sciences globally will greatly aid the AusBiotech Board and member organisations as Australia’s biotech ecosystem matures and more companies move into regulatory filing.”
The new AusBiotech Board line-up includes:
- Dr James Campbell, CEO, Patrys Ltd; Interim Chair, AusBiotech
- Ms Erica Kneipp, Research Director, Human Health, CSIRO; Deputy Chair, AusBiotech
- Dr Megan Baldwin, Chief Innovation Officer, Opthea Ltd (ASX:OPT); Risk and Audit Sub-Committee, Chair
- Dr Dean Moss, CEO, UniQuest Pty Ltd; Remuneration and Nomination Sub-Committee, Chair
- Dr Iris Depaz, Country Medical Lead & Head of Medical, Vaccines, Sanofi Australia & New Zealand
- Dr Marthe D’Ombrain, Head of Global Research Innovation, CSL Ltd
- Professor John Skerritt, Enterprise Professor in Health Research Impact, University of Melbourne
- Dr Liz Dallimore, CEO & Managing Director, Argenica Therapeutics Ltd
- Dell Kingsford Smith, VP, Medical Affairs, Market Access & Government Affairs, Cochlear (Board Observer)
- Ms Rosanne Hyland, Acting CEO, AusBiotech