BioCurate, an independently operated joint venture between the University of Melbourne and Monash University and with support of the Victorian state government, has announced the appointment of Dr Damien Bates as acting CEO.
The company, which is focused on the translation of medical research, said founding CEO Dr Glenn Begley will transition to a specialist scientific, commercial and strategic advisory role.
Dr Damien Bates joined BioCurate as chief scientific officer and head of translational medicine nearly two years ago.
"He has played a critical role in driving the progression of projects along their respective development pathways through close collaborations with the Universities’ researchers and innovation staff, implementation of industry best practice across all aspects of project management, portfolio evaluation, industry engagement and resource allocation, and strong staff support and management," said BioCurate in a statement.
BioCurate chairman the Hon. John Brumby AO said the leadership transition marked a critical next step for the company’s development.
“We have a well-developed project portfolio, a highly-skilled and committed team, and an excellent relationship with our Shareholder Universities. As Founding CEO, Glenn has made an outstanding contribution to BioCurate and we thank him for his untiring efforts to deliver our vision.
“We welcome Damien, who already knows the business well and has been the driving force behind the progress of our projects. We believe he will bring new energy, breadth of knowledge and focused leadership to all areas of the business,” said Mr Brumby.
The company said Dr Begley's leadership has been instrumental in its "foundational success".
He led the creation of BioCurate's "underpinning processes and systems required" and recruited a team of internationally experienced biotech and industry experts. The company now has a significant investment portfolio of projects.
“I am most proud of the staff and team culture that BioCurate has built and remain fully committed to the vision. I am delighted with Damien’s appointment – he, COO Linda Peterson and the BioCurate team, have my unwavering support. I look forward to supporting them as the company moves through its next exciting phase,” said Dr Begley.
Dr Bates said, “It is a great privilege to take over the reins from Glenn. I am looking forward to continuing to work closely with the Board, Shareholders and staff to support research that has commercial potential, and driving projects through to fruition - thereby getting one step closer to realising our mission of translating medical research outputs into high-quality preclinical candidates for the biopharmaceutical industry and eventually new safe & effective therapies for the community.”