Press Release
Contact: Robert Albright |
Phone: 919-549-7500 ext.123 |
Global Finance Veteran Henri Meier to Keynote Biotech 2005
HBM Partners Chairman to Speak at 14th Annual Biotech Conference
March 16, 2005, Research Triangle Park, NC – The Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) today announced that Dr. Henri B. Meier, chairman of the Board of Directors, HBM Partners AG and HBM BioVentures AG, will deliver featured comments at Biotech 2005. HBM Partners, based in Zurich, Switzerland, is a leading provider of investment advisory services in the global life sciences sector. HBM BioVentures, advised by HBM Partners, is one of the largest investment vehicles in Europe dedicated primarily to later-stage, private equity life science investments with portfolio companies mainly in Western Europe and the United States.
Biotech 2005: “Fusing Science, Technology and Industry Leadership,” scheduled for May 24-25 at the RTP's Sheraton Imperial Hotel, will celebrate North Carolina's thriving life science industry. CED is presenting the 14th annual Biotech conference in partnership with the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, the North Carolina Biosciences Organization (NCBIO) and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO).
Dr. Meier will kick-off the 14th annual Biotech conference with his featured comments on May 24. Prior to his current chairman responsibilities, Dr. Meier was CFO of Roche, one of the world’s leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. He retired after 15 years in 2000 and remains an active member of the board of directors. While at Roche, Dr. Meier was instrumental in engineering the success of major acquisitions such as Genentech, Syntex and Boehringer Mannheim. He was the architect of Roche’s modern financial structure and accounting and shaped the success of the entire company. Prior to Roche, Dr. Meier was a member of the Executive Board of the Handelsbank/National Westminster Bank (Zurich). He began his career at the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation in Washington D.C., where he held several positions including economist, financial analyst and division chief. Dr. Meier currently chairs, among others, the Board of Directors of Givaudan AG and is also a member of the Board of Directors of Roche Holding Ltd, EUFRA Holding AG, Grand Hotel Victoria-Jungfrau AG, IHAG Holding AG, Privatbank IHAG AG and Züblin Immobilien Holding AG. Dr. Meier is the recipient of many awards in international finance and M&A and is the author of many articles and books.
“Dr. Meier brings a unique global perspective on the thriving life science sector,” said Murray Spruill, a partner at Alston & Bird LLP and co-chair of Biotech 2005. “We are pleased to have him featured among a strong line-up of leading industry experts at Biotech 2005.”
In addition to comments from Meier, Biotech 2005 will also feature six concurrent panel sessions, as well as other featured speakers (to-be-announced in the coming weeks). Visit www.cednc.org/biotech for additional details on the conference, including registration and sponsorship information.
About CED: The Council for Entrepreneurial Development, located in Research Triangle Park, NC, is a private, non-profit organization formed in 1984 to stimulate the creation and growth of high-impact companies in the greater Research Triangle region. CED provides education, mentoring and capital formation resources to new and existing high-growth entrepreneurs through annual conferences, seminars, workshops and monthly programs on entrepreneurial management and finance. CED, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2004, is the largest entrepreneurial support organization in the nation with more than 3,500 members representing 1,000 entrepreneurial companies, financiers and professional firms. www.cednc.org
About the North Carolina Biotechnology Center: The North Carolina Biotechnology Center is a private, non-profit corporation funded primarily by the state's General Assembly. Its mission is to provide long-term economic and societal benefits to North Carolina by supporting biotechnology research, business and education statewide. www.ncbiotech.org
About the North Carolina Biosciences Organization: NCBIO is a trade organization promoting the development of the biosciences industry in North Carolina. NCBIO provides cost-effective, organized legislative and advocacy efforts on behalf of the industry at the state and federal levels. www.ncbioscience.org
About the Biotechnology Industry Organization: The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) represents more than 1,000 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations in all 50 U.S. states and 33 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. www.bio.org
###