Board of Directors
Robert DeBenedetto
Executive Chair of the Board of Directors
Robert DeBenedetto has over 25 years of global pharmaceutical / life sciences experience. Robert founded SFJ Pharmaceuticals® in January of 2009 on a premise that there was a better way to fund and conduct clinical trials globally. This premise is now a reality with SFJ Pharmaceuticals® as the premier global funding partner for many of the world’s largest pharma companies, with SFJ Pharmaceuticals® now having a proven track record of drug approvals with many more drugs with trials successfully completed and in regulatory submission. Prior to joining SFJ Pharmaceuticals®, Robert was Vice President of Global Business Development at Quintiles Transnational’s, pharmaceuticals investment unit. Preceding that Robert was Executive Committee Member, CFO, V.P. of Corporate Development, and V.P. of Corporate Marketing for Boston Scientific’s Japan subsidiary with 800 employees and sales exceeding $600 million. Robert spent the first 9 years of his professional career as a CPA with E&Y, advising some of the world’s largest companies. To date Robert has been involved in approximately 100 acquisitions, mergers, licensing and partnering arrangements valued at over $10 billion. Robert has a Master’s Degree from Bentley University and presently a Senior Adviser at Blackstone Life Sciences.
James Abell
James retired in 2019 after more than 20 years as Abingworth’s CFO responsible for finance, compliance and administration as well as investment matters, focusing on start-up companies. His directorships have included Avillion, SFJ Pharmaceuticals, Chroma Therapeutics, Clinical Designs and Syntaxin. James has been retained as a Senior Adviser concentrating on clinical co-development deals.
Previously James was CFO of Prolifix, a start-up biotech company. He trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG and holds a degree in Biology with Chemistry from the University of Southampton.
Nicholas Simon
Nicholas Simon is a Senior Managing Director in the Blackstone Life Sciences group and a member of its Investment Committee, having joined Blackstone as part of its acquisition of Clarus in December 2018. Prior to joining Blackstone, Mr. Simon was co-founder and Managing Director of Clarus since the firm’s inception in 2005.
Mr. Simon has over 30 years of operating and investment experience in the healthcare sector and has led investments in biotechnology, pharmaceutical company partnerships, and medical technology. Prior to Clarus, Mr. Simon was a General Partner at MPM Capital, a healthcare venture capital firm. Prior to MPM Capital, he was with Genentech from 1989 to 2000 where he was Vice President of Business and Corporate Development. Mr. Simon is currently serving on the Board of Directors of Gritstone Oncology (NASDAQ: GRTS) and Sientra (NASDAQ:SIEN).
Mr. Simon received a BS degree in microbiology from the University of Maryland and an MBA from Loyola University. Mr. Simon is a Trustee at The J David Gladstone Institutes, a private not-for-profit research institute affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco.
Jorge Puente, MD
Jorge has had an extensive career in many areas of the pharmaceutical industry since joining 25 years ago. He served most recently as President of the Asia and Canada regions for Pfizer’s oncology unit and was simultaneously the head of Oncology Clinical Development for China. Given his unique research and regulatory expertise, Jorge achieved many “firsts” including approvals of Pfizer’s key oncology agents in record time in both Japan and China, leading to a 500% increase in revenues in the region during his tenure.
Jorge served most recently as President of the Asia and Canada regions for Pfizer’s oncology unit and was simultaneously the head of Oncology Clinical Development for China. He was selected as one of the 3 role models studied as part of the leadership training given to Pfizer’stop 700 executives. In his prior positions, Jorge undertook leadership roles in the development of many of Pfizer’s blockbusters.
Jorge has led development programs in the US, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia. He served as medical head in China and in Japan. Prior to joining Pfizer he had an academic career at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, where he was the youngest faculty to receive the Salomon Berson Award for Excellence in Medical Teaching.
Kurt von Emster
Kurt joined Abingworth in January 2015 bringing over 25 years of experience in life science investment. He began his career as a biotechnology and healthcare analyst in 1990, and then was promoted to Vice President and Portfolio Manager at Franklin Templeton. Kurt then became a General Partner at MPM Capital in 2000. In 2009, he co-founded venBio, a US healthcare investment firm and most recently was a Partner in the San Francisco office. He holds board positions at CymaBay, Jasper Therapeutics, Orbus Therapeutics, SFJ Pharmaceuticals, Tizona Therapeutics, Trishula Therapeutics, Vaxcyte and Vera Therapeutics. He was formerly on boards at Aurinia, CRISPR Therapeutics, Cytos, Kesios, Facet and Somaxon. Kurt holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and Economics and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
William Young
William Young is a Senior Advisor to the Blackstone Life Sciences group.
Mr. Young became a Venture Partner with Clarus in 2010. Mr. Young previously served as CEO of Monogram Biosciences, a leader in personalized medicine, from 1999 through to the sale of the company to LabCorp in 2009. Mr. Young currently serves on the Board of Directors of Vertex (NASDAQ: VRTX) and is the lead director at Theravance (NASDAQ:TBPH). Previously he was Chairman of the Board of Biogen (NASDAQ: BIIB). Prior to Monogram he was at Genentech since 1980 at positions of increasing responsibility, including COO, responsible for all of the biotechnology company’s development, operations and commercial functions. Prior to Genentech Mr. Young was at Eli Lilly and Company for fourteen years.
Mr. Young received his Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Purdue University, his MBA from Indiana University and an honorary doctorate in engineering from Purdue University. In 1993 he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for his leadership in research, development and manufacturing of recombinant proteins using recombinant DNA technology. Mr. Young represents Blackstone on the Board of Directors of Praxis Medicine and is the Chairman of the Board of Annexon Biosciences and Nanostring (NASDAQ: NSTG).