Industry titans Biocon, PBOA, PCI Clinical Services and Pharmatech Associates join CPhI annual report for 2015

CPhI Worldwide, organised by UBM EMEA, has announced the addition of four new high profile experts to the CPhI annual report, taking the total up to a record breaking 14 panellists for 2015.

The four new members include Dr Arun Chandavarkar, CEO and Joint Managing Director at Biocon; Bikash Chatterjee, President and CSO of Pharmatech Associates; Gil Roth, President, Pharma and Biopharma Outsourcing Association; and the first female panel member, Dr Fiona Withey, Managing Director of UK Clinical Services at PCI.  

Along with the ten existing panellists – announced in May earlier this year – the four new members significantly increase the panel’s expertise across industry critical issues in biologics, clinical trials, outsourcing and pharmaceutical process validation.

Biocon is well regarded globally for its affordable innovation across biologics and biosimilars and Dr Arun Chandavarkar will provide considerable insights into the relevance of affordable drug development for providing access to larger patient populations. Gil Roth, a seasoned commentator, the former editor of Contract Pharma, and now the President and Founder of Pharma and Biopharma Outsourcing Association (PBOA) will lend his invaluable experience into the challenges and opportunities for CMOs/CDMOs.

CPhI is a keen advocate of female leaders across the pharma industry and is delighted to welcome its first female executive to the expert panel, Dr Fiona Withey.

Dr Withey was previously the Chief Executive Officer of Biotec Services International, which was acquired by PCI last year as part of the reorganisation of the UK business. Fiona is now responsible for the PCI Clinical Services business internationally and brings a wealth of experience across clinical trials supply with over 20 years in the industry. In 2014, Dr Withey was appointed as a member of the Welsh Government Life Sciences panel.

Also joining the Expert Panel for 2015 is Bikash Chatterjee, President and CSO at Pharmatech Associates, who will discuss the impact of Process Validation Harmonization on Drug Development and QbD in the 2015 annual report.

Additional panel members further expands the scope of analysis covered in the CPhI annual report

Chris Kilbee, Group Director Pharma at UBM EMEA, said, “We are thrilled to welcome four additional panel members for 2015 that will further expand the scope of analysis covered in the annual report. It’s fantastic that the panel continues to grow in status across the industry, with new industry heavyweights joining. In Gil Roth we have a leading commentator and influential figure in outsourcing; Dr Arun Chandavarkar is the CEO and Joint Managing Director of Asia’s leading biotech company, with a high quality biosimilars pipeline and Bikash Chatterjee is a renowned advisor of global pharma and biotech companies. 

“We are especially delighted to announce our first female panellist, Dr Fiona Withey, Managing Director of UK Clinical Services, who brings a huge weight of credibility as a renowned life sciences and clinical trial supply expert across Europe. Last year CPhI Worldwide opened the inaugural “Women’s Breakfast” to provide a platform for female executives to connect, share experiences and hear from expert speakers on female empowerment in the industry.

“The annual report consistently delivers analysis at the forefront of the pharma news agenda. I have no doubt that in 2015, it will continue to provide in-depth industry discussion and vital thought-provoking forecasts of the implications for pharma over the next few years.”

More information on the CPhI 2015 Expert Panel will be available on the CPhI Worldwide website shortly.