Alligator’s CFO takes the top job, Sensorion names finance chief and RQ Bio appoints new CMO
Every Friday, The Leadership Edit follows people taking new roles across European biotech and what their moves may tell us about the companies they join. This week: a CEO transition shaped by a strategic retreat, a finance hire ahead of a gene therapy trial and a medical appointment as an influenza antibody approaches the clinic.
Alligator Bioscience: CFO to take over as CEO. Current CFO Johan Giléus will succeed CEO Søren Bregenholt on Jan. 1, 2027, while retaining his finance role. The Swedish biotech plans to operate with a minimal team after ending internal development of mitazalimab and refocusing on its financial interest in the HER2-targeting antibody HLX22. Go deeper.
Sensorion: New CFO as lead gene therapy nears the clinic. Louis “Lou” Arcudi III became chief financial officer on Oct. 7, succeeding Laurene Danon, who will advise during the handover. Arcudi previously held the same role at Amolyt Pharma, which AstraZeneca acquired in 2024. Sensorion expects to begin clinical testing of its hearing-loss gene therapy SENS-601 by early 2027. The French biotech filed confidentially for a potential U.S. listing in September, which could also explain the hiring of a new CFO. Go deeper.
RQ Bio: Medical leadership for its next development phase. The UK biotech announced Gavin Koh as chief medical officer on Oct. 6, alongside appointments in manufacturing, clinical operations and program management. The hires follow a $115 million Series A to advance RQB01, a long-acting influenza antibody now in studies needed before clinical testing. Go deeper.
Mendus: Board member moves into operations. Hans Preusting became chief operating officer on Oct. 5 and stepped down from the Swedish biotech’s board. He previously helped Mendus build its cell therapy manufacturing capabilities. The company is adding operational and partnering experience as it expands its blood-cancer pipeline and works toward later-stage development. Go deeper.
Spica Therapeutics: CEO appointment signals a broader focus. The Belgian biotech announced Jeff Abbey as CEO on Oct. 6. Abbey previously led RNatives and held senior operating and business roles at ImmunOs Therapeutics. Spica plans to extend its macrophage-targeting platform beyond oncology into conditions involving inflammation and fibrosis as it works toward clinical development. Go deeper.
Constructive Bio: New commercial chief to build partnerships. The Cambridge biotech named Feroze “Fez” Ujjainwalla chief commercial officer on Oct. 8. Formerly chief business officer at Terray Therapeutics, he will lead partnering and licensing for Constructive’s platform, which makes proteins and peptides containing amino acids beyond those normally used in biology. He will be based on the U.S. East Coast. Go deeper.
