ASLAN Pharmaceuticals Names Industry Veteran and Current Board Member Andrew Howden to Additional Role of Chairman
Singapore, 26 July 2019 – ASLAN Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq:ASLN, TPEx:6497), a clinical-stage oncology and immunology focused biopharma company, today announced that Andrew Howden has been elected as non-executive Chairman of the Board. Dr Carl Firth, who has held the positions of Chairman and CEO since founding the company in 2010, will continue to serve as CEO and as a Director. This planned separation of the Chairman and CEO roles was conducted to align to best corporate governance practices.
Andrew Howden has served as a member of ASLAN’s board of directors since April 2016 and brings over 35 years of commercial and leadership experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He previously served as the CEO of iNova Pharmaceuticals, an Asia Pacific pharmaceutical company developing and commercializing drugs across a range of therapeutic areas, until its acquisition by Valeant Pharmaceuticals. Prior to this, Andrew was the Regional Head for AstraZeneca, Quintiles and IMS Health. He has also served on the board of directors of over 20 companies within the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, and currently serves as the Executive Chairman of First Pharma, an Australian pharmaceutical company, and was recently Chairman of True Origins, an Australian company involved in the marketing of infant formula in China and Asia.
Commenting on his appointment, Andrew Howden said: “I am honoured to be given this responsibility and look forward to working with the Board to advance ASLAN through this exciting period. Carl and I have worked together for many years and are aligned in our ambitions for the company. It is a pleasure seeing his team develop and create value to patients from our unique portfolio of molecules.”
Commenting on the appointment, Dr Carl Firth said: “With the upcoming pivotal readout later this year for varlitinib and the continued advance of our other programs, Andrew’s commercial experience will be invaluable in taking the company to the next stage. This decision to separate the roles of Chairman and CEO allows us to maintain the high standards of corporate governance we have set ourselves and I look forward to working closely with Andrew in the months and years ahead.”
