Locate Bio, a UK biotechnology company developing advanced medicines for local delivery, has announced that it has appointed John von Benecke as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO), and as a member of its Board of Directors.
John has a strong track record as a CFO in a range of Life Sciences and healthcare companies, covering both pre-revenue and commercial high growth companies. He has raised more than US$130 million of venture capital to date and taken two start-ups through to successful exit events, including the $330m acquisition of ApaTech by Baxter. John has gained strong operational experience across a range of business functions and organisations, including fulfilling combined CFO and COO roles for two private companies previously.
Locate also announces that Rob Quirk, a Founder of the company, previously the acting CEO and more recently the COO of Locate, will be leaving the company after many successful years of service and has stepped down from the Board. Rob will continue to assist Locate Bio as a consultant from his new family home in Toronto, Canada.
John von Benecke, new CFO and COO of Locate said: “I am delighted to have joined Locate as the CFO and COO at this exciting time in the company’s development. Locate has an exciting lead program in spinal fusion, an area that I am familiar with already, plus tremendous potential to apply its proprietary technologies in other high-value therapy areas”.
Nick Staples, CEO of Locate, said: “Locate Bio is focused on progressing our next generation BMP2 spinal fusion program to the clinic, in addition to building a pipeline of advanced medicines for local delivery which include novel cell and gene therapy programs. The addition of John to the team in this instrumental CFO/COO role, with his strong background and drive for success, will help propel the company forward as we translate our novel technologies into life-changing new medicines.”
Ian Wilding, Chairman of Locate, said: “I would like to thank Rob Quirk, personally and on behalf of the Board, for his many years of service with Locate since founding the company together with Kevin Shakesheff as a spin-out from the University of Nottingham. Rob has helped lead the company in several roles over the years and he leaves the Locate in a very strong position. I wish him well in his exciting new life in Canada. I would also like to welcome John von Benecke, as our new combined CFO and COO, and look forward to working with him as a new key team member to deliver the next phase of our growth.”
