On March 28, 2019 Celyad (Euronext Brussels and Paris, and Nasdaq: CYAD), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of CAR-T therapies, reported the appointment of Filippo Petti as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Celyad effective April 1, 2019 (Press release, Celyad, MAR 28, 2019, View Source [SID1234534758]). Mr. Petti is currently Celyad’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and will serve as interim CFO until the Company appoints a permanent successor for the role. Dr. Homsy will continue to serve as a member of Celyad’s Board of Directors and chair the Strategy Committee of the Board of Directors. Dr. Homsy will support Mr. Petti in his new function on an as needed basis.
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Michel Lussier, Celyad’s Chairman commented:"The Board is delighted to appoint Filippo to the role given his intimate knowledge and appreciation for Celyad’s pipeline, team and shareholders as the Company advances its CAR-T therapies to the next stage of development. Since he joined the Company, Filippo has demonstrated that his experience combined with the vision of the Company should maximize value for all of our stakeholders including patients and shareholders."
"I am honored to succeed Christian as Celyad’s next CEO and together with the Board, the senior leadership team, and all of our employees, look forward to advancing our promising CAR-T programs to deliver novel therapies to cancer patients," said Mr. Petti."The momentum we are building across our pipeline is truly exciting and should provide the Company with a tremendous opportunity as we enter our next phase of growth."
Mr Lussier added: "Christian’s vision and drive, combined with his commitment to serving the long-term interests of the Company, has helped Celyad develop a growing pipeline of CAR-T candidates. Christian will continue to support an agile organization well-positioned for success. I’d like to thank him personally, and on behalf of the Board, for his tireless contribution to Celyad as CEO."
Dr. Homsy added: "I congratulate Filippo on his appointment and look forward to working with him in my new role. It has been an honor to lead the organization over the past 12 years making it a leader in cell therapy development and manufacturing. I am humbled by the talented people I have had the pleasure of working with since the inception of the Company. Today Celyad is an incredibly talented organization with exceptional vision and operational excellence. Together with the portfolio of groundbreaking technologies, this will undoubtedly make Celyad a forefront player of the CAR-T field. I am very grateful to Celyad employees and to all the other stakeholders for making this journey possible."
Mr. Petti has nearly 20 years of work experience related to the biopharmaceutical industry. Prior to joining Celyad as CFO, Mr. Petti served as a healthcare investment banker at Wells Fargo Securities and William Blair & Company. Prior to his roles in investment banking, he worked in equity research, with a focus in oncology, both at William Blair & Company and Wedbush Securities. Mr. Petti began his career as a research scientist at OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where he was involved in translational research studies focused on the EGFR inhibitor Tarceva (erlotinib) before transitioning into corporate development with the company. Mr. Petti holds a Master of Business Administration from Cornell University, a Master of Science from St. John’s University and a Bachelor of Science from Syracuse University.