A Close-Knit Team When John Walker first considered join-
And after the BioSeek acquisition in
ing the company that became iPierian,
February, he immediately brought
part of his due diligence was to reach out
Venuti on board too, as president and
to two old friends whose scientific cre-
chief scientific officer, and ultimately,
dentials matched his business chops.
as his successor. Walker and Venuti
They were Corey Goodman, past presi-
had previously worked together as well,
dent of Pfizer’s Biotherapeutics and Bio-
at Axys Pharmaceuticals prior to its
innovation Center and a member of the
acquisition by Celera, where Walker was
U.S. National Academy of Sciences; and
president and chief executive, and Venuti
Michael C. Venuti, chief executive officer
was senior vice president of research and
of BioSeek Inc, a company using high
preclinical development. Venuti had pre-
throughput biological systems for drug
viously held senior positions at Genen-
discovery, which was acquired by As-
tech and Syntex, and had worked with
terand plc in February 2010.
leading venture capital firms, including
“I hadn’t been intending to run an-
Kleiner Perkins.
Walker’s tenure at American Hospital inoculated him with the company’s institutional values of practical intelli-
other company at that time,” Walker re-
Starting a company with a group
calls. “But the opportunity here was so
that has worked together previously is an
gence, self-motivation and strong inter-
potentially game-changing that I had to
approach that greatly enhances a start-
personal skills. Walker rose through the
consider it. I called Mike and Corey and
up’s chances of success, according to re-
ranks there to become president of the
they both said ‘yes, this is real.’”
search on startups from M.I.T.
American Hospital Corporation, the de-
Walker tapped Goodman to be chairman of iPierian’s board of directors,
Walker’s hand-picked start-up team
And, though he has no formal training in
successor as CEO, holds an A.B. from
science, when he moved to California, it
Dartmouth College, and a Ph.D. in or-
was for the opportunity to run a number
ganic chemistry from M.I.T. Good-
of biotech start-ups on the cutting edge
as a Searle Scholar and earned his B.S. in biology with distinc-
Michael Venuti
cidedly low-tech side of the business;
has impressive credentials. Venuti, his
man attended Stanford University
of new technology. He is not a scientist,” said Robert Ruh of Korn/Ferry International. “But he
tion and honors. He was a
has always enjoyed the company of lead-
National Science Foundation
ing scientists and working with them to
Fellow at the University of
turn the most advanced science into a vi-
California Berkeley and
able business.”
earned his Ph.D. in neurobiol-
At iPierian, that task now falls to
ogy. While Walker attended
Venuti, who said he will welcome Walk-
SUNY and Kellogg, his degrees
er’s continuing presence as a senior ad-
are in business, but it could be said that iPierian’s outgoing chief executive really went to school at the American Hospital Supply Corporation.
Courtesy of iPierian
other health-related companies.
viser. “Under his leadership, the company has emerged as the leader,” in utilizing adult stem cells. This is was evidenced by iPierian’s recently being awarded re-
This now-defunct company, little known
search grants from the California Insti-
a position Walker himself had filled at
outside the industry of health care prod-
tute for Regenerative Medicine and the
Goodman’s previous company, Renovis, a
ucts and services, spawned an unprece-
National Institutes of Health. Winning
developer of innovative therapies for
dented number of current leaders of
grants is one thing; winning in the mar-
pain, prior to its acquisition by Evotec.
biopharmaceuticals, medical device and
ketplace is quite another.
Briefings on Talent & Leadership
Q4.2010
39