Brussels, Belgium
June 14, 2007

At its Annual General Assembly held today in Brussels, EuropaBio members elected Steen Riisgaard, President and CEO, Novozymes A/S to chair the association for the next two years, he succeeds Hans Kast, President and CEO, BASF Plant Science Holding AG, who has completed his mandate but will stay on as a Board Member.

EuropaBio’s membership grew further with the General Assembly voting in 15 new member companies and associate members.  This brings the association’s membership to a total of 81 companies, 6 associate members and 6 bioregions as well as 25 national biotechnology associations representing some 1800 biotechnology companies from as diverse backgrounds as the pharmaceutical industry, seed industry, fuel companies, vaccine developers – what they all have in common is that they are involved in research and development, testing, manufacturing and distribution of biotechnology products.

The new chair, Steen Riisgaard, said that he is looking forward to chairing the biotech association as biotechnology enters a crucial phase of development and is increasingly a motor of innovation in several industries. Synergies are needed with many sectors that can use biotechnology.  “The key word is partnership. We need partnerships with hospitals, the pharmaceutical sector, diagnostics companies, patient groups, vaccine manufacturers, chemical industries, the energy sector, European farmers and many, many more.”

“The diverse membership of EuropaBio is the association’s strength because it opens up opportunities for synergies and partnerships that can help industries learn from each other, to develop new markets, new products and new processes. We have added to our membership this year, as have our 25 national associations which makes EuropaBio the voice of over 1800 dedicated small and medium sized biotech companies in Europe,” says Johan Vanhemelrijck, Secretary General of EuropaBio. “This also gives us the responsibility to help Europe to be SME friendly and to support young innovative companies.”

The association also elected new Vice Chairs and Board Members (2), bringing the number of representatives of companies and associations from across Europe to 24 on the EuropaBio Board. 

The following have all been reelected as chairs to the National Associations Council, the Agri-Food Council and the Healthcare Council respectively:

• Mrs. Aisling BURNAND, Chief Executive Officer, Bio Industry Association;

• Mr. Bernward GARTHOFF, Bayer AG, Chairman of the German Association of Biotech Industries-DIB; and

• Dr. Andrea RAPPAGLIOSI, Vice President Corporate Health Policy & Governmental Relations, Merck-Serono. 

• Mr. Ian HUDSON, President, Europe, Middle East & Africa and President DuPont de Nemours International, has been elected as the new Chairman of the Industrial Biotech Council.

New board members elected today include:

• Mr. Peter Bonne ERIKSEN, Senior Vice President for Global Regulatory Affairs, Novo Nordisk;

• Mr. Philippe LAVIELLE, Executive Vice President Business Development, Genencor – a Danisco Company; 

• Mr. Detlef  NIESE, Head External Relations Clinical Development and Medical Affairs, Novartis;

• Mr. Stephan TANDA, Member of  the Managing Board, DSM; and

• Mr. Hans VAN DEN BERG, Executive Director Research Coordination, Organon Biosciences.

EuropaBio is the only EU level association representing the biotechnology industry across a wide number of industrial sectors and has been at the forefront of developing policies to grow a strong biotechnology sector in Europe.