Karen Smith

Biography

Karen Smith was appointed our Executive Vice President, R&D and Chief Medical Officer as of May 2017 and served as our Senior Vice President, Global Head of R&D and Chief Medical Officer from April 2015 until May 2017. From January 2011 to March 2015, she was Senior Vice President, Global Medical Affairs and Global Therapeutic Area Head (Dermatology) for Allergan, Inc., a multi-specialty health care company. From October 2007 to December 2010, Dr. Smith served initially as Vice President, External Medical Relations and then Vice President, Global Development at AstraZeneca LP, a global innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company. From 2002 to 2007, Dr. Smith held a variety of management and medical roles with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, a global biopharmaceutical company, in Australia, Canada, and the United States, most recently as the Head of U.S. Clinical Operations. In 2001, Dr. Smith was the Chief Executive Officer of Boron Molecular, a specialist fine chemicals manufacturing company. She currently serves as a director on the boards of Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, and Acceleron Pharma Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. She previously served on the boards of Forward Pharmaceuticals and Susan G. Komen and the Women's Advisory Board for Ironman Corporation. Dr. Smith holds a B.App.Sc. and a B.Sc. (Honors) from the Curtin University of Technology, an M.D. from the University of Warwick, a Ph.D. in oncology molecular genetics from the University of Western Australia, an M.B.A. from the University of New England (Australia) and a L.L.M. in medical law from the University of Salford.

Research Interest

pharmaceutical industry