Experience, expertise and strength in global specialty pharmaceuticals.

Global Team

GeneriCo has assembled a global team of exceptionally talented and experienced leaders and scientists to advance the Mission: To create a unique environment of collaboration with our global partners to develop specialty generic drugs with uncompromising quality, value and speed to market; creating a positive impact on the quality of people’s lives.

The Saint Louis based global team includes industry experts (over 200 cumulative years) with consistent success in pharmaceuticals and generics. The team is committed to bring difficult to make generic drugs to the US market, and beyond, through our unique collaborator strategy. This approach has resulted in a global footprint including Asia, India, Europe, the US and a pipeline that has continuously expanded.

 

Dan Thompson, MS, JD.

PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Dan Thompson possesses a dynamic range of skills and leadership experiences including sales and marketing, legal, broad business and operation expertise spanning both branded and generic pharmaceuticals. An experienced leader with over 25 years in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry (branded and generic), Dan has led numerous due diligence assessments and negotiated complex agreements in the US, EU and Asia-Pacific markets that have increased revenue and profits. Dan has also lead distressed organizations through Consent Decree initiatives with the FDA and successfully exited following a bankruptcy process. Dan’s broad-based experience in commercialization leading Legal, Business Development and Quality, Medical Affairs, Compliance and Operations, form the backbone of his leadership role as President and Chief Executive Officer with GeneriCo. Dan holds a JD from St. Louis University School of Law with a Certificate in Health Law and an MS from the University of Missouri in Molecular Biology. Dan has mentored new start-up executives at the Washington University Skandalaris Center and has served as an Adjunct Professor at St. Louis College of Pharmacy.

Ashwani Kumar, Ph.D.

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER INDIA & EUROPE

Ashwani Kumar brings over 30 years of experience in specialty chemicals and pharmaceuticals in various technical leadership roles for entities such as Dow, Jubilant, Medreich and Bluefish. As COO for the important India and EU markets, Ashwani will bring his depth and breadth of experience in formulations and bulk drug manufacturing and R&D operations to driving growth for GeneriCo. In his role as COO he will lead R&D, Regulatory Affairs, Quality Assurance, Product Launches, Intellectual Property and Pharmacovigilance expertise. In addition, Ashwani is President of GITEC, headquartered in Bangalore India. Ashwani holds a PhD from Clarkson University, New York.

Deborah Knobelman, Ph.D.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Deborah Knobelman PhD, brings over 20 years of experience from academia, Wall Street and the biopharmaceutical industry, spanning large, specialty and startup companies. Deborah has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in a range of therapeutic areas including endocrinology, immuno-oncology, ophthalmology and drug delivery. She has held senior leadership positions at Pfizer, Ampio, Piper Jaffray and JPMorgan, as well as acting interim CFO and CBO for multiple startup companies. As the CFO for GeneriCo, Deborah will bring her wealth of knowledge of the industry, combined with strategic and financial leadership, in the areas of corporate financing, investor roadshows, budgeting, valuation analyses, partnership sourcing, collaborations and supply agreements related to the pipeline of products. Deborah holds a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Mike Grimshaw, Ph.D.

SVP FORMULATION & MANUFACTURING

A recognized global expert in drug delivery, Mike Grimshaw has 40 years of expertise that he brings to GeneriCo as a Founder and SVP Formulation & Manufacturing. Mike’s leadership roles have included formulation of 22 generic drugs that have been approved and launched, as well as expertise in developing difficult to formulate modified release dosage forms. Mike was part of FMC’s founding management team. Under this guidance, grew FMC into a global business. His expertise, and leadership with FMC, and was critical to the success of the specialty pharmaceutical company, KV Pharmaceutical. Mike holds 2 patents with 3 pending, for new drug delivery technologies. Mike received his PhD from Queen’s University, Northern Ireland.

Elio Mariani, Ph.D.

CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER

Elio is an industry veteran and brings over 40 years of executive experience in pharmaceutical research and development as GeneriCo’s Chief Scientific Advisor. His depth of experience and expertise includes development and commercialization of over 150 products in ANDA and NDA applications. Elio’s skill set is broad; dosage form development, clinical affairs, analytical chemistry, regulatory affairs, intellectual property, drug delivery systems and pharmaceutical processes. Elio has contributed impact with KV Pharmaceuticals, Hercon, Akzo, Sterling Winthrop Drug and Bristol Meyers Squibb. Elio received his PhD from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

Rod Novak, MS, CPA

VICE PRESIDENT COMMERCIAL AND CUSTOMERS OPERATIONS

Chief Commercial Officer for GeneriCo, Rod is a key member of the management team leading the commercial function including Strategic and Tactical Planning, Commercial Financial and Budgetary Management, Sales and Marketing Execution, Commercial Operations Support, Product Forecasting and Analysis, Market Research, Product Logistics and Distribution, Project Management and Process Improvement. He is an experienced commercial leader with over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Within large (DuPont Pharmaceuticals) and Specialty Pharmaceutical (KV and Covidien/Mallinckrodt), Rod’s depth of experience includes leading the launch of more than 10 brand products, field sales and management, and marketing over 36 drugs. Rod brings functional expertise in the areas of sales, marketing, sales and marketing operations, analytics, forecasting, process improvement and project management leveraging his Lean Six Sigma training. Rod holds a BS and Masters of Management Science from Northern Illinois University as well as a CPA from The University of Illinois.

 

Board of Directors

Along with the founding partners, business experts in the field of generic drugs have joined the board serving as advisors in executing the strategic plan for GeneriCo.

George R. Stevenson, MBA

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

George R. Stevenson served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Kremers Urban Pharmaceuticals Inc., the generic pharmaceutical division of UCB. Mr. Stevenson brings deep generic and brand pharmaceutical expertise to the GeneriCo Board and is a seasoned and successful executive with over 20 years of leadership in this dynamic marketplace. His expertise in Strategy, Marketing and New Product development (12 FDA products and another 30 added to the R&D portfolio) helped lead growth at Kremers Urban from minimal value in 2007 to the sale to Lannett Company in 2015 for $1.23 billion. Prior to Kremers Urban, George held roles of increasing responsibility at URL/Mutual Pharmaceutical, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Apothecon, United Research Laboratories and Sun Company. Additionally, he held key executive management posts at both Sandoz Inc. (a division of Novartis AG) and Endo Pharmaceuticals. As head of US Marketing for Sandoz Inc., he led the launch of amoxicillin clavulanate potassium (Augmentin), with revenues increasing from $350 million to over $800 million. As Vice President of Endo Generic Products, George was charged with full responsibility for the generics business including strategy, account management, marketing, and the identification and development of new products. George’s deep and successful experience and expertise is invaluable as the Chairman of the Board of GeneriCo.

Dan Thompson, MS, JD.

PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Dan Thompson possesses a dynamic range of skills and leadership experiences including sales and marketing, legal, broad business and operation expertise spanning both branded and generic pharmaceuticals. An experienced leader with over 25 years in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry (branded and generic), Dan has led numerous due diligence assessments and negotiated complex agreements in the US, EU and Asia-Pacific markets that have increased revenue and profits. Dan has also lead distressed organizations through Consent Decree initiatives with the FDA and successfully exited following a bankruptcy process. Dan’s broad-based experience in commercialization leading Legal, Business Development and Quality, Medical Affairs, Compliance and Operations, form the backbone of his leadership role as President and Chief Executive Officer with GeneriCo. Dan holds a JD from St. Louis University School of Law with a Certificate in Health Law and an MS from the University of Missouri in Molecular Biology. Dan has mentored new start-up executives at the Washington University Skandalaris Center and has served as an Adjunct Professor at St. Louis College of Pharmacy.

Ravi Achar, MBA

BOARD MEMBER GENERICO

Ravi is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Semier Research Center, a premier Pharmaceutical Research and Development CRO, based in Bangalore, India. He is also the CEO of Associated Industries, a leading U.S defense company based in Los Angeles, CA. Ravi possess a diverse entrepreneurial background in M&A, Strategic Partnerships, Finance, Business Management and International Business. He is a global entrepreneur and led the successful establishment and growth of two very distinct and successful organizations. In 2008, Ravi led the private capital funding and establishment of Semier Research Center, which, under Ravi’s guidance and leadership, employees over 200 of the brightest minds in pharmaceutical drug development and clinical research. Ravi’s serial global success, and particular focus in the drug development and research is invaluable to GeneriCo. Ravi received his PhD from Pace University School of Business, New York.

Dan Broderick

BOARD MEMBER GENERICO

Dan Broderick is the Vice President Investments BioGenerator, an important life sciences incubator for emerging companies within St. Louis’ growing biotech corridor. Dan has devoted over 20 years to the life sciences and the venture capital industry in St. Louis. Dan began his career at the Mayo Clinic where he served as the Director of the office of Technology Commercialization. Dan has evaluated the commercial potential of hundreds of technologies in virtually every medical specialty, including experience launching a successful generic drug company. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors for several portfolio companies including Gala Biotech, Mezzia, OpGen, Deltanoid Pharmaceuticals and ZyStor Therapeutics. Dan’s deep experience and expertise is invaluable as the Chairman of the Board of GeneriCo.

Kevin O’Shea, MBA

BOARD MEMBER GENERICO

Kevin O’Shea is a Principal and Co-Founder of Kinsale Capital Partners based in Chicago. He has over 30 years of broad experience coverall all aspects of financial and operating management. He has worked across a wide range of industries with transactional experience ranging from acquisitions to public debt and equity offerings. Prior to founding Kinsale Capital Partners, Kevin held executive positions for domestic and global companies such as SBIC Private Equity Fund, Bell & Howell, Beatrice Foods, Spencer Stuart and the Pritzkers. In addition, he has served on the Boards of Liberty Group Publishing, Zweig White, The UniMark Group, Northwind Resources and Malabar International. From 2001-2006 Kevin led and operated O’Shea & Associates, providing restructuring and turnaround consulting services to distressed companies in the middle market. Kevin’s broad business and board experience is a valuable asset to GeneriCo. Kevin has an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Shu Zhu, Ph.D.

GENERICO BOARD MEMBER

A co-founder of GeneriCo, Shu brings over a decade of business and technical expertise in the generic drug industry to his role as VP of Product and Partner Selection. A leader with increasing responsibility at large (Pliva, now part of Teva one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world) and specialty pharmaceutical firms Par and KV Pharmaceutical. Shu has a proven track record of growing business through portfolio management and business development and licensing. With an extensive network within the U.S. and Chinese generic drug industry, Shu is able to add significant value to his role as VP Product and Partner Selection. Shu’s relationship with key Chinese businesses within generic drugs adds value to GeneriCo’s global market opportunities. Shu received his Ph.D from Princeton University.