Leadership

Ian is a globally experienced industry leader with over 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector. He has worked with leading organizations across the globe including IQVIA, Clinerion, AETION, VARA AI, and TriNet X – developing a comprehensive understanding of clinical development and real-world evidence generation.

With a strong background in business administration, human resources, finance, and legal affairs, Ian has led global teams, exceeded significant growth targets, and conducted operations in over 20 countries worldwide. Having held executive and board positions throughout Europe, Ian has demonstrated his ability to form strategic partnerships, lead global data collaborations, and support the growth of emerging biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

Bettina serves as CENTOGENE’s Chief Data Officer. Bringing 15 years of international industry experience and product-centricity, Bettina is responsible for data management, enablement, and data partnerships for the CENTOGENE Biodatabank, which includes multiomic and clinical data, as well as biomaterial.

Bettina previously served as Managing Director of Data Products & Services at Springer Nature – overseeing data and product development, as well as commercialization of five data products for R&D, including the AdisInsight databases for drug development. While at Springer Nature, she built up new product lines, markets and business models. Bettina holds a master’s degree in Molecular Biology from the International Max Planck Research School, including research at Harvard Institutes of Medicine. She started her career at McKinsey & Company and INSEAD Business School.

Bettina also holds board seats at Deepmatter Group Plc, a laboratory digitalization company focused on big data and experimental chemistry, as well as at Eagle Genomics Ltd., an innovator of data analysis software for life sciences and a Microsoft Genomics Partner.

Patrice P. Denèfle serves as CENTOGENE’s Chief Scientific Officer. Within this role, he is responsible for overseeing the company’s scientific activities to deliver on its vision and strategy, while driving value creation.

Patrice is a seasoned executive and scientific pioneer with over 35 years of experience at pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in Europe and the U.S. – spearheading translational R&D to deliver breakthrough treatments to patients.  

Prior to joining CENTOGENE, Patrice served as Chief Scientific Officer at 4P-Pharma, where he led the R&D drug repositioning strategy and operations towards potential full clinical demonstration and asset-value transfer to large pharma companies. Over the past three decades, he has held several leadership positions, including as the General Manager of the Roche Institute for Research and Translational Medicine, as well as other senior roles at Sanofi Aventis and Ipsen. Patrice also served as CSO at Genethon, a biotech company dedicated to the development of gene therapy treatments for rare diseases.  

Patrice received his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from the Pasteur Institute, Paris, completed his HDR (Habilitation) in Molecular Pharmacology at the University of Lille, graduated as Adjunct University Professor, and taught Biotechnology for 10 years at the University Paris-Descartes. He was also trained as a CEDEP fellow at INSEAD and has co-authored more than 150 scientific papers and patents.