Biogen Brings Ex-Shire Exec Into C-Suite

June 20, 2017
By Alex Keown, BioSpace.com Breaking News Staff

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Biogen has strengthened its executive leadership team with the addition of a new head of human resources.

For the HR role, Biogen tapped Ginger Gregory, who most recently served as Shire Pharmaceutical ’s head of human resources. At Biogen, Gregory will helm the company’s human resources division as well as lead its organizational strategy, the company said in a statement. Gregory took on her new role at Biogen on June 17. She brings more than 20 years of experience to the company.

Gregory replaces Kenneth DiPietro, who left the company earlier this year. DiPietro is not the only C-suite leader to depart the company this year. Adriana Karaboutis, Biogen’s head of technology, and Paul Clancy, the company’s chief financial officer have also departed the company. The company is also without a full-time chief scientific officer after Spyros Artavanis-Tsakonas changed to part-time visiting scientist.

Gregory said she will work to ensure that Biogen will remain focused on both attracting and cultivating top talent, particularly as the company focuses its strategy on the development of neuroscience therapies. Additionally, Gregory said she and her team at Biogen will “build a culture and operating model that enables individuals and the organization to thrive.”

“It is an honor to be entrusted with helping shape the workplace of such a dynamic and well respected industry leader,” Gregory said in a statement.

Michael Vounatsos, chief executive officer of Biogen, praised the hiring of Gregory and how she will help shape the future of the company.

“Her extensive experience in our industry makes her especially attuned to the particular organizational and cultural priorities of a company like Biogen. Her expertise will be enormously valuable as we endeavor to attract, develop, and retain a supremely talented, culturally diverse workforce to execute on our mission to transform neuroscience and the treatment of neurological diseases,” Vounatsos said in a statement.

Gregory spent three years at Shire, 2014 to 2017. While at that company, Gregory had the task of onboarding new employees who came over through M&A deals, such as those from Baxalta. She helped consolidate multiple business units into one organization, all while overseeing the whole of Shire’s human resources department. In addition to Gregory’s time at Shire, she also held leadership roles at Bristol-Myers Squibb , Novo Nordisk , and Novartis , working across commercial, R&D and corporate functions. She also served as chief human resources officer at Dunkin’ Brands.

Gregory holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Massachusetts and received her PhD in industrial organizational psychology from George Washington University.