Only Five Months In, BIOforward CEO is Out

BIOforward Inc., the Wisconsin affiliate of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), and Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) has replaced its top executive after only five months.

The group recently named Lisa Johnson as its new CEO to succeed Laura Bray, who stepped down. The organization did not give a reason for Bray’s resignation.

“Lisa’s extensive experience and passion for improving Wisconsin’s life-science economy position her well to have an immediate impact. She brings a deep understanding of Wisconsin’s life-science industry, and a strong track record building the industry at its base in Madison, as well as expanding it throughout the state,” said Joe Hammer, board chairman.

Johnson has served since 2011 as vice president of entrepreneurship and innovation at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). Under Johnson’s leadership, the WEDC jump-started several programs such as the Capital Catalyst Seed Fund Program, Seed Accelerator Program and the SBIR Matching Grant Program—SBIR Advance. Johnson also has bridged state government and the University of Wisconsin system to implement commercialization programs including Ideadvance Seed Fund, and a seed fund with the Wisconsin Innovation Initiative in association with the UW-Madison School of Public Health.

“I am excited and ready to continue BIOforward’s mission of connecting, educating, and advocating for Wisconsin’s life-science economy,” said Johnson. “A key to our success will be promoting our  base of industry and university assets and collaborating across our other leading sectors, such as healthcare IT and water. We must demonstrate the power and value of our assets to provide opportunities to our companies and bring investments into the state.”

Prior to joining WEDC, Johnson spent 22 years in the biotech industry, where she held executive business development and operational roles with Novagen Inc., a life-sciences tools company started in Madison and later acquired by Merck KGaA/EMD. During her 10 years with Merck she traveled extensively developing global partnerships for EMD-Novagen.

In 2003, she became general manager of Calbiochem/Novagen (EMD Biosciences), an $80 million corporation with 15,000 products, and in 2004 was named vice president of business development and operations for EMD Biosciences Inc., the North American life-sciences division for Merck KGaA. The Business and Corporate Development division managed more than 300 technology transfer licensing and OEM partnership agreements. In 2009, Johnson joined Semba Biosciences, a preparative chromatography instrumentation company, as chief business officer. She also serves on several boards and participates in a number of statewide entrepreneurship and innovation-related committees and events.

Bray was hired as CEO despite having no direct life-sciences experience, though she did have experience aligning multiple partners around a common strategy, BIOforward officials said at the time of her appointment.

BIOforward is a member-driven association and nonprofit corporation that supports life-science innovation in Wisconsin.
BIOforward members include global companies, early stage startups, research institutions and service providers in biotechnology, medical device, diagnostics, pharmaceuticals and healthcare delivery. The entity was founded in 1987 as the Wisconsin Biotechnology Association, a partnership among leaders in Wisconsin’s emerging biotechnology industry. The association joined forces in 2001 with medical device manufacturers, and became the Wisconsin Biotechnology and Medical Device Association. The organization rebranded in 2009 as BIOforward.