Ardena have announced the retirement of Harry Christiaens, PhD and the subsequent appointment of Jeremie Trochu as Chief Executive Officer. Jeremie is a seasoned executive in the pharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Operations (CDMO) industry. Harry will step down as CEO after 20 years of leading the Company, remaining on Ardena’s Board.
Jeremie brings an extensive knowledge of the life sciences and CDMO industry, and a proven track record of success in the biopharma sector, with 20 years of experience in building and growing businesses globally, expanding into new markets, and leading large- scale transformations in both publicly traded and privately held companies. Most recently, Jeremie served at Catalent, Inc. as Division Head, Bioanalytics. Throughout his career, he has gained deep transatlantic experience working across European and North American markets, giving him a broad, international perspective.
"We are thrilled to welcome Jeremie to Ardena," says Alan MacKay, Managing Partner and Founder, GHO Capital, which acquired Ardena in 2019. "His track record of driving growth and value creation aligns with our shared vision for Ardena’s future. His global mindset and extensive experience and network across the US market will support our ambitions for future international expansion.”
“We thank Harry for his leadership over the past two decades. We are grateful for his stewardship throughout his tenure as CEO, which has grown Ardena from a local ten-person consultancy firm in Ghent, Belgium to a world-leading CDMO with more than 500 employees, operating across five facilities in Europe. We are thrilled to retain his experience on the Board and are confident that Jeremie will accelerate Ardena’s growth and international presence in his new role, building on the Company’s most recent investment of EUR 25 million in state-of-the-art GMP nanomedicine and aseptic fill-finish capabilities."
On his appointment, Jeremie comments: "I am honoured to join Ardena and have the privilege to lead such an agile, fast-paced organisation powered by a talented and diverse team of passionate individuals. Together, we will build on the Company’s many strengths and drive forward with continued innovation, excellence, and a deep commitment to our customers and their patients. I thank the Board for their confidence in me, and I thank Harry for the strong support he is providing during this transition. I look forward to embarking on this exciting journey and contributing to the continued success of Ardena."