The team
The CuraVac team is made up of 3 key people at the heart of a collaborative network of the highest calibre : Dr. Stéphane Huberty, Dr. Jean-Paul Prieels, Ph.D. and Nicolas Havelange.
Management
Dr. Stéphane Huberty is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of CuraVac.
Dr. Huberty has over 30 years experience as a successful entrepreneur and manager. Stéphane Huberty is the founder and CEO of CuraVac. He also founded and is CEO of IDEAS in Belgium, a company specialising in the CAD/CAM production of custom orthopaedic and normal footwear, for which he received the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 1993.
He is a medical doctor and graduate of the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL), Belgium. During his medical studies, he specialized in the use of computers in medicine and worked as a research fellow at UCLA. He has studied the research of Professor Blalock for personal reasons as a sufferer from Myasthenia Gravis.
Executive Chairman of the Board
Dr. Michel Baijot is a seasoned biotech and pharmaceutical executive with over 30 years of international experience in the bio-healthcare industry. His career spans leadership roles in strategy, licensing, mergers & acquisitions, technology transfer, and global alliance management, supported by a broad professional network across Europe, the United States, Canada, Japan, China, India, and Brazil.
He previously served as Worldwide Head and Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Alliances at GSK Vaccines, and as Chief Business Officer at Janssen Crucell.
Michel has also held governance and advisory positions as Board Director of Sinovac, Executive Director of the Serum Institute of India, and Chairman of Radiomics.
Currently, he is Chairman of White Fund and Board Director at RNAlead. He also served as Chairman of the Belgian Biotech Association for five years, contributing to the growth and visibility of the Belgian and European life sciences ecosystem.
Michel holds degrees in engineering (Ir) and a PhD, and is recognized for his strategic vision and leadership at the intersection of science, business, and global health innovation.
Research
Dr. Jean-Paul Prieels, Ph.D, served as a Senior Vice President of Research and Development at GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals (now GSK Vaccines) until January 2011.
Dr. Prieels joined GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals in 1987 as Associate Director R&D Projects Evaluation. His responsibilities gradually expanded to lead the global vaccine R&D development activities in Rixensart, Belgium. His career spans fundamental research to process and product development.
He was instrumental in developing several commercially available vaccines such as rotavirus, human papilloma virus (HPV), pneumococcal conjugates and others.
He served as Head of Research at GSK Vaccines. He is Director of Vaximm AG. Since 2007, he has been a Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Singapore Bioprocessing Technology Institute. He is Chairman of the Board at Immune Health and he was also a Board member of Henogen from 2000 to 2008.
Development
Nicolas Havelange is CuraVac’s Chief Operating Officer.
Nicolas is a pharmaceutical biotechnology expert with 25 years’ experience in the development and manufacture of biopharmaceutical processes in mammalian and microbial expression systems, mRNA and synthetic peptides.
He provides consultancy and operational services to funders, foundations, biotech and pharmaceutical companies in process development, cGMP manufacturing, CMO management, project management and business development.
As a CMC consultant for CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation), he participated in several Covid-19 vaccine development projects as CMC manager and CMC expert for mRNA vaccines.
He held various positions at SmithKline Beecham Biologicals (now GSK Vaccines) and participated in the launch and growth of several successful companies such as Henogen (now Novasep-Henogen), Artelis/ATMI (now Pall LifeSciences), European Vaccine Initiative and other promising biotech companies such as Bioxodes and CuraVac.
He holds a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the École Polytechnique de l’Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and a Master’s degree in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, also from ULB.
Administration
Leone Flynn is responsible for CuraVac’s day-to-day administrative management.
Leone Flynn has been the Chief Administrative Officer at CuraVac since its inception in 2002. Ms Flynn is also founder and director of PodoProductions, a custom foot orthotic milling service for podiatrists.
Ms Flynn holds a degree in International Business from University College Dublin and an Executive master’s in marketing from the Solvay Business School in Brussels.
Chief Financial Officer
Matthieu André is CuraVac’s Chief Financial Officer.
Matthieu has 15 years of experience in corporate finance, with a strong focus on Financial Planning & Analysis, Business Controlling, Treasury & Working Capital management. Prior to working in the industry, he worked in Treasury Risk Management consulting at PwC.
He holds a Master’s degree in Chemistry and Bioindustries from Université Catholique de Louvain and an Advanced Master in Financial Markets from Solvay Brussels School of Economics & Management.
Investor Relations Advisor
Alexandra Deschner is a dynamic and passionate communications specialist with a solid knowledge of financial markets. She has 25 years of international experience across sectors including pharmaceuticals, automotive, banking and insurance, in New York, London and Europe.
With over a decade specialising in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, she supports CuraVac by leveragin her expertise in IR strategy and communications, advancing the company’s fundraising efforts.
Alexandra holds an M.B.A. in International Management from Fordham University in New York and a B.A. in International Business from Loyola College Maryland.
Project Manager
With over 20 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Samuel Osumba began his career in the quality control laboratories of major companies such as Solvay, Pfizer and Laborelec.
In 2006, he joined the vaccine and cell therapy start-up Artelis. He was involved in the design and implementation of single-use bioreactors and mixers, for which he is co-owner of a patent filed in 2007.
Samuel joined CuraVac in 2020 as project manager for the Myasterix programme.
