EVP Business Development & Planning, Celgene
Trained as a research scientist (Doctorate in Genetics), George has become a leader at enabling young, innovation-driven companies, which seek to bring breakthrough medications to patients suffering from cancer and/or chronic inflammation. In his nearly 25-year career in this sector, George has held senior positions in R&D and Business Development. He has worked on more than five medications that have reached the market and are benefiting patients worldwide. Furthermore, he is known globally within the Biotechnology industry for his interest in leading-edge science, and his constructiveness / creativity in forging inter-company collaborations. The impact of George’s work in fostering innovation among biotech companies was recognized in 2014, when Fierce Biotech named George one of the 20 most influential people in the Biotechnology industry. Please see: http://www.fiercebiotech.com/special-reports/george-golumbeski-celgene-2014-influentials
George is currently Senior Vice President of Business Development for Celgene Corporation, where he and his team are responsible for the full array of worldwide business development activities (evaluation of opportunities, structuring & negotiating collaborations, M & A, and Alliance Management). During George’s tenure, Celgene has become the clear “Partner of Choice” within the Biotechnology industry (based on 2013 & 2015 data from Boston Consulting Group). Finally, George serves on Celgene’s Executive Committee, and he is recognized as the major innovator behind Celgene’s well-regarded collaboration strategy and tactics. Please see: http://www.xconomy.com/national/2013/08/05/celgene-emerges-as-biotechs-savviest-nimblestdealmaker/
George earned a BA in Biology from the University of Virginia and a PhD in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A popular speaker, he is sought after to present at industry conferences and leading business schools on topics related to collaborations within the Biotechnology industry. George currently serves on the Board of Directors of Enanta Pharmaceuticals (Watertown, MA) and of the Keck Graduate Institute (pro bono service to a graduate school in Claremont, CA).
While George’s career success has required substantial effort, dedication and vision, he maintains a deep connection to the natural world. A lifelong hiker and lover of the outdoors, he is a knowledgeable birder who proudly admits that his 13-year old son is the more talented birder. He is a lifetime member of Cape May Bird Observatory, a member of The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Golden Wing Society, and a member of the ABA. In addition, George is an accomplished landscape and bird photographer
as well as a serious student of classical music. He lives with his wife and two sons in Mendham, New Jersey.