Tanja Dowe has announced her departure from Debiopharm Innovation Fund, the corporate fund of the Switzerland-based biopharmaceuticals corporation, Debiopharm.
After serving more than five years as the fund’s chief executive officer, Dowe will be replaced by Marc Cikes who will take over the role on June 1st.
“I will be moving on to pursue new steps in my career,” says Dowe, “It has been an absolute joy to get to know you and I want to thank you for the great exchanges over the years.”
Listed as GCV’s Women to Watch in the DACH Region, Dowe began her stint at Debiopharm in 2016 as the head of the corporation’s Innovation Fund before accepting her current position in 2017.
She has had an extensive career in the investment sector, starting off as an entrepreneur before progressing to the corporate venturing markets. She also spent 14 years at Finland-based healthcare consultancy Innomedica, holding positions ranging from managing director to managing partner.
Founded in 2008, Debiopharm Innovation Fund invests in healthcare and IT-based startups focusing on smart data technologies in the drug development and digitisation of patients sphere. The corporate subsidiary has around 17 companies within its portfolio and has invested in over 33, including Nucleai which in 2022 raised $33m in a series B round led by Sanofi Ventures, the corporate arm of the conglomerate, Sanofi.