Rentschler Biopharma, a Laupheim, Germany-headquartered contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) for biopharmaceuticals, has appointed Dr. Ralf Otto as chief operating officer (COO), effective February 1, 2018. Otto succeeds Thomas Siklosi who will move to the Dr. Rentschler Holding GmbH & Co. KG in February 2018.

Otto will be responsible for development, manufacturing, and quality management. In his career, Otto has overseen all stages of the biopharmaceutical value chain. As a strategy consultant, he led major realignments at industrial companies.

Otto has more than 20 years of experience in the biotechnology industry and management consulting. Most recently, he was a partner at McKinsey & Company, a management-consulting firm, where he built its bio division over the past five years. He led consulting projects for large, medium, and small biopharmaceutical companies as well as various international organizations. Prior to this, for 12 years, he held executive positions in cell biology and biopharmaceutical manufacturing at Boehringer Ingelheim. As vice president of biopharma operations, Otto headed the Boehringer site in Fremont, California. He started his industrial career in laboratory and project management biotechnology at Henkel, a German chemical and consumer goods company.

Source: Rentschler Biopharma