The Emmes Group’s Board of Directors has appointed Dr. Rama Kondru as Chief Executive Officer, with the company emphasizing his role in advancing clinical trials that improve quality, speed, and patient outcomes as he assumes the position at a pivotal moment for the organization.
About Dr. Rama Kondru
Kondru joined The Emmes Group in 2024 and most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Veridix AI, the company’s AI, technology, and data sciences division. Reflecting on the appointment, he said: “It is a privilege to lead The Emmes Group at such an exciting time for our industry. For nearly five decades, Emmes has stood behind some of the most important public health efforts, from the earliest NIH vaccine and infectious disease programs to the trials that helped the world respond to COVID-19. Building on that legacy, we have a unique opportunity to combine AI, technology, and clinical expertise to transform how trials are designed and conducted.”
Kondru’s career spans 25 years across pharmaceuticals, healthcare technology, data science, and academia. Before joining Emmes, he served as Co-CEO of Medidata Solutions, a provider of cloud-based clinical development technology, and held senior technology leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson, including Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Janssen Americas and Vice President and Chief Information Officer for R&D and Innovation at Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices, as well as Global Head of Data Sciences at J&J. Earlier in his career, he held leadership and scientific roles at UCB Pharma and F. Hoffmann-La Roche. He is a named inventor on more than 29 patents and the author of more than 30 peer-reviewed scientific publications, and in 2020 was named one of PharmaVoice’s 100 Most Inspiring People.
Kondru holds a bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Bombay) and a Ph.D. in Computational Sciences from the University of Pittsburgh, where he also completed postdoctoral research. He serves as an Adjunct Professor at Duke University.
About The Emmes Group
Founded more than 49 years ago, The Emmes Group is a global, technology-enabled clinical services and data solutions organization dedicated to advancing public health and accelerating biopharmaceutical innovation. Through its specialized businesses — including Emmes Government CRO, OptymEdge, Essex, and Emmes Biopharma — the company provides integrated research services, AI-powered solutions, and scientific expertise that help bring innovative therapies to patients faster. Its clients include U.S. federal government agencies and institutes as well as leading biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies worldwide.
