Persephoni Biopartners Establishes C-Suite with CEO Hilary Schultz and Industry Veteran William Heath as CSO
August 16, 2024
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Persephoni Biopartners, a life sciences venture studio company dedicated to supporting early-stage biotechnology startups, has made significant strides in establishing a robust C-Suite by appointing two key leadership positions this past week. Hilary Schultz, MS, has been named CEO, while Dr. William Heath joins as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the growing firm.
Hilary Schultz, an internationally recognized serial entrepreneur, takes the helm as CEO with an impressive background in private equity, venture capital, merchant banking, biotechnology, and academic-to-industry company formation. Her academic credentials include a strong scientific foundation in Molecular Biology from Harvard University and a Master’s degree in Biomedicine and Business from Drexel University College of Medicine.
Schultz’s leadership has been instrumental in Persephoni’s growth to date, driving the incorporation of several Philadelphia-based companies and developing the company’s unique venture studio model. Under her guidance, Persephoni has secured essential bridge funding, fostered institutional partnerships, and built critical corporate leadership and scientific teams. Schultz is also spearheading the creation of an alliance fund to provide bridge funding to academic origin technologies and raising a $100 million investment fund to support portfolio companies.
Her achievements have garnered industry recognition, with Silicon Review naming her among the Top 100 entrepreneurs and innovators in 2023 and one of the Top 30 leaders to watch in 2024.
Complementing Schultz’s business acumen, Dr. William Heath brings extensive scientific expertise to his role as CSO. With a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from The Rockefeller University and postdoctoral studies at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Heath’s career spans over three decades in the pharmaceutical industry.
Dr. Heath’s professional journey began at Eli Lilly in 1988, where he played a pivotal role in transforming the company into a leader in biotherapeutics and streamlining R&D approaches. As a Group Vice President in Lilly Research Laboratories, he led a multi-site global team focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of small molecules, peptides, biologics, and genetic medicines across various therapeutic areas.
At Persephoni, Dr. Heath will lead portfolio selection, development planning, management, and strategic partnerships. His passion for mentoring and developing top talent aligns well with Persephoni’s mission to support the next generation of innovators in the life sciences industry.
Both Schultz and Dr. Heath express enthusiasm for their roles in advancing Persephoni’s mission. Schultz’s focus on empowering early-stage biotechnology startups and driving transformative innovation complements Dr. Heath’s commitment to collaborating with inventors to bring their ideas to life and guide efforts towards meaningful outcomes.
With this powerful combination of business acumen and scientific expertise at its helm, Persephoni Biopartners is well-positioned to achieve its goal of preventing life-saving technologies from becoming business failures. The company aims to collaborate early, support R&D efforts strategically, and bring in needed experts to build essential value with a clear path forward to the clinic.
As Persephoni continues to grow and innovate under this strong leadership, the life sciences industry will undoubtedly be watching closely to see the impact of this dynamic C-Suite on the future of biotechnology startups.
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