Roche promotes Sophie Kornowski-Bonnet to head of partnering

Roche has promoted Sophie Kornowski-Bonnet from general manager of Roche Pharma in France to head of partnering.

She takes up her new role on February 1, 2012, when she will relocate to the company's headquarters in Basel, Switzerland.

Kornowski-Bonnet replaces Dan Zabrowski, who is staying with the company and will take over as head of Roche applied science in its diagnostics division in Penzberg, Germany. Zabrowski will also assume his new role on February 1, 2012.

Sophie Kornowski-Bonnet and Dan Zabrowski

In her new position, Kornowski-Bonnet will lead the company's efforts in finding suitable opportunities for strategic alliances and partnerships in R&D.

Recent Roche collaborations include a deal with PCT Therapeutics to advance treatment for spinal muscular atrophy and an agreement with several Zurich universities to establish an academic translational research centre.

She will also become part of Roche's corporate executive committee, reporting to Severin Schwan, CEO of the Roche Group.

Schwan said that Kornowski-Bonnet had made “tremendous contributions not only to the business but also to the development of a strong R&D hub in France”.

She has been in her current position for five years, with previous pharma experience including time at both Abbott Diagnostics and Abbott Pharmaceuticals in regulation, research and sales roles.

She also led Sanofi's neurology and psychiatry unit in France before joining MSD, where she established a subsidiary in Israel before leading the company's global marketing in osteoarthiritis and pain.
Zabrowski joined Syntex in 1993, before Roche acquired the company in 1994. He has been with Roche ever since, holding several management positions in pharma development.

Schwan commented: “As head of applied science, Dan will be key for driving this strategically important business with our customers in academia, biotech and pharmaceutical industries.”