CataloniaBio & HealthTech renews the positions of the board of directors coinciding with the halfway point of the current team’s commitment. The most remarkable is the exchange of positions between Mariona Serra, founder and CEO of GoodGut (Grup Hipra), and Joan Puig, CEO of Kymos. Both led the candidacy presented two years ago, which foresaw the change in the presidency in the middle of the term, in accordance with the statutes of the association.

The team led by Mariona Serra and Joan Puig includes Nuria Pastor, CEO of HumanITcare (second vice-presidency) and Isabel Amat, head of Innovation and Pipeline at Reig Jofre (third vice-presidency). The board of directors consists of a total of 12 representatives from CataloniaBio HealthTech member companies and institutions.

In addition to the change of leadership on the Board, four of the Board’s memberships have been renewed, as also provided for in the Bylaws. Marta Parente (GP Pharm), Joël Jean-Mairet (Ysios Capital Partners), Elisabeth Stampa (Medichem) and Jordi Barretina (Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute – IGTP) will replace Carmen Lagunas (Ferrer), Begoña Benito (Vall d’Hebron Research Institute – VHIR), Marta Palicio (Werfen) and Adriana Carré (Inteplast Medical), the latter two will remain linked to the Board as permanent observers for the next two years. The ratification of these changes, effective from 1 January 2024, will be effective at the General Assembly of Members, to be held at the Ateneu Barcelonès, on 14 February.

The composition of the board of directors is representative of the different activities carried out by the associated companies and entities within the health sector. Thus, it is made up of representatives from the development of its own products, scientific-technical services, health care providers and generators of knowledge, and non-scientific-technical services.

“We started this mandate two years ago with the aim of expanding the association, professionalising its team, consolidating its financial solvency, gaining institutional representation and finishing the deployment of a current Strategic Plan,” explains Joan Puig. “We are very satisfied with all the objectives achieved, the high level of participation by members and the very high quality of the activities and initiatives carried out during this period,” he concludes.

“We face the next two years with determination, with the firm commitment to maintain the association’s upward trajectory and to take on the challenge of driving our community to become an international leader in cutting-edge healthcare. We have managed to weave a transversal business community integrating key players in the sector, which is crucial for the generation of innovative solutions and the transformation of our health system and, without a doubt, for the competitiveness of our country,” says Mariona Serra. “We are starting this stage with a new Strategic Plan that we have been working on internally over the last few months, drawn up with the vision of becoming the benchmark association for an essential and strategic sector, such as the industrial health sector in Catalonia,” she adds.

“As an association that brings together the entire healthcare value chain, our aim is to contribute to the competitiveness of companies that drive the generation of new healthcare solutions. The new strategic plan will be structured around three main axes: to continue strengthening our community by channelling innovation, promoting entrepreneurship and business growth; to reinforce the strategic positioning of Catalan companies, projecting them to society and involving them in defining the healthcare of the future; and to establish a dialogue with the public administration to ensure that the value of innovation and the healthcare industry reaches society in an efficient way”, summarises Serra.

Assembly and Taxation Forum

CataloniaBio & HealthTech will hold its general assembly on 14 February, in the Oriol Bohigas conference room (Ateneu Barcelonès). Prior to the Assembly, a Taxation Forum will be held to discuss the impact that tax measures may have on investors, entrepreneurs, researchers and R&D generated in the sector. Issues of concern and interest to the community will be discussed, such as the improvement of taxation in the field of entrepreneurship, the revision of wealth tax on those that come from entrepreneurial economic activity, or measures such as tax credits.

The session is split in two parts: the expert’s view and a round table with experiences representing large companies, small companies, entrepreneurs and public institutions. Confirmed speakers include Jordi Rovira (CFO Vytrus Biotech), David Alonso (CFO Hipra) and Lluís Juncà (director general for Innovation, Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship at Government of Catalonia.

This event is open and is part of the Health Innovation Week events.

» Link to the news: CataloniaBio & HealthTech website [+]