The International Biomedical Research Alliance, a non-profit organisation which provides programming and funding support for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program, today announced that Tom Heyman is joining the Alliance’s board of directors. Mr. Heyman is president of the Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation (JJDC) and leads the J&J Venture Capital Group.
Tom Heyman will help to hone NIH Oxford-Cambridge scholars’ entrepreneurial instincts and cultivate their business development skills.
“We are excited to have Tom join our Alliance board,” said Stephen M. McLean, chairman of the International Biomedical Research Alliance board of directors. “Tom is an inspiring individual and an excellent mentor. He also has a wealth of global experience supporting entrepreneurs, whether they are developing pharmaceuticals, medical devices or consumer healthcare products, and helping them to transform their ideas into real solutions for patients. I know that the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars will benefit greatly from his wisdom, technical expertise, and funding insights.”
“I am delighted to become an International Biomedical Research Alliance board member,” said Mr. Heyman. “The Alliance does an excellent job of helping to train the next generation of biomedical researchers, ensuring that the Scholars develop the requisite business skills so they will be able to progress their research breakthroughs from the laboratory to the market successfully. I look forward to working with these young researchers and sharing my knowledge and experience.”
Mr. Heyman started his career with Johnson & Johnson in the legal department of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV in Belgium, focusing on legal and licensing activities.
In 1990, Mr. Heyman was appointed vice president of corporate development at Ortho Pharmaceutical Corporation, a Johnson & Johnson Company, and he was soon promoted to head of global business development for the Janssen Pharmaceutica Group.
Mr. Heyman returned to Janssen Pharmaceutica NV as CEO in 2008, a position that he held for eight years. He was also appointed president of JJDC in 2015.
In addition, Mr. Heyman serves as a member of the IMEC Board of Directors and General Assembly. IMEC is an international R&D and innovation hub, which is active in the nanoelectronic and digital technology fields.
Mr. Heyman was born in the Congo, Africa and graduated with a Master of Laws degree from the K. U. Leuven in Belgium. He conducted his post-graduate studies in international law in Geneva, Switzerland, and business management at the University of Antwerp in Belgium.