Oncodesign Services has appointed Dr. Aidan Synnott as chief executive officer, to help strengthen its position as a trusted partner in drug discovery. The appointment reflects the company’s commitment to deepen client collaboration, enhance the quality of its science, and anticipate the evolving needs of the biopharma industry.
Aidan has extensive experience in global CRO operations and management, and brings more than 20 years of experience in biomedical research. Most recently, Aidan served as Corporate Vice President of Global Discovery Services at Charles River Laboratories.
Throughout his career, he has led multidisciplinary teams across North America, Europe and Asia, and played a central role in integrating acquired organisations. A winner of the Kamata Gold Medal from Tokyo Institute of Technology, where he completed a doctorate in Biotechnology, Aidan is listed on several patents and has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed papers and publications.
“Oncodesign Services has built its reputation on scientific rigor. The next step is creating a clearer, more agile experience for our clients,” said Aidan. “My focus will be aligning our structure and mindset with the priorities of today’s drug discovery teams - so we’re not just a service provider, but a partner that helps them move forward with confidence.”
Aidan’s appointment marks a significant milestone in Oncodesign Services’ transformation journey following its acquisition of ZoBio and recent expansion into molecular radiotherapy and protein sciences. He will be responsible for bringing together the company’s diverse capabilities into a unified offering designed to accelerate client programs from early discovery through to preclinical development.
As part of this evolution, Aidan will prioritise:
- Enhancing scientific collaboration between Oncodesign’s internal experts and client-side researchers.
- Completing the integration of acquired sites and harmonising operations across Europe and North America.
- Sharpening the company’s commercial focus to meet the changing needs of the R&D landscape.
“By staying responsive, organised and deeply collaborative, we can be a CRO that drives clarity and results - particularly in high-stakes fields like oncology, inflammation and radiopharmaceuticals.”
Aidan will be based in France and oversee Oncodesign Services’ operations across sites in Dijon, Paris, and Leiden, Netherlands. His leadership coincides with the appointment of Dr. Werner Lanthaler, former CEO of Evotec SE, as chairman of the board. Together, they will shape the company’s international growth strategy and long-term vision.
“With Aidan’s client-first mindset and track record in global discovery operations, Oncodesign Services is well-positioned to expand its impact,” said Lanthaler. “We’re focused on building a world-class CRO with the agility and depth to support the next generation of therapies.”
The company recently earned its second consecutive title as Oncology CRO of the Year – France, awarded by Global Health & Pharma, recognising its leadership in preclinical innovation and therapeutic expertise.
Backed by investors Eurazeo and Elyan Partners, Oncodesign Services continues to scale its capabilities in protein sciences, biophysics, structural biology, in vitro biology, medicinal chemistry, DMPK, in vivo pharmacology, pharmaco-imaging, and molecular radiotherapy.