Emmes today announced that Dr. Christine Dingivan has joined the company as its new president and chief executive officer. She is succeeding Dr. Anne Lindblad, who is retiring after 38 years at the company. Dr. Dingivan will be Emmes' fourth chief executive since the company was founded in 1977.

According to Dr. Lindblad, "Finding the right fit for Emmes was critically important during our extensive CEO search. Christine has all the attributes we were looking for, and I am excited to turn over the reins. Although I'll remain through the end of this year to help with the transition, she is officially our leader."

Dr. Dingivan was previously a senior executive with Novartis. She began as the global head of portfolio strategy and innovation for Novartis Global Drug Development in Basel, Switzerland, where she was responsible for prioritizing the industry's largest drug development pipeline, and later was named the first global head of data and digital. In this role, she designed and implemented a digital development strategy, leveraging innovative digital tools and advanced analytics, to transform the company's drug development process. In addition, Dr. Dingivan created a digital innovation lab connecting entrepreneurs with Novartis mentors, partners and datasets in order to stimulate healthcare innovation.

Before joining Novartis in 2016, she spent eight years at PPD, Inc., a leading global clinical research organization. She served as chief medical officer and global head of strategic client solutions, and was a member of the executive committee. In this role, she led the growth and innovation strategy to enhance the company's commercial business. Earlier, as global head of partnership strategies, she built a successful sales organization focused on the top 30 biopharmaceutical companies.

Following her medical training in surgery, Dr. Dingivan began her industry career at MedImmune, a biotechnology firm later acquired by AstraZeneca. She held various positions of increasing responsibility, ultimately rising to senior vice president, clinical research and operations. In this position, she led clinical research efforts across a wide range of therapeutic areas and was directly involved in the development and launch of a number of successful products, including the influenza vaccine FluMist®.

According to Dr. Lindblad, "Christine's 20+ years spanning the biotech and pharmaceutical clinical research industries, her reputation as an industry leader, and her experience with a global CRO are assets to Emmes as we expand our global capabilities. She combines science, medical research and business acumen with excellent strategic and communication skills."

Dr. Lindblad continued, "Our company was built on a culture of collaboration and science, and we have been fortunate over our 43-year history to use our growth to invest in our staff and expand our collective ability to make a real difference in human health. Christine understands our dedication to science, integrity, and human health. She understands that our employees are our most important asset and that high-quality research design, execution and results are our most important deliverable."

"I'm honored to have the opportunity to become the next CEO of this extraordinary company," said Dr. Dingivan. "Emmes' reputation for exceptional research stems from the high standards they set – as individuals, teams and as a company. They have a clear sense of pride in the important work that they do."

She added, "I felt drawn as a physician to Emmes' commitment to advance public health. It was clear, both in my prior dealings with the company and now, that its people are passionate about tackling some of the biggest challenges to human health. I am so excited about joining a company whose mission and values are so closely aligned with my own."

Dr. Dingivan trained in general surgery at Northwestern Medical School, received her M.D. from Dartmouth Medical School, and holds a B.S. in bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to serving as on the board of directors of two life sciences companies, Dr. Dingivan is dedicated to nonprofit work. An active member of the Washington, D.C. area community, she is a member of the Kennedy Center National Symphony Orchestra's board of directors and is a founding board member of Young Women Lead (YWL), whose goal is to empower high school girls and offer leadership, education, and development experiences and resources.

About Emmes

Emmes is a leading Contract Research Organization working with both public and private sector organizations. We collaborate with our clients to produce valued, trusted scientific research, and our team members are passionate about making a difference in the quality of human health. Emmes has supported more than a thousand studies across a diverse range of diseases since our formation in 1977. Our research is contributing to a healthier world. For more information, visit the Emmes website at www.emmes.com.