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Philippe De Backer joins Newton Biocapital as a Senior Partner
Brussels, 29th of September 2022 – Newton Biocapital (NBC), a venture capital firm focused on investing and growing early-stage life sciences companies in Europe and Japan targeting chronic health conditions, welcomes Philippe De Backer as part of its management team as a Senior Partner.
Philippe brings extensive experience across different domains and valuable versatility to Newton Biocapital. With his background spanning science, investment, and value creation through partnerships, combined with an extensive European and international network within and outside life sciences, Philippe will be working closely alongside CEO Alain Parthoens to support the growth of Biotech and MedTech portfolio companies and to expand the current and future funds.
“I have known Philippe De Backer since the beginning of his career, and I am pleased to work together again. He has the right mixture of experience and expertise in science and business, emotional intelligence, entrepreneurship, and network to grow our business further.” says Alain Parthoens, CEO & Founder of Newton Biocapital.
Philippe obtained a PhD in Molecular Biology from VIB/Ghent University and an MBA from Solvay Business School, after which he joined an early-stage life sciences VC, where he met both Alain and Jean-Claude Deschamps, who today is Chairman Emeritus and Advisor to the Board of NBC. He became a member of the European Parliament in 2011, focussing on fund regulation and long-term investment, SME policy and industrial policy. In 2016, he became state secretary and later minister in the Belgian Federal Government. In March 2020, he was asked by prime minister Sophie Wilmes to lead the Federal Taskforce fighting the COVID pandemic in Belgium, procuring medical material and setting up testing capacity. After this successful crisis-management, he announced his return to life sciences and investing.
“I am excited to join Newton Biocapital with its extensive international network across Europe and Japan, its talented and experienced team, and to reunite with Alain Parthoens and Jean-Claude Deschamps for a renewed collaboration to foster life science innovation.”, says Philippe De Backer.
Philippe will strengthen the NBC team and organisation with his expertise in deal-sourcing and structuring early-stage companies,contributing to Newton Biocapital’s hands-on approach as lead investor. In doing so, NBC will continue to build on its long-standing investor relationships, such as with the Federal Participation and Investment Company SFPIM and several other public as well as private shareholders, to continue supporting the local biotech ecosystem. Newton Biocapital currently counts 14 leading biotech companies across Europe and Japan in its portfolio and has been instrumental in establishing four spin-off companies, among them Epics Therapeutics and NeuVasQ Biotechnologies, from leading universities in Belgium.
“It is a great privilege for me to welcome Philippe De Backer as a member of the Newton Biocapital management team. He will bring a fresh insight into the field of science and business while capitalising on his rich business and political experience. This will be an invaluable asset for NBC. In addition, he will add his passion and past investment practice to further enrich NBC’s high aspirations for the future years to come. I, along with the whole NBC team wish him the very best with NBC!” says Ajit Shetty, Chairman of NBC I & II.
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