Illumina Recruits New CEO from Agilent Applied sciences Following Proxy Battle

Illumina‘s board on Tuesday introduced that an government from one other California life sciences firm will change into its CEO, three months after Francis deSouza stepped down following a proxy battle with billionaire Carl Icahn.

Jacob Thaysen, who has managed the most important division of Santa Clara-based Agilent Applied sciences since 2018, will assume management of the San Diego genetic sequencing pioneer on Sept. 25.

“After conducting a sturdy search course of, we’re thrilled to have discovered somebody of Jacob’s caliber to change into chief government of Illumina and assist form and lead the corporate into its subsequent part of development,” mentioned Board Chair Stephen P. MacMillan.

Thaysen, 48, holds a Ph.D. in physics from the Technical College of Denmark. He has a protracted historical past in scientific oncology diagnostics, in addition to expertise in life sciences manufacturing, gross sales, analysis and growth.

“Illumina’s expertise is on the forefront of sequencing and has set the tempo for the business. I’m honored, privileged, and excited to steer such a fantastic group,” mentioned Thaysen. “I’m planning to hit the bottom operating and searching ahead to working with the extremely proficient groups at Illumina.”

Illumina had repurchased most cancers diagnostic take a look at maker Grail in 2021 regardless of opposition from the U.S. and European antitrust regulators — a call that prompted Icahn to pursue a proxy battle, arguing the unit must be divested because it had price traders billions of {dollars}.

The proxy battle ended with a Might vote during which Icahn received sufficient shareholder help to oust the then board chair, John Thompson, and appoint his nominee, Andrew Teno, on the board.

Illumina’s former head deSouza stepped down in June, marking one other victory for the activist investor, though deSouza had secured greater than twice the variety of shareholder votes than his challenger.

Charles Dadswell, enior vice chairman and normal counsel at Illumina, has been serving as  interim CEO since June.