Johan Cardoen is an independent life
sciences
entrepreneur and advisor.
He was from June
2012 until July 1, 2020, managing director of VIB, a life science research organization
based
in Belgium. In that role, Johan was responsible for VIB’s Innovation and Business Team and
represented VIB on the board of several biotech companies such as ConfoTherapeutics (BE),
Oncurious (BE), GlobalYeast and FlandersBio. In the past he held board positions in
Actogenix (now Intrexon), and Pronota (now Mycartis). Johan Cardoen was also until July 1,
2020 chairman of the LP Board of V-Bio Ventures, a dedicated life sciences investment fund,
which is focused on early-stage investments in life sciences and he held various independent
board positions in biotech companies such as argenix BV from 2008-2011, Applied-Maths
(now bioMérieux) from 2010-2016 and GST from 2019-2020 (Global Stem Cell Technologies,
now Boehringer Ingelheim)., in addition he was Chairman of Flandersbio, the umbrella
organization for life sciences and biotechnology sector in Flanders from 2007 until May
2012.
Today he is independent chairman of
Meiogenix (an
Institut Curie
spin-off, FR) and board
member at Biotalys (BE) and Aphea.bio (BE). Until May 31, 2012, he was CEO of CropDesign
N.V., today part of BASF (Ghent, Belgium). He developed and implemented a dual track
strategy (IPO/trade sale) which led to an acquisition of CropDesign by BASF in June 2006.
From 1988 until 1999 he worked for Plant Genetic Systems (PGS) as Technology Acquisition
Manager and Business Development Manager. Prior to joining CropDesign (July 1999), Johan
was Global Head Technology Acquisition of AgrEvo Hoechst Schering/Aventis (now Bayer
CropScience), and was responsible for all biotechnology-related technology acquisitions.
Johan Cardoen received his Ph.D. in biology from KU Leuven, Belgium (1987) and a business
degree from KU Leuven (1990).