Niels Ackermann to Head Finance Department at Wilex AG

06-May-2004

Munich (Germany). Wilex AG, a Munich based biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of novel cancer therapies, announced that Niels Ackermann was appointed Chief Financial Officer from April 5, 2004. Mr. Ackermann will initially act as an advisor to Wilex. Mr. Ackermann assumes the tasks of Richard Chambers who resigned from his position as Chief Financial Officer and Member of the Executive Board of Wilex AG for personal reasons by mutual agreement with the Company's Supervisory Board on March 15, 2004.

Niels Ackermann joins Wilex from the German biotechnology company CARDION AG, Erkrath, where he served as Chief Financial Officer since September 2001 and, since July 2002, also as acting co-CEO. In that function he was jointly responsible for a successful deal with F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Basel (Switzerland), in summer 2003 worth up to USD 90 million. In addition, he organized, structured and closed a capital increase with proceeds of EUR 11.5 million with venture capitalists in a difficult capital market environment in September 2002. Prior to that, Mr. Ackermann worked in the Investment Banking Division of Goldman, Sachs & Co. oHG in Frankfurt (Germany), where he was involved in the preparation of several initial public offerings (IPOs) and mergers & acquisitions of European blue chip and high technology companies. Mr. Ackermann holds a masters degree in Business Administration from the University of Mannheim (Germany) and is a Chartered Financial Analyst of AIMR (Association of Investment Management and Research, USA).

Prof. Olaf G. Wilhelm, Chief Executive Officer of Wilex AG, said: "I am pleased that with Niels Ackermann we have gained an excellent person to take over the CFO position on a short notice. Due to his prior assignments in investment banking and as a CFO of a biotech company, as well as due to his broad experience in private financing rounds, IPOs and licensing deals with pharmaceutical companies, Mr. Ackermann has the decisive key-qualities for Wilex's further development."

Niels Ackermann said: "Wilex has an advanced and well-balanced product portfolio and is one of the most interesting biopharmaceutical oncology companies in Europe. I look forward to my new assignment, and to contributing to the further sustainable growth of this dynamic company."

Dr. David Ebsworth, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Wilex AG, said: "I look forward to working together with Mr. Ackermann. On behalf of the Supervisory Board of Wilex AG, I wish to thank Mr. Chambers for his committed work for the Company."

https://www.bionity.com/en/news/37505/niels-ackermann-to-head-finance-department-at-wilex-ag.html