NattoPharma organizational changes for growth
Announcing permanent CEOs; addition of SVP Global Sales & Marketing
Oslo, Norway and Edison, NJ (June 5, 2018) — Thanks to positive performance and strong growth with both NattoPharma and Kaydence Pharma, the pharmaceutical business spin-off, each company’s respective Boards are excited to announce executive roles, as well as the addition of a new team member to lead NattoPharma’s Sales & Marketing teams.
• Daniel Rosenbaum, former NattoPharma CEO, has served as the interim CEO of Kaydence Pharma since the spin-off in December 2017. The Kaydence Pharma Board of Directors is extremely pleased with the progress over the last six months, and has offered Rosenbaum the permanent position as CEO. The NattoPharma Board will release him from NattoPharma so he can serve as the permanent CEO of Kayedence Pharma.
• Kjetil Ramsøy assumed the role of NattoPharma’s interim CEO / acting CFO when Rosenbaum shifted to Kaydence Pharma. Based on the strong performance and development through the interim period, the Board has decided to name Ramsøy the permanent CEO of NattoPharma. He will also continue as acting CFO until a permament solution has been found to fill this role.
• In line with the company’s efforts to increase its global commercial activites, NattoPharma has named Christopher Speed its Senior Vice President of Global Sales & Marketing.
Speed comes to NattoPharma from Wiley’s Finest Fish Oils, where he significantly enhanced the market value of nutrition products serving as Vice President of Sales. Speed oversaw planning, development, and implementation of all marketing strategies and public relations activities, ensuring articulation of the organization’s desired position while assuring consistent communication to all key stakeholders. By driving clear and focused marketing and PR strategies, Speed was able to consistently produce measurable sales results. He also liaised with elite influencers to garner key trends and insights into the food, beverage, and nutrition industry.
A nutritional scientist and dietician with a background in nutritional biochemistry, Speed was the CEO of Food and Nutrition Strategies, LLC, a consultant firm to a wide range of companies, such as Barlean’s Organic Oils, Minami Nutrition, PepsiCo, Unilever, Nestle, and DuPont, overseeing message platforms, research opportunities, and new product launches. During this time, he was also a central member of NattoPharma’s 2015 media outreach campaign, appearing on national television programs to discuss Vitamin K2 as a complementary nutrient for a heart health.
“Not only is Christopher’s technical understanding of ingredients unsurpassed, but he brings a fresh take on the global market that will create new opportunities for NattoPharma,” says Ramsøy. “He is a proven sales leader who is greatly respected within our industry. With both current and new customers, Christopher is well-positioned to communicate the compelling science behind our MenaQ7, the importance of partnering with the highest-quality MK-7 provider, and the tremendous commercial opportunity that MenaQ7 represents to our customers.”
“The last few months have been marked by tremendous growth at NattoPharma, and, based on the progress at Kaydence Pharma, we are convinced that having these two, independent and focused entities will create the most value for shareholders and customers,” said Frode Bohan, NattoPharma Chairman of the Board.
Frank Bjordal, Kaydence Pharma Chairman of the Board, agreed, saying, “the attention and resources required to develop a novel and potentially groundbreaking drug therapy are significant, and this announcement is yet another important step in positioning Kaydence Pharma for future success.”
“With all the pieces falling into place, it is clear we have chosen wisely with our leadership, and we want to see them proceed on their current trajectory, continuing to exceed expectations,” Bohan concluded.
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About NattoPharma and MenaQ7®
NattoPharma ASA, based in Norway, is the world’s leader in vitamin K2 research and development. NattoPharma is the exclusive international supplier of MenaQ7® Vitamin K2 as MK-7, the best documented, vitamin K2 as menaquinone-7 (MK-7) with guaranteed actives and stability, clinical substantiation, and international patents granted and pending; and now the new MenaQ7® Full Spectrum, which delivers menaquinones 6, 7, and 9. The company has a multi-year research and development program to substantiate and discover the health benefits of Vitamin K2 for applications in the marketplace for functional food and dietary supplements. With a global presence, the company established its North American subsidiary, NattoPharma USA, Inc., in Edison, NJ, and NattoPharma R&D Ltd. in Cyprus. For more information, visit www.nattopharma.com or www.menaq7.com.
For more information, please contact: Kate Quackenbush, NattoPharma Communications Director; E-mail: kate.quackenbush@nattopharma.com
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