Former Founding CEO, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

John served as the founding CEO and a Director of Alnylam from 2002 to 2021, where he built and led the company from early platform research on RNA interference through global approval and commercialization of the first four RNAi therapeutic medicines. He also led the company’s value creation strategy, building $25 billion in market capitalization and forming over 20 major pharmaceutical alliances. Prior to Alnylam, he served as an officer and a member of the management team for Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where he led M&A, strategy, and biotherapeutics functions and was responsible for the company’s product franchises across several indications. Before Millennium, he served as Director of Molecular Biology and Director of Market and Business Development at Biogen. Previously, he was a scientist at ZymoGenetics, Inc. and the Upjohn Company. John received his M.S. and Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Chicago. He is currently a partner or advisor at several leading investment firms and serves as a board member or strategic advisor to a number of biotechnology companies as well as professional and nonprofit organizations.