Executive Board
Emile Lens - Chief Executive Officer
Emile Lens
Chief Executive Officer
Over the last five years, Emile has been dedicated to driving and executing buy and build strategies in the life sciences industry. His primary focus at Synexa is to build a company that is considered a top class place for scientists to work, delivering the highest quality services to its clients, and to create a sustainable platform that is scalable, efficient, rapidly growing and that will have a meaningful impact on the world.
Emile holds a MSc degree in Economics at Erasmus University. He started his career in banking at MeesPierson. He subsequently moved to ABN AMRO NV, where he ultimately became Head of Mergers and Acquisitions and part of the global M&A and Capital Market management team. He served as CFO and board member at Maxeda DIY, a leading European retail company owned by KKR. As an entrepreneur, he founded Albacore Partners (an M&A boutique) and Nobilo Ventures (an investment boutique). Prior to joining Synexa, Emile served as CFO and board member of Avania, a global medical device CRO, where he was deeply involved in the successful buy and build strategy of that company.
Emile is passionate about working with people, building businesses, and being part of the innovation and the opportunities that are created by the life sciences industry.
Dr. Justin Devine - Chief Innovation Officer
Dr. Justin Devine
Chief Innovation Officer
Justin is a medical doctor, immunologist and pharmacologist (Stellenbosch University) and a co-founder of Synexa.
His primary focus is to understand our clients’ objectives in new drug development by designing biomarker strategies to bring real insight to the challenges of clinical development. Justin has a very deep understanding of the role that biomarkers and pharmacogenetics play in understanding the performance of a candidate drug.
He is particularly passionate about improving the drug development process by bringing innovative approaches to early phase research, including new ideas in translational medicine, bioinformatics and artificial intelligence
Nadia Borchards - Chief Finance Officer
Nadia Borchards
Chief Finance Officer
Nadia holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (PGDBA) from the University of the Western Cape, Cape Town. With an undergrad degree in Biomedical Technology, her career started in the diagnostic pathology sphere in 2001. Since 2015, Nadia’s role has transitioned from diagnostic pathology operations to finance and procurement.
She is passionate about seeing Synexa and its people thrive and flourish. Her focus is to create and sustain the necessary support infrastructure for a fast-growing company to succeed.
Matti Kimberg - In Memoriam
Matti Kimberg
In Memoriam
Matti was a molecular geneticist (University of Stellenbosch) and immunologist (University of Cape Town), with more than 10 years’ experience in regulated bioanalysis and clinical biomarkers.
As CSO, his primary focus was to ensure that the execution of all work performed at Synexa was scientifically driven by the objective of generating data that is informative towards answering the specific questions being asked in the context of each study. He had a deep understanding of the principals of the regulatory framework supporting bioanalysis and applying the guidelines provided by regulators to novel analytical technologies and therapeutic modalities.
Matti was passionate about using world class science and innovation to transform the way novel therapeutics are developed, to bring them to market faster, cheaper and safer.
Melanie Lucas - Chief Operating Officer
Melanie Lucas
Chief Operating Officer
Melanie Lucas holds a MSc degree in Medical Microbiology (University of Stellenbosch) and has worked in the life sciences industry for over 10 years, with experience in both laboratory techniques and project management. As Chief Operating Officer, Melanie oversees global operations management and activities, which are aligned with the strategic growth goals and vision of Synexa Life Sciences.
Melanie is passionate about people, empowering scientists to excel, the growth of an operational dream team and delivering reliable clinical services to our customers.
