Former CEO, 89bio; Board Chair, Newleos Therapeutics
Mr. Rohan Palekar is a seasoned biopharma executive and board director with a track record spanning early-stage startup through commercial-stage biopharma. He served as founding Chief Executive Officer of 89bio (ETNB), a biopharmaceutical company focused on liver and cardiometabolic diseases. Rohan built the company from pre-clinical stage to Phase 3 culminating in a $3.5B acquisition by Roche in 2025. Prior to 89bio, Mr. Palekar held various positions at Avanir Pharmaceuticals, including President and CEO, CCO and CCO. During his time, the company saw rapid sales and R&D growth resulting in a $3.5B acquisition by Otsuka. He held prior senior executive roles at Medivation and Johnson & Johnson. Rohan currently serves on the board of Neurogene Inc. (NGNE) and Chair of the board at NewLeos Therapeutics. Mr. Palekar earned his M.B.A. from the Tuck School at Dartmouth College and holds bachelor’s degrees in accounting and law from the University of Mumbai.