Ali Özüer Appointed Chairman of AbdiBio Grup

Ali Özüer Appointed as Head of AbdiBio Group In line with its VISION 2025 strategy, Abdi İbrahim, aiming to become Turkey's leading biosimilar player in biotechnology over the next 4 years, has appointed Ali Özüer to lead AbdiBio, its biotechnology investment in Esenyurt. Özüer has held significant responsibilities in biotechnology in the United States. Ali Özüer will contribute to Abdi İbrahim's biotechnology objectives through his industry experience. Abdi İbrahim CEO Süha Taşpolatoğlu, noting that Ali Özüer's joining Abdi İbrahim represents a crucial first step in bringing qualified human resources from abroad to the country, stated: "As Abdi İbrahim, we are pursuing investments in the biotechnology field comprehensively. Last year, we achieved a first for our country and sector by acquiring a 28.5% stake in Swiss OM Pharma, a prominent player in biotechnology. In 2017, we invested in Ocugen, an American biotechnology start-up with strong ties to the University of Colorado and the University of Illinois in the United States, developing drugs used in biological and gene therapy. In 2018, at the opening of AbdiBio, we stated that one of the most significant contributions we would make to the sector through this investment would be the transfer of know-how and human resources in the biotechnology field. Today, as a domestic pharmaceutical company operating in Turkey for 109 years, we are proud to offer an investment and working environment where we can bring valuable names who have emerged from Turkey into our organization. Ali Özüer's decision to leave his 26 years of education and career in the United States to join AbdiBio demonstrates that reverse brain drain is possible in the Turkish pharmaceutical sector, a development that is extremely symbolic and valuable for our industry," he said. Ali Özüer, appointed as Head of AbdiBio Group effective 16 August 2021, graduated from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Middle East Technical University before completing his master's degree and doctorate in Chemical Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh, followed by two separate master's programs in Clinical Research and MBA. Özüer began his career as a Process Engineer at Selüloz ve Kağıt Sanayi (SEKA) Operations. He subsequently worked as a Process Development and Production Researcher at the University of Pittsburgh; held the position of Quality Control Manager at the University of Pittsburgh Human Gene Therapy Laboratory; and served as Senior Project Manager for Viral Gene Therapy Vector Production at the University of Pittsburgh Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. After his university experience, Özüer worked in the United States as a Process Development Scientist, Technology Transfer Manager, and Assistant Director of Global Manufacturing Services at Boehringer Ingelheim; as a Technical Project Lead in the Integrated Cell and Gene Therapy Unit at Novartis Pharma in the United States; and as a Director of Cell and Gene Therapy at Bioverativ (Sanofi) in the United States. Most recently, Ali Özüer was Senior Director in the Technical Project Management and Production division at Takeda Pharma in the United States.