Chartwell Partners Recruits CFO for Akebia Therapeutics
September 26, 2024 – Dallas, TX-based executive search firm Chartwell Partners recently placed Erik Ostrowski as SVP and CFO of NASDQ-traded Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. “Chartwell’s biopharmaceuticals team was pleased to work with Akebia Therapeutics on this important search,” the search firm said in a LinkedIn post. “Congratulations to Erik Ostrowski on being named chief financial officer and chief business officer of the organization.”
“We are pleased to welcome Erik to Akebia as he brings proven leadership experience across a broad range of critical functions,” said John P. Butler, CEO of Akebia. “He will be an important addition to our experienced leadership team. We are executing the Vafseo (vadadustat) Tablets launch from a solid financial position. Erik’s ability to manage all aspects of corporate finance, as well as his track record in leading corporate development and strategic transactions, we believe will enable us to create significant value for our stakeholders.”
Mr. Ostrowski is an experienced biotech executive with a diverse background spanning industry leadership roles, board service and investment banking. He joins Akebia from Avrobio, where he served as president, interim chief executive officer and CFO, leading the execution of its merger with Tectonic Therapeutic. Prior to that, Mr. Ostrowski was CFO of Summit Therapeutics where he led its initial public offering on Nasdaq. He was recently chair of the audit committee of the board of directors of Faron Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Ostrowski also spent over ten years in investment banking including at Leerink Partners and Robertson Stephens.
“I am incredibly excited to join the Akebia team during this transformational time for the company,” said Mr. Ostrowski. “With its new product launch, established revenue-generating business and promising pipeline, Akebia is well-positioned for growth, and I look forward to contributing to its future success.”
Akebia Therapeutics is a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company with the purpose to better the lives of people impacted by kidney disease. It was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Cambridge, MA.
Chartwell Partners is focused on identifying and recruiting senior executives and board members for clients in four specific industries: biopharmaceuticals, healthcare services, financial services, and real estate.
Related: Chartwell Partners Fills Senior Post for CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
William Ward, a co-founding partner of Chartwell Partners, is based in Dallas. His search experience has spanned over 25 years and has exclusively focused on healthcare. His healthcare search experience has included helping to find corporate directors, C-suite executives, and numerous functional leaders, including operations, finance, sales and marketing, business development, and IT. He has worked with clients in most healthcare service sectors, including acute care, long-term care/post-acute, supply chain/distribution, ambulatory surgery, pharmacy services, home health, and hospice. Mr. Ward has also worked extensively with both large public companies and many notable private equity-backed businesses as well.
Chartwell Partners Recruits CFO for First United Bank
Chartwell Partners recently assisted in the recruitment of Brian Johnson as the new CFO of First United Bank. Scott Petty, managing partner of Chartwell Partners’ financial services practice, led the search along with principal Sean O’Neal. “We were excited to partner with Greg Massey on this strategic hire,” said Mr. Petty. “Brian Johnson is an excellent addition to First United’s team.” In his new position, Mr. Johnson is responsible for leading and establishing the financial strategy that supports the organizations’ return targets within its ongoing strategy. He will collaborate closely with Greg Massey, the CEO, to strategize and shape long-term financial outcomes for the business units.
Stuart Bush is a co-founding partner and has spent over 30 years in the executive recruiting industry. His specialization areas include healthcare, insurance, and business services, with particular emphasis on general management, corporate directors, and corporate financial officers.
Past CFO Search
Chartwell Partners recently assisted in the recruitment of Mike Loftus as the new CFO for Highland Homes in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX. Mr. Loftus is a strategic and operationally minded finance executive focused on helping companies grow by building high-performing teams and partnering closely with leaders to develop strategy and drive performance to achieve company goals linked to maximizing shareholder value. Core competencies include: Executive leadership and team building; strategic planning, financial planning and analysis (FP&A); capital planning / allocation, investment evaluation; mergers & acquisitions, due diligence, acquisition integration; and investor relations, lender and rating agency relations.
Previously, Mr. Loftus served as CFO of Eyemart Express, a national optical retailer with 250 stores across 42 states. Before that, he was CFO of Lori’s Gifts. Prior to this, Mr. Loftus was vice president, global controller, investor relations with GameStop. Earlier in his career, he served as vice president of finance and accounting with Blockbuster. Highland Homes is an award-winning Texas homebuilder with communities in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin.
Related: Chartwell Partners Recruits CEO for Four Plus Corporation
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
