Occam Global Recruits CFO for Tortugas Neuroscience
October 15, 2026 – New York City-based executive search firm Occam Global has recruited Ramzi Benamar as CFO of Tortugas Neuroscience, a clinical-stage biotech company developing medicines for central nervous system (CNS) disorders. “Ramzi brings meaningful capabilities and an understanding of the life sciences industry,” said Jeff Jonas, CEO of Tortugas. “He has had a documented and successful track record of helping biotechnology companies navigate important stages of growth. His perspective and expertise will be critical as we continue to advance our pipeline and execute on our long-term corporate and financial strategy.”
Mr. Benamar is a biotechnology executive with experience in capital formation, corporate strategy, M&A, operational scaling, and commercial launch preparation. He has participated in and led these activities across multiple life sciences companies.
Previously, Mr. Benamar served as CFO of the clinical-stage biotech Bellus Health, where he helped lead the company through its $2.0 billion acquisition by GSK. Most recently, he was CFO of Apnimed, where he was focused on capital allocation and commercialization planning for the company. Mr. Benamar formerly served as CFO at DBV Technologies and Elucida Oncology, in addition to holding senior leadership roles at major biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies such as Spark Therapeutics, Johnson & Johnson, Shire, and Merck.
“Tortugas has assembled a differentiated, clinical-stage CNS pipeline and a leadership team with extensive experience developing successful new medicines in CNS,” said Mr. Benamar. “I am excited to join the company at this important stage and to help build the financial and corporate strategy needed to advance these promising programs.”
Tortugas Neuroscience is a clinical-stage CNS-focused biotech company dedicated to developing medicines that address diseases of the brain. With a strategic focus on clinically validated mechanisms of action with well-defined development and regulatory pathways, Tortugas Neuroscience is committed to creating therapies with meaningful impact for patients worldwide.
Founded in 2012 by William Holodnak, Occam Global is an international executive recruiting and leadership advisory firm specializing in building management teams for companies in the life sciences, AI, robotics, defense, technology, and venture capital sectors. The firm’s success is rooted in cultivating and valuing relationships, establishing trust with entrepreneurs, executives, and investors. The firm employs a disciplined and comprehensive method for the sourcing, selection, and integration of executive leaders, involving in-depth research and rigorous due diligence. In addition, Occam Global provides sophisticated advice on organizational structure and development at the C-suite and board levels.
Mr. Holodnak established his reputation by starting, building, and running an international search firm servicing leading companies and entrepreneurial organizations in the asset management, financial services, global health and biotechnology sectors throughout Asia, North America, and Europe. Prior to founding Occam, Mr. Holodnak created J. Robert Scott, a multinational executive search firm under the umbrella of Fidelity Investments. He specializes in recruiting C-level executives and board of director searches for the financial services and healthcare sectors, with clients including MIT, Ameriprise, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, AstraZeneca, Venrock, New Enterprise Associates, and SingHealth.
Related: Occam Global Recruits CEO for Aura Biosciences
John Holodnak is Occam Global’s president. He specializes in healthcare executive recruiting and technology executive recruiting, calling on nearly a decade of experience in C-level executive search and his extensive experience in the financial services sector. Mr. Holodnak previously worked as an equity analyst at Crédit Agricole, a fixed-income analyst at Western Asset Management, and a currency trader on Wall Street.
eGenesis Search
Occam Global recently placed Glenn Vraniak as CFO of eGenesis, a biotechnology company developing human-compatible engineered organs for transplantation. “eGenesis is entering a pivotal stage in our evolution as we prepare to advance our programs through clinical development and lay the foundation for future commercialization,” said Mike Curtis, CEO of eGenesis. “Glenn brings deep expertise and proven leadership across finance, capital formation, and business development and we are thrilled to have him join the team to help drive the next phase of growth for the company.”
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Mr. Vraniak brings more than two decades of executive leadership experience across biotechnology, medical technology and specialty pharmaceuticals, with a track record of leading capital raising initiatives, IPOs, strategic transactions and company-building initiatives. Most recently, he served as CFO of Inversago Pharma, where he helped lead the company’s growth strategy, financing activities and eventual acquisition by Novo Nordisk in a transaction valued at approximately $1.1 billion.
Related: Occam Global Fills Senior Post for Variant Bio
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
