RM Nephew and Associates Places New CFO for InVivo Therapeutics
May 17, 2019 – Executive recruitment firm RM Nephew and Associates has helped to place the new chief financial officer and treasurer for InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp., a Cambridge, MA-based research and clinical-stage biomaterials and biotechnology company. Richard Christopher comes to the role from iCAD Inc. Leading the assignment was search firm partner Denise C. Amari.
“Rich’s more than 25 years of invaluable financial experience, including at various publicly traded life science companies, make him a key asset in the navigation of InVivo’s goals,” said Richard Toselli, the company’s president and chief executive officer. “He has a proven track record in diverse financial management, financing transactions and strategic planning. Most significantly, Rich shares a passion for bringing treatments and therapies to patients in areas of unmet need. On behalf of the board and management, we welcome Rich to the InVivo team.”
Mr. Christopher said he was happy to be part of a company involved in such valuable work. “It is an exciting time to join InVivo, especially during a transformative and pivotal stage in the company’s development,” he said. “I look forward to working with the InVivo board of directors and management team to drive its mission of helping this underserved patient population and bringing value to shareholders.”
Deep Experience
Prior to joining InVivo, Mr. Christopher was CFO for iCAD Inc., a Nasdaq-listed company with a focus on therapies and solutions for the early identification and treatment of cancer. Before that, he was CFO and chief operating officer of Caliber Imaging & Diagnostics Inc., a medical technology company focused on cancer detection imaging solutions, with primary applications in dermatology. Mr. Christopher has held various positions of increasing responsibility at DUSA Pharmaceuticals Inc., where he ultimately served as CFO through its acquisition and integration into Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries. He holds a master’s degree in accounting from Suffolk University and a bachelor’s in finance from Bentley University.
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InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp., which is publicly traded, focuses on treatment of spinal cord injuries. The company was founded in 2005 with proprietary technology co-invented by Robert Langer, professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Joseph P. Vacanti, a medical doctor who was then at Boston Children’s Hospital and who now is affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital. Last year, the company announced updated clinical evidence, including improvements in patients with acute spinal cord injury, from its INSPIRE study of the neuro-spinal scaffold.
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RM Nephew and Associates, based in Boston and New York, provides partnership-driven solutions to business leadership and recruitment challenges worldwide. The firm specializes in executive search services for clients in the healthcare, technology, supply chain, warehousing, distribution and manufacturing, and professional services industries. Its clients range from Fortune 500 companies to mid-size firms to private equity and venture-backed start-ups. RM Nephew and Associates has core experience partnering with privately-held, family-owned firms.
Respected Recruiters
Founder Robert Nephew, who serves as managing partner, founded the firm with more than 35 years executive search experience. He has built his career within the technology, professional services and healthcare industries. Areas of expertise include human resources, board of directors and financial officer disciplines. Through his extensive work in these areas, Mr. Nephew has refined techniques for placing senior leaders who serve as trusted advisors to the CEO on a range of strategic business matters.
Ms. Amari, leads the firm’s financial officers practice. She started her career at Deloitte, serving in both the audit and tax practices. Following that, with the Boston Consulting Group, Ms. Amari spent three years in Asia helping to expand the firm’s presence in the region. Moving to a Viant, a high-growth technology services firm, she was an integral part of the company’s IPO process. Prior to joining RM Nephew and Associates, Denise developed clients and recruited leadership talent in a variety of sectors, including technology, life sciences, and renewable energy for BFS Associates. She holds a master’s degree in tax from Bentley University and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Rhode Island.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Andrew W. Mitchell, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
