Anand is the former Executive Director and Head of External Science & Innovation (ES&I) at Pfizer, responsible for building academic and industry partnerships in Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia, to fill the company’s pipeline with novel therapeutics. Prior to Pfizer, Anand worked as Senior Director for R&D Innovation Sourcing at Novo Nordisk, Denmark, setting direction of innovative sourcing strategy at the company; formed OmGenix BioSolutions, a consultancy company; and worked as a vice-president of research and development at Progen in Brisbane, where he managed and initiated Phase I to III clinical trials. He has also worked as a senior vice-president at Pharmexa, Denmark, where he headed research and external collaborations.
Anand has a strong background in scientific and commercial management of research at various academic institutions and biotechnology companies around the world. In addition, he brings direct experience in drug discovery, drug development with late-stage clinical trials, and commercialisation of translatable science from academia.
Anand completed his PhD from University of London in Immunology, undertook postdoctoral training in immunology at Stanford University in California, US. He was then appointed as a research fellow, and later a leader, at John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University. He was also appointed as an associate professor at UQ’s former Diamantina Centre for Immunology and Cancer Research.