Balance sheet: as a child, Greg Covino wanted to be an airline pilot. Now he has found the same thrill financially navigating a growing biotech.

AuthorWestfall, Christopher
PositionInterview

TITLE Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer

COMPANY Biogen Idec is a global biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and delivering innovative therapies for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoirnmune disorders, neurodegenerative diseases and hemophilia. Since the beginning of 2012, we reported results from five pivotal clinical trials--four of which met their endpoints and all of which were scientifically valuable.

BORN Bristol, Conn.

SPOUSE Megan, married for 16 years.

CHILDREN Three boys: Michael, age 15, Ryan, age 13, and Christian, age 10.

EDUCATION SUMMARY BS, Bryant University, Smithfield, R.I., 1987.

CAREER SUMMARY I started as a staff auditor at PwC in Hartford, Conn., right after college and spent 10 years at the firm working my way up to senior manager serving primarily larger, public, global manufacturing clients. This experience gave me the chance to travel and see quite a bit of the world at a relatively young age.

I joined Otis Elevator Co.--a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.--in 1997 where I spent two years in the controller's office, including the position of world headquarters assistant controller. I left for the top accounting job at Hubbell Inc., where I spent nine years, including the last few years as chief accounting officer and controller.

I left Hubbell in 2008 and moved the family to Massachusetts where I transitioned into the life sciences industry as vice president of finance for Boston Scientific Corp.'s international business.

Two years in, our unit was restructured and I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to lead Boston Scientific's internal audit function and Enterprise Risk Management program for another two years.

The opportunity to interview for my current role was a chance to join a vibrant local company on the move and reconnect with a passion for complex accounting leading a global team of highly skilled finance professionals. It's been over a year now and I couldn't be more pleased. In early April, we celebrated the U.S. approval of our latest MS drug, Tecfidera, with an afternoon at Fenway Park just ahead of the season opener.

FEI CHAPTER Boston and Southern Connecticut Chapters, including having spent time as an alternate on the Committee on Corporate Reporting.

How Do You LIKE TO SPEND LEISURE TIME? Right now, it's more "how" than "like," but kids sporting events seem to dominate my free time. Commuting...

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