LIFE SCIENCES.

KEVIN O'BRIEN

president for North America | Merz Therapeutics

Raleigh

O'Brien joined the German-owned Merz company in 2017, having spent 16 years at Allergan, the producer of Botox. Since then he's led significant growth as Merz has expanded its research and development of various therapeutic products for patients suffering various neurological conditions including Parkinson's disease, ALS and cerebral palsy.

His expertise in product launches and leading teams of neuroscientists has helped build the Merz brand in the U.S. and Canada. He's also worked on various advocacy partnerships to promote awareness of movement disorders.

O'Brien has a bachelor's degree from St. Mary's University in California and a law degree from Western State University in Gunnison, Colorado. He worked for Johnson & Johnson and Boston Scientific earlier in his career.

Friedrich Merz founded a chemical business in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1908. The company is now led by a fourth generation of the Merz family and employs more than 3,700 globally, including several hundred in Raleigh. The capital city is home to the Merz Therapeutics unit led by O'Brien and Merz Aesthetics, whose CEO is Bob Rhatigan.

Favorite family tradition: Snow skiing--we've skied all over the world including indoors in Dubai.

Favorite N.C. place to visit: My wife and I went to Beaufort during the pandemic and it was beautiful. I'd love to go back now that more places are back open.

What do you listen to on your commute: Anything upbeat to start the day--butl livejust a few miles from my off ice, so it's a pretty short playlist.

Major inspiration: The people of Merz Therapeutics. Every day they commit to bringing better outcomes to more patients living with movement disorders and have created an amazing culture of care and trust. I am excited to work with our employees!

Career highlight: Having job opportunities that allowed me to live around the world--working across continents, countries, and cultures has shaped my management style and who I am today.

Favorite hobby: If the weather is nice, evening walks on the Capital Area Greenway.

Best advice to someone new in your industry: Take on a lot of different responsibilities--be curious and open to learning.

Key industry change over the next five years: An increased need for digital tools and solutions to aid health care providers in effectively diagnosing and treating patients.

ANTHONY ATALA

director | Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine

Winston-Salem

The veteran professor's research includes creating the 3D bioprinter and leading the team that produced the first lab-grown bladder to be implanted...