Valneva has appointed Dr. Hanneke Schuitemaker, PhD as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) and Executive Committee member, effective June 3, 2024.

Valneva decided to complement its Executive Team with an accomplished R&D leader to oversee the further evolution of the Company´s R&D portfolio.  

Specifically, Dr. Schuitemaker will focus on accelerating Valneva’s pre-clinical and translational R&D activities in support of the Company’s strategic ambition to provide first-, best- or only-in-class vaccine solutions.

Dr. Schuitemaker brings more than two decades of experience in vaccine discovery and development. She formerly served as Global Head of Viral Vaccine Discovery and Translational Medicine at Johnson & Johnson (J&J), with responsibility for the strategy and execution of vaccine programs on COVID-19, HIV, RSV, Ebola, and multiple other viral disease targets for almost 14 years.

Prior to J&J, she worked at Sanquin, The Netherlands’ Blood Supply Foundation, and at Amsterdam University Medical Center, where she conducted research on the pathogenesis of HIV. She has a unique and solid scientific background, which is notably reflected in more than 350 scientific publications.

Thomas Lingelbach, Chief Executive Officer of Valneva, said, “Hanneke’s addition to our team represents an important step in further strengthening Valneva’s strategic leadership, especially as we continue to build our R&D portfolio beyond our advanced clinical programs against Lyme disease and the chikungunya virus. Innovation is a foundation of Valneva’s culture and strategy, and we are confident that her expertise and vision will be key in this regard.”

Dr. Schuitemaker, newly appointed Chief Scientific Officer of Valneva, added, “I am extremely excited to join the fantastic team at Valneva to help strengthen the pipeline and contribute to the design and development of novel vaccines against infectious diseases. Valneva has already accomplished a great deal, having brought three vaccines from early R&D to approval, including the world’s first licensed chikungunya vaccine, and I can’t wait to join the organization.”