Francesco De Rubertis

Francesco De Rubertis
Born January 23, 1970
Italy
Alma mater University of Pavia (B.A.)
University of Geneva (Ph.D.)
Occupation Partner at Index Ventures
Spouse(s) Sandra Henchoz De Rubertis

Francesco De Rubertis (born January 23, 1970) is a partner at Index Ventures, a venture capital firm with offices in London, Geneva and San Francisco. He led the firm’s efforts to establish its life sciences practice after joining in 1997.[1]

Early life and education

De Rubertis was born in Italy. He graduated from the University of Pavia with a Bachelor of Arts in Genetics and Microbiology, before earning a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Geneva, where he also met his wife, Sandra Henchoz, who was a fellow student. De Rubertis engaged in postdoctoral research in molecular genetics at the Whitehead Institute at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and later earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.[2]

Career

After his postdoctoral work at MIT, in 1997 De Rubertis moved back to Geneva, where he joined Index Ventures and helped co-found the firm’s life sciences practice. In 2009 he moved to London (site of another Index office) where he continues to reside.[3]

De Rubertis is responsible for all of Index Ventures’ investments in the life sciences. He has served on the Boards of Directors of many companies, including Addex Therapeutics (SIX: ADXN), CellZome (acquired by GlaxoSmithKline for $120 Million [4]), Genmab (OMX: GEN), Molecular Partners, PanGenetics (acquired by Abbott Laboratories), and Parallele Bioscience (acquired by Affymetrix).[5]

In 2012 De Rubertis spearheaded the launch of Index Ventures’ $200 Million life sciences fund in partnership with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Johnson & Johnson (J&J), to invest in early-stage biotechnology companies .[6]

De Rubertis is the author of several publications in international scientific journals.[7]

In 2010 De Rubertis was named by BioWorld as one of 28 "movers and shakers" predicted to shape the biotechnology industry over the next two decades .[8]

In October 2012 De Rubertis was named by Xconomy as one of 40 of “Young and Proven” biotech venture capitalists.[9]

De Rubertis is a member of the Strategic Advisory Board of the University of Geneva.[10]

External links

References

  1. ↑ "Veni, vidi, V.C.". University of Geneva student magazine. November 6, 2009.
  2. ↑ "Executive Profile". Bloomberg Businessweek. May 10, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Veni, vidi, V.C.". University of Geneva student magazine. November 6, 2009.
  4. ↑ "GSK acquires Cellzome 100%". EuroBiotechnologyNews. May 15, 2012.
  5. ↑ "GSK Press release". GlaxoSmithKline. May 15, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Index Launches Its First Life Sciences Fund: $200M And Partnering With Glaxo and Johnson & Johnson". TechCrunch. March 20, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Google Scholar search: "Francesco De Rubertis"".
  8. ↑ "The Future Is Here: Who Will Shape Biotech Over the Next 20 Years? BioWorld Says…". BioWorld 20th Anniversary Edition. 2010.
  9. ↑ "Who Will Survive the Biotech VC Downturn? The Young and the Proven". Xconomy. October 22, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Index Ventures Partner bio: Francesco De Rubertis".