Catarina Santos

Catarina Santos is an energetic and highly agile healthcare executive with 20 years of experience in the health sector, specializing in conquering markets and building advocacy.

She has a proven track record of developing long-term visions for product launches and establishing partnerships across various markets, particularly in rare diseases, gene therapy, and ophthalmology.

Catarina is an expert in market commercial strategy for a wide range of products, including blockbusters, gene therapy, early and mature pipeline assets, and portfolio management.

She has successfully managed two major restructuring efforts and implemented numerous people and team developmental programs, showcasing her strong leadership skills.

Catarina Santos has a rich educational background, including studying Women in Business and earning an MBA from Universidade Católica Portuguesa, as well as studying Biology, Microbiology, and Genetics at the University of Lisbon.

Her passion for genetics research led her to pursue studies at New York University School of Medicine, where she obtained a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Genetics.

Additionally, she furthered her education by studying courses such as Women on Board at Academia VdA and working as a Predoctoral Fellow in Cancer at Baylor College of Medicine.

Throughout her career, Catarina has held key positions in reputable organizations such as Novartis, where she served as the Ophthalmology Business Franchise Director, Therapeutic Area Head for retina and I&D, Medical Affairs Head for ophthalmology, Senior Product Manager, and Scientific Operations Head.

She also has experience working as a Medical Science Liaison at Novartis and as a Postdoctoral Degree holder at Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência.

Catarina Santos has been recognized for her contributions to science and genetics, receiving the Women in Science Prize from the L'Oréal Institute.

Her interests extend beyond her professional achievements as she is passionate about women's leadership and actively participates in programs promoting women in business, women on boards, and PWN.

She is known for her expertise in business strategy, business development, biomedical research, gene therapy, ophthalmology, immunology, and the pharmaceutical industry, coupled with key strengths in strategic thinking, impactful communication, and maximizing the potential of her team.