Jean-Christophe Tellier became UCB’s CEO on January 1, 2015 only a few years joining the company in 2011. Before taking on the role Tellier held positions as executive VP of European Operations and later successfully led UCB’s BioBrands and Solutions division as executive VP as well.
Tellier was trained as a Medical Doctor at the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne in France and specialized in rheumatology. Being an experienced global leader with a distinguished 25-year career in the biopharmaceutical industry, he built his career in several local and global marketing and sales positions. Tellier spent nearly two decades with Novartis, holding positions such as Head of Novartis’ Global Business Franchise in Arthritis, Bone and Muscle Disease and concluded his time at the company as CEO of Novartis France. Before joining UCB he took on additional international roles as executive VP and chief commercial officer of Macrogenics, a Maryland-based publicly listed biotechnology company, and president and general manager of Ipsen North America.
In a 2018 interview with Pharmalife, Tellier expressed that who he is today as a CEO is a representation of his many different experiences: “I’ve learned a lot by being in big pharma companies and smaller biotechs. I’ve learned a lot being a part of European culture and US culture. I think, for me, it’s really a great chance to be able to be exposed to different situations, different cultures, a different size of company, because diversity is very important to me and creates a culture where you can feel life and a desire to continue to achieve.”
His patient-centric approach and passion for science, combined with his strategic and operational skills, have allowed him to significantly contribute to UCB’s success in recent years. According to Tellier, “engaging the patient in our vision is the best way for our company to be successful in the long term. Having a holistic view of a patient, of their life in his/their environment is essential to ensure effective treatment”. He also believes that “all healthcare players – physicians, payers, caretakers, industry and academia – should cooperate even more effectively and become stronger partners sharing a same goal of improving patient care”.
As a leader, Jean-Christophe has always had a passion for developing people, which he sees as “a key force to drive company success”. His ambition is to continue to further engage UCB teams behind the company’s vision and fully leverage UCB’s strong culture and talents.
