Ex-Bristol exec Tamar Howson joins biomed bid

A new VC management fund is backed by US fund Bay City Capital.

Tamar Howson, a former executive at Bristol Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE: BMY) has joined the venture capital management company set up by San Francisco-based Bay City Capital and Israel's 7 Health Venture, run by managing partner Dalia Megiddo.

The management company of 7 Health Venture will be called Expedio, which will reportedly participate in the tender for the government biomed funds. Howson meets the tender condition of a "key person in the pharmaceutical industry".

Howson, who resides in the US, served as Bristol Myers Squibb SVP corporate development. She has been in contact with Israeli companies over the years, serving as a director at BiolineRX Ltd. (TASE:BLRX), among other positions. Her activity in Israel has now moved up a peg.

Since leaving Bristol Myers Squibb in 2006, Howson has held several posts, including VP at Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc.

"I've known Bay City and Dalia for many years. Both parties called me to join the venture on the same day," Howson told "Globes" in an interview.

Howson does not plan to return to Israel at this time. "I've always wanted to do things related to Israel, and I've done it at various levels of intensity. It's possible that Israel is now ready to compete in the market at a more aggressive level. This is a time of change for the whole industry, and an opportunity to do something different in a changing world."

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 28, 2010

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2010

Twitter Facebook Linkedin RSS Newsletters גלובס Israel Business Conference 2018