Indian American Utpal Koppikar Named CFO of Alphabet Precision Health Company Verily
- Koppikar brings to the company “deep financial expertise as well as decades of experience in the life sciences industry."
Utpal Koppikar has been named Chief Financial Officer of Verily, an Alphabet company focused on precision health. The Indian American joins from Atara Biotherapeutics, a leader in T-cell immunotherapy focused on cancer and autoimmune diseases, according to a company press release. As executive vice president and CFO at Atara, he oversaw the finance, information technology and investor relations functions, the release added.
Koppikar’s appointment comes in the wake of Verily’s move to lay off about 15% of its workforce, around 200 people, in January, as reported by Medical Marketing + Media magazine. “Still, the company has added several leaders to its executive team in recent years, including Stephen Gillett as CEO at the beginning of January.
In a statement, Gillet said Koppikar brings to the company “deep financial expertise as well as decades of experience in the life sciences industry at some of the most innovative companies in the sector.”
Before Atara, Koppikar held several senior financial leadership positions at Gilead Sciences, including Vice President of Corporate and Operations Finance. “During his time there, he led the three-year financial planning process and financial integration of Kite Pharma and played a key role as Gilead’s Vice President of Finance for Europe, the Middle East and Australia,” the company said.
Before joining Gilead, he served in multiple finance roles of increasing responsibility at Amgen. He serves on the board of C4 Therapeutics and was previously a board member of Flexion Therapeutics Inc., until its sale to Pacira Biosciences Inc.
“The opportunity to join Verily at this inflection point is incredibly compelling as Stephen and the leadership team have the vision and determination to make precision health commercially successful,” said Koppikar. “At this significant juncture, the company has the commitment of investors and the capital to invest in research, care and precision risk management to potentially transform the lives of patients.”