Leadership Built on Expertise
Our leadership team brings decades of combined experience across process development and manufacturing, shaping how we anticipate industry shifts and meet our clients’ evolving needs. Guided by a shared commitment to innovation, quality, and reliable delivery, they drive our daily mission to make a real difference in the lives of patients.
Executive Team & Advisory Board
Prof. Vladas Algirdas Bumelis
Chief Executive Officer
Prof. Vladas Bumelis is the Founder of Northway Biotech and currently serves as Chairman of the company’s Board and Advisory Board. With extensive experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, he previously held key positions such as General Manager of Sicor Biotech UAB (now Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.), Chairman of the Board for Biofa and Biotechna, and served as Chairman of the Board and General Manager of the Institute of Applied Enzymology in Lithuania.
Prof. Bumelis is the author of 157 scientific publications and 32 inventions. Notable accolades include being named CEO of the year in Lithuania in 2012 and receiving the Lithuanian Science Prize in 2004 for his pioneering work in the development and production of recombinant proteins. In 2020, he was honored with the Officer’s Cross Award of the Order “For Merit to Lithuania.”
Vladas has a Ph.D. in Chemistry, as well as a Ph.D. in Biotechnology from Vilnius University, Lithuania.
Diana Bumelytė
Member of the Board
Diana has over 20 years of experience in running medical centers and working as a general practitioner. She worked at Šeškines Healthcare in Vilnius before setting up Northway Medicinos Centrai (“Northway” is one of the largest private medical centers in Lithuania providing comprehensive medical services in Lithuania, Latvia, and London, UK), where she has been General Manager for the last 15 years. Diana has a medical degree from Vilnius University.
Eugenija Sutkienė
Member of the Board
Eugenija is a leading expert in pharmaceutical, life sciences, mergers and acquisitions, and commercial law. She has over 25 years of legal services experience acting as a legal advisor to corporations such as Coca-Cola, Mars Inc., Philip Morris, Sicor Biotech UAB, Svenska Petroleum as well as an advisor to the Lithuanian Government. She studied at Vilnius University where she graduated with a Master of Law. She also studied International Law at Krakow University. Eugenija has been recognized as being in the top 4 most influential women in Lithuania, Valstybė (The State), and by the IFLR1000 which recognizes the top 300 female lawyers considered to be among the best transactional specialists in their markets and practice areas.
Advisory Board
Harold Paisner
United Kingdom
Gianni Morosoli
Switzerland
Marvin Samson
United States
Michael D. Cannon
United States
Department Managers
Kernius Kuklys
Global Upstream Department Manager
Kernius has 6+ years of experience in the CDMO field, having specialized in Upstream Processing throughout his career. He previously served as USP Manufacturing Specialist Lead at Alvotech and has continued his focus on USP at Northway Biotech.
Kšyštof Sinkevič
CTO & Global Downstream Department Manager
Kšyštof brings 10+ years of experience in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Prior to becoming CTO, he led the Downstream GMP Group and Downstream Department at Northway Biotech.
Dagnė Janarauskienė
Global Head of Quality
Dagnė has 10+ years of experience in the field. She previously led the laboratories at the National Public Health Surveillance Laboratory in collaboration with the European Commission and most recently held a Quality Assurance role for 5+ years at Northway Biotech.
Ieva Dirsienė
Global Head of Analytics & Quality Control
Ieva brings over 10 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, having held leadership and technical roles across organizations including Thermo Fisher Scientific, Sanobiotec, and Northway Biotech. Her career has spanned analytical sciences, operational leadership, and quality control, including roles as Head of Group at Northway Biotech, Chief Operating Officer at Sanobiotec, and, currently, QC Department Manager at Northway Biotech.
Business Development Team (EU)
André Markmann, Ph.D.
Chief Business Officer
André holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and has more than 25 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, having worked for global companies like Sanofi-Aventis and DSM/Patheon. For more than 22 years, André has specialized in Business Development for CDMOs with a focus on process development and cGMP manufacturing of biologicals.
Vladimir Ivošev, Ph.D.
Senior Director of Business Development
Vladimir holds a M.Sc. in Molecular Biology & a Ph.D. in Radiobiology and has more than 8 years of commercial experience in the biotech industry. Vladimir has previously worked for international CDMO companies such as VectorBuilder, Exothera & 3PBiovian and has specialized in business development for Cell and Gene Therapy CDMOs – with a focus on process development and cGMP manufacturing of pDNA, viral vectors, mRNA and LNPs.
Robert Webb
Senior Director of Business Development
Robert Webb has over 17 years of experience in sales and business development, including 14 years in the biotech and CDMO sectors. He has held senior roles at organizations such as the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult, where he led strategic initiatives to advance innovative manufacturing models. Robert specializes in business development for gene therapies and protein-based biologics, with a focus on supporting clients through seamless development and cGMP manufacturing.
Claudio Negri, Ph.D.
Senior Director of Business Development
Claudio holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry and has over 30 years of industry experience in operational and commercial roles at global chemical and biopharmaceutical companies such as GSK, CURIA, and Merck Life Science. He has extensive experience in CDMO business development for recombinant proteins (mammalian and microbial), APIs, HAPIs, and ADCs, providing development and manufacturing services from early to late project stages.
Business Development Team (US)
Konstantin Kazarian, Ph.D.
Vice President of Business Development
Konstantin Kazarian is a seasoned business development leader in the CDMO space, with a robust scientific foundation in life sciences and 25 years of combined academic and industry experience. After earning his Ph.D. in Protein Biochemistry, he completed postdoctoral research in protein crystallography in the United States and Italy. Throughout his career, he has held roles of increasing responsibility at leading U.S. and European CDMOs, with a strong focus on biologics and gene therapy development, GMP manufacturing, project management, and strategic partnerships. Konstantin is driven by a commitment to operational excellence, delivering tailored, efficient solutions that streamline development timelines and accelerate time-to-market for clients across the biopharmaceutical sector.
Todd Ireland
Vice President of Business Development
Todd Ireland is an experienced commercial leader in the life sciences industry with over 30 years in a variety of technical and commercial roles. A Chemical Engineer by training, he started his career with a number of technical roles in process and product development as well as applications support. He advanced into global roles, building partnerships across commercial, supply chain and innovation initiatives. Todd brings a spirit of creativity and collaboration to support his clients and drive their programs forward.
Brooke Williams
Director of Business Development
Brooke Williams is a skilled business development professional focused on advancing commercial strategy and building strong client partnerships within the biologics CDMO sector. With +10 years of industry experience spanning both laboratory and commercial roles, she brings a unique ability to bridge scientific execution and strategic growth. Her experience spans multiple therapeutic modalities, including biologics, cell and gene therapy, and advanced therapies, enabling her to support clients across diverse development and manufacturing needs. Her scientific foundation in gene therapy and clinical genomics allows her to translate complex development programs into clear, strategic partnerships that drive long-term growth.
Cullen Wargo
Director of Business Development
Cullen Wargo is an experienced business development leader in the CDMO space with a robust background in vaccine manufacturing and quality control. After earning his bachelor’s in Microbiology, he entered industry working on Influenza, COVID-19, and Virus Like Particle products. Over his career, he has held roles of increasing responsibility in Quality Control and Business Development. He has a solid track record of establishing strategic partnerships within the biologics and drug product space. Cullen is committed to a right first-time mentality, cultural and operational excellence, and creating value for customers to suit their needs and the needs of their patients.