Geron Corp Announces Executive Leadership Changes, Shares Drop

By Greg Peters • Tuesday, October 14 15:36 • Permanent Link

Geron Corporation (NASDAQ: GERN) has announced significant executive leadership transitions and appointments, signaling a pivotal moment for the company. Andrew Grethlein, Ph.D., who has been serving as the executive vice president and chief operating officer, will be transitioning to a consulting role and pursuing other interests. Additionally, Jim Ziegler, the executive vice president and chief commercial officer, will also be departing to pursue other opportunities.

In response to these departures, the company has appointed Ahmed Elnawawi as the new executive vice president and chief commercial officer, effective October 20, 2025. Elnawawi brings a wealth of experience, having previously served as the senior vice president and U.S. commercial head at Stemline Therapeutics, where he led the successful U.S. launch of Orserdu in metastatic breast cancer and drove growth for Elzonris in blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN).

In addition to Elnawawi's appointment, Geron has also announced the appointment of three other seasoned executives to its leadership team:

Shanthakumar Tyavanagimatt as senior vice president and chief technical officer
Dawn Schottlandt as senior vice president of investor relations and corporate affairs
Bryan Ridgell as senior vice president of portfolio and project management and chief of staff

These appointments bring extensive experience across technical operations, investor relations, corporate affairs, and portfolio management to Geron, further strengthening the company's commercial, operational, and development capabilities.

Geron's President and CEO, Harout Semerjian, expressed confidence in the incoming leaders, emphasizing their extensive experience in the hematology-oncology space and their track record of leading high-performing teams. The company aims to leverage this expertise as they work to expand the reach and impact of their first-in-class telomerase inhibitor, Rytelo (imetelstat), in the U.S. market and beyond.

The company's strategic priorities include driving growth, maximizing the potential of Rytelo, and laying the groundwork for potential future portfolio expansion. With these new appointments, Geron is positioning itself to deliver on its full potential and build on its strong foundation.

These leadership changes come at a critical juncture for Geron, as the company continues to advance its commercial-stage biopharmaceutical endeavors focused on changing the course of blood cancer. As the company looks to shape its next chapter, the new leadership team is expected to play a key role in driving operational excellence and expanding the company's impact in the field of oncology and hematology. Following these announcements, the company's shares moved -3.05%, and are now trading at a price of $1.27. For the full picture, make sure to review GERON CORP's 8-K report.

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