DIA, founded as the Drug Information Association, has named Ania Mitan, MBA, PharmD, as Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Europe. In this capacity, Ms. Mitan is tasked with leading the regional strategic efforts of DIA not only in Europe, but also in the Middle East, Africa, India, and Singapore. As an organization, DIA provides the largest global, neutral, multidisciplinary forum for life science professionals to engage with key stakeholders and Ms. Mitan will build on this tradition, as well as continue the evolution of the organization’s thought leadership and knowledge platforms.

Prior to joining DIA, Ms. Mitan was Executive Director of the commercial organization for Cell and Gene Therapy at Celgene. With more than 25 years in global pharma and biotech industry leadership experience, her extensive roster of accomplishments includes: co-creation process with healthcare partners to shape quality delivery systems and new commercialization models in personalized medicine; clinical and commercial development of diagnostic businesses in a start-up; and 17 years at Eli Lilly and Company, including stints as Head of Commercial Development for EU mid-size countries, Head of Primary Care Business Unit for the UK and Ireland, and Head of Marketing for the Critical Care Unit. She holds an MBA from Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts, and an MSc in pharmacy from Silesian Medical Academy, Poland.

“Ms. Mitan’s career has been built on provision of access to medicine and improvements in the experience of patients across the healthcare system,” said Barbara Lopez Kunz, Global Chief Executive, DIA. “Her patient-centric ethos and the completeness of her product management lifecycle experience provide such a natural extension of the care and value that DIA seeks to bring the full life sciences community, and already in her first month, she has forged alliances and partnerships across DIA’s existing global footprint.”

“There’s never been a more critical time to be in the biopharmaceutical industry, but even more so in the overall health and wellness arena,” said Ms. Mitan. “The pandemic has brought to light the interconnectedness of humanity—that the solutions of collaboration and international harmonization are more than business endeavors, but are rooted in a society that grows together, that learns together, and that cares together. I’m so pleased to be part of an organization that understands and respects all stakeholders, with the solid recognition that the knowledge we share is for ultimate patient benefit.”