Reza Afkhami has more than 20 years of experience in corporate development and strategy. Most recently, he was Senior Director Commercial Strategy and Partnerships at Prothena, an R&D biotechnology organization, where he oversaw global commercial strategy and planning. Previously, as Head of Business Intelligence – Corporate Development and Strategy, he led business development and market intelligence efforts. Mr. Afkhami also served as Managing Director for a contract research organization, leading the restructuring of U.S. operations. He began his career in biotechnology at CV Therapeutics, where he helped the organization grow from R&D stage to a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company. He managed and supported partnerships ranging from early stage discovery to commercial partnerships, including royalty financing and M&A transactions. Mr. Afkhami holds an M.B.A. from the Haas School of Business at University of California, Berkeley, and a B.S. in International Economics from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.