Key Takeaways
- Samanta Cimitan will join Lonza as Chief Commercial Officer and Senior Vice President on January 1, 2027.
- Cimitan previously served as CEO at Celonic, where she led significant transformations and enhancements.
- She has an extensive background at Lonza, previously holding leadership roles in strategy and operations.
Career Transition to Lonza
Samanta Cimitan is set to become Lonza’s Chief Commercial Officer and Senior Vice President, starting January 1, 2027. In this newly created position, she will oversee Strategic Enterprise Account Management, Global Marketing, and Commercial Excellence, overseeing the company’s strategic accounts while developing a coordinated go-to-market approach across Lonza’s three Business Platforms.
Before joining Lonza, Cimitan served as Chief Executive Officer at Celonic, a biologics contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), for over three years. During her tenure, she successfully transformed the company, enhancing its focus on biologics and bolstering its commercial, operational, regulatory, and innovation capabilities.
Under Cimitan’s leadership, Celonic made significant advancements at its Heidelberg facility in Germany by improving GMP performance. The company also secured an extension for its Manufacturing and Import Authorization for mid-scale commercial production. Additionally, Celonic established a Biologics Development Center in Basel, Switzerland, aimed at pioneering next-generation bioprocessing technologies, including process intensification and advanced perfusion methods.
Cimitan is no stranger to Lonza, having spent nearly 13 years in various commercial and strategy leadership positions prior to her role at Celonic. Her most recent position was Vice President of Lonza Group Operations Strategy, where she led transformation programmes that spanned Commercial, R&D, and Operations.
Cimitan will transition from Celonic toward the end of 2026. The company has indicated that the CEO succession process is underway, with a successor already identified, and an announcement will be made soon. Cimitan will collaborate with Celonic’s Chairman and the incoming CEO to ensure a seamless transition process before she joins Lonza.
The content above is a summary. For more details, see the source article.