CataloniaBio  & HealthTech has appointed Javier Selva as CEO of the association to lead its growth and continue to promote the representation of companies in the biomedicine and health sector in Catalonia. Selva will work together with the new board chaired by Joan Puig de Dou, CEO of Kymos, from February 2022, which has concluded this selection process already started by the previous board.

Javier Selva has been linked to the sector for nearly 17 years, from his research career nearby research hospitals, to industry and project management. He has worked in the health sector in universities (Universitat de Barcelona), research centres (IMIM, IBEC) and industrial associations (Fenin). In the industrial sector, Selva has experience in advocating for the essentiality and strategy of the healthcare sector, building loyalty with relevant institutional stakeholders and advising them on innovation, internationalisation, talent management and market access. In this sense, he has been part of different working groups and committees on EU policies on behalf of regional and national bodies (Catalan Health Department, ACCIÓ, CDTI-SOST) or defining the industry position at umbrella association (Medtech Europe, COCIR, Foment del Treball).

"The incorporation of Javier Selva will help us to take the association to  another level, now we have surpassed the 200 members. His main task will be to continue to expand the association in those areas where it is still under-represented, while developing and continuing to implement the Strategic Plan in order to offer a value-added service to members. To make this possible, he has a great team and the experience of the Deputy Director General, Melqui Calzado", explains Joan Puig, president of CataloniaBio & HealthTech.

The new general management continues in this line to stimulate the transversality of  the entity and to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and the generation of  ecosystems among its members and related entities.

 "CataloniaBio & HealthTech is a key player in promoting and fostering competitiveness,  as well as generating value to make health a strategic sector in Catalonia. Our strength is being the consolidated meeting point of the sector with the entire value chain; our opportunity is the public-private collaboration  model that makes us a unique element in the ecosystem," says Javier  Selva, CEO of CataloniaBio & HealthTech.

More than 200 members 

CataloniaBio & HealthTech represents more than  200 companies and institutions in the biomedicine and health sector in Catalonia. The profile of members ranges from micro-enterprises to SMEs and large corporations that develop products (drugs, medical devices, diagnostic tests...), scientific and non-scientific services, and knowledge generators.

The association's mission is to increase the competitiveness and size of companies by generating new products and services that improve people's health through the promotion of innovation, entrepreneurship and networking, as well as to position Catalonia as one of the main health hubs in the world.