Bio
Nishan de Silva, M.D., M.B.A. has 25 years’ experience in strategy, finance and operations spanning management consulting, private equity investing and C-suite operating roles in public and private venture capital-backed biopharmaceutical businesses.
Dr. de Silva began his career as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, where as an Engagement Manager he led project teams in addressing critical strategic issues facing senior management in Fortune 500 healthcare companies. He then spent eight years as a private equity investor at Warburg Pincus, the oldest private equity firm in the country. Dr. de Silva most recently served as Principal, negotiating, structuring, evaluating and leading multiple $30-100M investments in biopharmaceutical companies and serving on their Boards of Directors. For the last 12 years, he has held C-suite executive roles in public and private, venture-capital-backed small-medium biotechnology companies. His positions include Chief Financial Officer and Head of Strategy for a $2B market cap public biotechnology company (Ligand Pharmaceuticals), and Chief Executive Officer and Acting Chief Financial Officer for two private venture capital-backed companies (Radionetics Oncology and AFYX Therapeutics).
Two of Dr. de Silva’s operating companies have been acquired, including Poseida Therapeutics (by Roche for up to $1.5B), where Dr. de Silva started as the second employee and served as President & Chief Operating Officer, overseeing all operations outside of early-stage research. Ligand grew from $200M to $2B market capitalization during his tenure and remains a successful $2B market capitalization public company. Radionetics Oncology announced a strategic agreement with Eli Lilly for a $140M upfront payment and exclusive acquisition right for $1B.
He currently focuses on leveraging his diverse set of experiences to advise small-medium businesses on management, growth and exit strategy, as well as cost reduction strategies and implementation. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Cartesian Therapeutics, a public late-stage biotechnology company, where he is a member of the Audit and Science & Technology Committees.
Dr. de Silva graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Harvard University, and received his M.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, as well as an M.B.A. degree with Distinction from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.