About Our Name
Locust Walk is the central artery of the University of Pennsylvania campus, a well-known, tree-lined brick pathway connecting members of the Penn community to the physical buildings of the campus. Locust Walk brings together that same confluence of high energy, creativity and collaboration, all grounded in real-world experience.
These attributes are unique hallmarks of Locust Walk’s approach to transaction, strategy and commercial advisory work for life sciences companies. We bring to partnering and strategic consulting engagements a rare combination of operating, commercial, financial and technical acumen. This approach is the Locust Walk difference.
Locust Walk Appoints Lubor Gaal as Senior Vice President and Head of Europe
Locust Walk Appoints Lubor Gaal as Senior Vice President and Head of Europe to Further Advance Global Expansion of Transactions Business
London, United Kingdom, Boston, MA — July 11, 2018 — Locust Walk, a global life science transaction firm, today announced the appointment of Lubor Gaal, Ph.D. as Senior Vice President and Head of Europe. Dr. Gaal will be responsible for executing licensing, M&A, and financing transactions for biopharma companies around the globe. He will report to Chris Ehrlich, Managing Director and Global Head of Biopharma.
Dr. Gaal has an extensive and distinguished career in the life sciences. He joins from Almirall where he was Head of External Innovation and Licensing in Barcelona. From 2006 to 2015, Dr. Gaal held different BD roles at Bristol-Myers Squibb in London including BD Head of Europe, Head of Fibrosis, Head of Neuroscience. He held C-suite and executive management roles at NEURO3D in France and Vectron Therapeutics in Germany as well as positions at Berlex Laboratories in New Jersey, Burrill & Company in San Francisco. Dr. Gaal has a B.Sc. in Neurobiology from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom and a Ph.D. in Neurosciences from the University of California in Berkeley, California.
“Lubor has all that it takes to advise life sciences companies: a successful track record of executing deals, an extensive network, and an accretive mindset. He also has both operating and transaction experience working for large multinational pharma companies, regional pharma players, and emerging biotechs,” said Chris Ehrlich, Managing Director and Global Head of Biopharma at Locust Walk.
“I’m certain that our clients will benefit from Lubor’s decades of experience and supportive approach to facilitating transactions,” stated Geoff Meyerson, Managing Partner and Co-Founder at Locust Walk.
Locust Walk’s appointment of Dr. Gaal is part of the firm’s continued expansion across all major life science markets across the United States, Europe, and Asia. In addition to London, the firm currently maintains a significant presence in Boston, San Francisco, and Tokyo, Japan.
The firm’s offices are staffed with local teams, who also have experience working around the globe. Dr. Gaal commented on the related benefits. “This experience ensures that Locust Walk maintains relationships with local companies and investors, can navigate cultural and language differences, and has a feel for regional trends impacting the deal landscape. Overall, maintaining a global presence enables the firm to tap a combination of deal sources regardless of where they reside, so that your deal isn’t limited by geographical borders.”
About Locust Walk
Locust Walk is a global life science transaction firm. Our integrated team-based approach across capabilities, geographies, and industry segments delivers the right products, the right partners, and the most attractive sources of capital to get the right deals done for biopharma and medtech companies.
- Capabilities – cohesive strategy, market analytics, and transaction capabilities
- Geographies – global footprint across all key life science geographies
- Industry Segments – comprehensive coverage across biopharma and medtech segments