Sana Biotechnology Appoints Veteran Biotech CFO Brian Piper as Executive Vice President

In a strategic move that signals continued momentum for Seattle’s biotech sector, Sana Biotechnology has appointed Brian Piper as its new Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President. The announcement, made earlier this week, underscores Sana’s commitment to strengthening its leadership team as it advances promising therapies for patients with serious diseases.

Piper brings decades of financial leadership experience to Sana, most recently serving as CFO at Antares Therapeutics, Scorpion Therapeutics, and Prelude Therapeutics. His appointment comes at a critical juncture for Sana, which is developing cutting-edge cell and gene therapies with the potential to transform treatment paradigms across multiple disease areas.

“Under Brian’s leadership, we have achieved significant milestones across our portfolio,” said Steve Harr, President and CEO of Sana Biotechnology. “We have meaningful momentum in our type 1 diabetes and in vivo CAR T programs, and his leadership will be critical as we continue to advance our portfolio, optimize long-term value creation, and work to deliver these transformative therapies for patients.”

Sana Biotechnology went public in 2021 through a high-profile IPO that raised $438 million, reflecting strong investor confidence in the company’s innovative approach to developing engineered cells as medicines. The company’s pipeline includes multiple programs targeting oncology, immunology, and metabolic diseases, with several candidates in clinical development.

Piper’s appointment represents a homecoming of sorts for the seasoned executive. He has deep roots in the Seattle biotech ecosystem and brings not only financial acumen but also strategic vision that has helped previous companies navigate complex development pathways and achieve significant value inflection points.

Executive Shuffle at Aptevo Therapeutics

In related biotech leadership news, Aptevo Therapeutics announced that Marvin White will step down as CEO in April after leading the company since 2016. White guided Aptevo through its spinout from Emergent BioSolutions and has been instrumental in shaping the company’s strategy around developing novel cancer therapies.

Jeff Lamothe, Aptevo’s current COO and a longtime executive at the company, will succeed White as CEO. The transition appears to be a planned succession, with White remaining as executive chair to ensure continuity. This leadership change comes as Aptevo continues to advance its pipeline of antibody-drug conjugates and other targeted oncology therapeutics.

Seattle Startup Scene: Leadership Changes and Strategic Hires

The broader Seattle tech ecosystem continues to evolve with several notable executive moves across different sectors.

Violett’s New Leadership Direction

Violett, a Seattle startup specializing in air purification technology, has appointed Scott Kushino as its new CEO. Kushino, a longtime Seattle-area tech leader, had been advising the company before taking the helm. His appointment marks a new chapter for Violett as it seeks to expand its market presence in the growing indoor air quality sector.

Founder Branden Doyle has moved to Seattle startup Phaidra in a senior account executive role, signaling a strategic pivot for both executives. Violett has also bolstered its team with key hires including Mark Stevens as vice president of sales and Ryan Palmer as a fractional CTO, positioning the company for accelerated growth.

Adora Promotes Internal Talent

Adora, a Seattle-based marketing startup, has promoted Rohil Bhansali to head of engineering. Bhansali, who joined as a founding engineer, brings valuable experience from his six-year tenure at Pinterest. This internal promotion reflects Adora’s commitment to nurturing talent from within as it scales its operations.

Security Sector Gains Seattle Veteran

Noma Security, a New York-based cybersecurity startup, has recruited Ted Plumis to lead go-to-market partnerships. Plumis, a Seattle-area sales veteran with previous senior vice president roles at Exabeam and vice president positions at Imperva, brings deep enterprise security expertise to the growing startup.

Professional Services Firm Strengthens Leadership

Clark Nuber PS, a prominent Seattle accounting and consulting firm, has appointed Mark Tranter as chief revenue officer. Tranter, an active angel investor in the Seattle ecosystem and co-founder of CFO Selections, brings entrepreneurial experience and extensive networks to the professional services firm.

Zillow Group Expands AI Capabilities

Teresa Thomas has taken on a new role at Zillow Group as director of product for agentic AI and experiences. Thomas, who joined Zillow in 2019 and has held various senior manager positions, will focus on advancing the company’s artificial intelligence initiatives in the real estate technology space.

Yoodli Bolsters Team with Industry Veterans

Seattle startup Yoodli has made several key hires to strengthen its executive team. Mike Rich, former VP at Panopto and comScore, joins as head of partnerships. Rich was most recently a senior director at Signifyd. Additionally, Yoodli has hired Ryan Hartlage, former senior director at PitchBook, as a SMB sales leader, enhancing the company’s go-to-market capabilities.

Scala Secures Funding and Leadership

Scala, a Seattle-area startup founded by ex-Acclime leaders that recently announced an $8.5 million seed round to rethink contact center operations, has appointed Greg Smith as global head of growth and GTM. Smith brings experience from Transcarent, GE Healthcare Digital, and Premera Blue Cross to the AI-powered customer service platform.

Placements.io Strengthens Enterprise Sales

Placements.io has hired Aaron Stacy as senior enterprise sales director. Stacy’s background includes experience at Amazon and Microsoft, bringing valuable enterprise software sales expertise to the advertising technology company.

Casium Expands Immigration Services Team

Casium, a Seattle startup in the immigration services space, has appointed Conrad Pastore as senior immigration specialist. Pastore joins from Boundless, another Seattle-based immigration startup, where he served as a senior subject matter expert.

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