Simon has been appointed Chairman of the Board in April 2021 and brings over 30 years of industry leadership and research experience to Biotalys. He was co-founder and CEO of MorphoSys, a leading biotechnology company focused on the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases, from 1992-2019. At MorphoSys Simon played a central role in establishing the company as a driving force in the field of therapeutic antibodies. He currently sits on the board of Novartis as a non-executive Director. Simon has been recognized and awarded with the German Cross of the Order of Merit for his work and contribution to the biotechnology industry. Simon holds a D. Phil in Chemistry from the University of Oxford and has held positions in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Cambridge, as Assistant Professor in the Chemistry Department, University of British Columbia and as Associate and Lecturer in the Chemistry Department of the ETH Zurich.