Movers and Shakers: West Coast Round-Up
By: Heather Cassell
Women are on the move in May and June into the executive suites of top industries.
Biotech
Pamela Cohen was hired as senior vice president and chief medical officer of Kosan Biosciences Inc. She was formerly the global oncology therapeutic head for GE Healthcare Medical Diagnostics. Jane Moffitt became vice president of Nile Therapeutics Inc. in San Francisco. She formerly was the West Coast director of operations for SciLucent before joining the cardiovascular therapy biopharma. Mary Bolton was hired as vice president, clinical development of Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Inc. Judith Fox was promoted to vice president, product and preclinical development of the oncology therapeutics biopharma.
Pharmaceuticals
Mary Haak-Frendscho was hired as president and chief scientific officer of Takeda San Francisco Inc., an antibody therapeutics research subsidiary of Japan-based Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. The nearly 230 year old traditional Japanese and Chinese medicine company began importing western medicine and manufacturing pharmaceuticals in 1895. In November 2007 it established Takeda San Francisco to augment the company’s therapeutic antibody research. The company plans to expand its South San Francisco-based facility over the next two years placing added emphasis on its antibody discovery and preselection capacities. It plans to hire an estimated 100 people. Prior to joining Takeda, Haak-Frendscho was chief science officer and vice president, preclinical research and development at Xoma Ltd., a Berkeley biopharma.
Legal
Ellen Kahn was named the first woman managing partner for a three-year term of Sideman & Bancroft LLP’s San Francisco office. Fifty percent of the firm’s equity is held by women. Her move coincides with the firm’s 30 year anniversary. Kahn has been with the firm for 25 years and plans to continue developing its practice areas including real estate, business transactions, estate planning, white collar crime defense, civil and tax litigation and intellectual property transactions among other areas. Mara Rosales was hired as special counsel of Renne & Sloan Holtzman & Sakai LLP and Dana Barton as an associate. Rosales was formerly the chair of the airport practice group at Meyers Nave Riback Silver & Wilson. Barton also made the jump from Meyers Nave Riback Silver & Wilson.
Banking & Finance
Tisa Jackson was hired as vice president of diversity and inclusion of Union Bank of California NA. Prior to joining Union Bank, Jackson was the vice president of the diversity and inclusion group of Countrywide Financial. Wachovia Wealth Management of San Francisco hired Pauline Huang as senior vice president and private banking relationship manager, Seta Kabajouzian as senior vice president and private banking relationship manager, and Rosine Kembikian as senior vice president and private banking relationship manager. Huang, Kabajouzian, and Kembikian previously were Bank of America vice presidents and senior client managers.
Real Estate
Whitney Tresidder was promoted to regional marketing director for the national real estate developer and operator’s western region of Madison Marquette’s San Francisco office. She will maintain her prior duties as director of marketing for Bay Street in Emeryville and the Bayfair Center in San Leandro.
Technology
Julie Farris, former founder and CEO of Scalix, took a seat at the Socialtext’s, a San Mateo wiki and social software company, board table. Helen Robinson was hired as director of product management of Clarus Systems Inc. based in Redwood Shores. Robinson joins the unified communications company from Cisco Systems Inc. where she was a product manager. Loretta Walker was promoted to vice president, external affairs in the Bay Area at AT&T California. Walker will be responsible for managing local government, community affairs and philanthropic initiatives in San Francisco and the East and South Bay areas. Prior to her promotion, Walker was vice president and general manager of AT&T’s Sacramento, Fresno and Nevada market areas where she managed consumer marketing, alternate channel sales and operations for Northern and central California and Nevada customers.
Insurance
Stephanie Lymore was promoted to financial services broker of Colemont Insurance Brokers. Prior to her new role, Lymore marketed financial services coverages. Julie Waldman was promoted to partner of Nelson Bernstein LLC, a San Francisco insurance and risk management consulting firm. She was a broker for the company prior to her promotion.
Information was gathered from the San Francisco Business Times. If you have tips about women who are shaking it up and moving up the corporate ladder, please send information to Bailey AT theglasshammer DOT com.
