Denise DeMan
Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Denise is the Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bench International. With an indefatigable entrepreneurial spirit, she has taken the company from its founding in 1974 to its eminence today as one of the most successful specialized retained executive search firms in the world. “Dee Dee” is deeply committed to properly “shattering” the glass ceiling for women in the life sciences. She has spent more than a quarter of a century developing and promoting a network of women leaders in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors. To that end, she has been a Hall of Fame Inductee of the National Association of Women Business Owners, Board Member for the West Coast Chapter of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, Founder of The Forum of Global Pharmaceutical Diversity and Inclusion (FRxDI), Member of the Board, Learning Forum International as well as Member of the Board, Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF). In addition to her leadership and management roles, Dee Dee recruits in the areas of Research and Development; Corporate Leadership; Clinical Development; Regulatory Affairs; Science and Medical Advisory Boards; and Boards of Directors. Dee Dee holds double masters degrees in auditory and speech pathology and is a highly sought-after speaker and contributing writer for the industry.
J. Christopher Giffin
Senior Vice President
Chris’ career in biotechnology has spanned 20 years, including 16 years with biotechnology pioneer Amgen where he held roles in research, human resources, product licensing and corporate development. During his tenure in human resources, Chris led the company’s recruitment activities during some of the company’s most dramatic periods of growth as it evolved from a biotechnology research and development organization to a fully-integrated pharmaceutical company. As a result, his recruitment responsibilities spanned the spectrum of the company’s operations including research, clinical development, manufacturing, and commercialization. As a business development executive with Amgen, Chris played a leadership role in the evaluation and negotiation of multiple corporate collaborations and partnerships focusing on both product and technology opportunities. Following Amgen, he held executive management positions with two privately held biotechnology companies, where he played a leadership role in business development and financing activities. Chris holds a B.S. degree in microbiology from the University of Oklahoma, and an M.S. degree from the University of California, Riverside.
Janet Foulkes, MBA
Global Senior Vice President
Janet is a pharmaceutical executive with over 20 years in clinical development and project management leadership in both R&D and commercialization. Janet holds a B.Sc. in biochemistry from UCC in Cardiff and an MBA in pharmaceutical marketing from St. Josephs in Philadelphia. Previously as VP of Pfizer Pharmaceuticals’ World Wide Project Management and Medical Operations Group, Janet led a broad range of teams that played critical roles in improving efficiency and productivity of the product teams globally. A key player in numerous successful NDA and sNDA filings in both North America and Europe, Janet transitioned in 2005 to use her passion for career management and supporting talent acquisition and development in executive retained search. Besides being one of the leaders for executive searches across a broad range of disciplines, Janet also consults in the areas of project management, clinical operations and change management.
Fred J. McCallum
Senior Vice President
Fred joined the Bench team in 2005 with over 10 years of experience in senior-level recruitment for myriad leading companies, with particular emphasis in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology arenas. He has successfully recruited numerous leaders in line and staff functions within development stage ventures, public biotechnology companies and major pharmaceutical companies. Fred began his career in professional services with Coopers & Lybrand (now PriceWaterhouseCoopers) in the Business Assurance group. His clients included large, multi-national pharmaceuticals such as Rhone-Poulenc Rorer (now SanofiAventis) and small, privately-held companies in a variety of industries. Fred holds a B.S. in accounting from the University of Delaware.
Tobias Ernberg
Senior Vice President
Tobias joined the team in 2011 and heads up the Swiss office of Bench International. Tobias has over 15 years of experience from a variety of industries working both as a management consultant and as an employee in leadership roles within multinational corporations, including Novartis and a privately-held medical technology company. A Swedish and Swiss citizen, he sees himself as a global citizen and has a passion for working with people across cultures and regions. Tobias has a BCom from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and speaks English, French and Swedish and is based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Gail F. Rosenblum, JD
Vice President, Research & Quality
Gail joined the Bench team in 2001, following careers in both corporate law and international management. After working as a corporate attorney, she served as the Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs for an international management company. Gail particularly enjoys working in a global environment and brings extensive business, contract, licensing, marketing and intellectual property experience to Bench. Gail received a B.A. in Economics from Fordham University (Summa Cum Laude) and a Juris Doctorate degree from Benj. N. Cardozo Law School in New York City.
Brett A. Phillips
Vice President
Brett joined the Bench team in 2002, offering his significant background in communications, PR and journalism. Prior to Bench, he worked in communications and public relations for Logan International Airport for three years. Brett graduated from Northeastern University, majoring in journalism and political science with concentrations in public relations and public administration. While at Northeastern he confirmed his strength as a leader, serving as treasurer of the Northeastern College Republicans, a contributing reporter for the New England Press Association and the Logan Airport newsletter, and a sports reporter for WRBB in Boston.