Exhibit 99.1
Beam Therapeutics Expands its Board of Directors with Appointment of Chirfi Guindo, Global Biopharma Strategy and Commercial Leader
Cambridge, Mass., December 4, 2024 – Beam Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: BEAM), a biotechnology company developing precision genetic medicines through base editing, today announced the appointment of Chirfi Guindo, chief marketing officer of Human Health at Merck & Co., Inc., to its board of directors. Mr. Guindo is a seasoned executive in the pharmaceutical industry and has been a key leader at Merck for more than 25 years, where he held senior executive roles spanning global strategy, commercial operations and leadership in healthcare solutions.
“We are thrilled to welcome Chirfi to our board, bringing in yet another exceptionally talented and experienced biopharma leader to our team,” said John Evans, chief executive officer at Beam. “Chirfi’s strategic insight has been instrumental in driving innovation and expanding access to medicines, improving health outcomes for patients across both developed and emerging regions. His diverse expertise and visionary approach will be invaluable as we continue to drive toward sustainable growth and work to deliver potentially transformative one-time therapies to patients.”
“I am honored to join Beam at such a transformative moment in its journey,” said Mr. Guindo. “The company’s pioneering work in base editing has the potential to revolutionize our industry’s approach to genetic medicine, offering lifelong hope to patients facing conditions previously thought untreatable. I am eager to collaborate with the talented team at Beam to help amplify its groundbreaking science, build a leading company in genetic medicine, and help change the course of treatment for many serious diseases.”
Mr. Guindo is a global product strategy and commercial expert and currently serves as chief marketing officer, Human Health for Merck. He is responsible for leading the development and implementation of the company’s long-term strategy for its Human Health portfolio spanning oncology, vaccines, pharmaceutical and pipeline products. Prior to this role, Mr. Guindo was executive vice president and head of global product strategy and commercialization at Biogen. Before joining Biogen in 2017, Mr. Guindo began his Merck career in 1990 and spent more than 25 years in finance, sales, commercial and marketing roles of increasing responsibility in the U.S. and globally. He led global marketing for Merck’s HIV portfolio and also led Merck’s Human Health businesses in Canada, the Netherlands and South Africa. Guindo has been recognized for developing strong talent, forging innovative public-private partnerships and elevating the profile of Merck as a patient-focused company. Mr. Guindo is a graduate of Ecole Centrale de Paris with a degree in Engineering and earned a Master of Business Administration from New York University’s Stern School of Management.
