Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb Appointed Non-Executive Chairman of Illumina Board

On March 25, 2025, Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN) officially announced that Dr. Scott Gottlieb has been elected as the non-executive Chairman of Illumina's Board of Directors, while Keith Meister, founder, managing partner, and chief investment officer of Corvex Management, will formally join the board on March 28, 2025. Meanwhile, Stephen MacMillan, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Hologic, has decided to retire from Illumina’s Board of Directors after preparing for the company’s upcoming annual general meeting.

Dr. Gottlieb has an outstanding track record and deep professional background in the industry. He is currently a Special Partner at the venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and a Resident Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). Prior to this, Dr. Gottlieb served as the 23rd Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from 2017 to 2019.

During his tenure at the FDA, Dr. Gottlieb demonstrated exceptional leadership and professional expertise. He was committed to improving the regulatory efficiency of new drug and medical device development and review, driving a series of significant reforms and innovations. Under his leadership, the FDA approved the first cancer treatments based on gene therapy, which not only brought new hope to cancer patients but also marked a major advancement in medical technology. Additionally, he promoted the development of the FDA's Oncology Center of Excellence and assisted in implementing the 21st Century Cures Act to accelerate the development of medical products.

Under his leadership, the FDA set a record by approving a large number of new drugs and innovative medical devices, making significant contributions to the innovation and development of the healthcare industry.At the same time, Dr. Gottlieb also actively promoted several other initiatives, including enhancing food safety, increasing vaccination rates, reducing smoking rates, and addressing opioid addiction, all of which have significantly improved public health.

Before joining the FDA, Dr. Gottlieb held several key positions. He served as the FDA's Deputy Commissioner for Medical and Scientific Affairs, Senior Advisor for Medical Technology to the FDA Commissioner, and Senior Policy Advisor to the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Additionally, he was a Clinical Assistant Professor at New York University School of Medicine and, earlier in his career, a practicing physician and resident. These extensive experiences have endowed Dr. Gottlieb with profound expertise and unique insights in healthcare and public policy.

Dr. Gottlieb himself has an outstanding educational background. He graduated from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York with a medical degree and subsequently completed his internal medicine residency training at the Mount Sinai Medical Center. Additionally, he is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine.And he holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Wesleyan University. These academic achievements not only demonstrate Dr. Gottlieb's professional expertise in the medical field but also highlight his interdisciplinary comprehensive abilities.

Dr. Gottlieb stated, "I am honored to accept this position at Illumina. The company is at the forefront of our rapidly evolving industry, and its groundbreaking innovations continually transform patient opportunities and shape the field of genomics. I appreciate Steve (MacMillan)'s dedication and commitment to Illumina, and I look forward to continuing to work with the board and management team to advance the company's mission and drive profitable growth. The addition of Keith Meister will also bring new energy and experience to the company, as he, as an investor in the genomics sector, has a strong track record of supporting value creation for shareholders."