Ventas appoints Sean P. Nolan to board of directors

Sean P. Nolan, former chief executive officer of gene therapy firm AveXis, Inc., has been appointed as an independent member of the Ventas, Inc. board of directors, effective today. Nolan will initially serve on the audit and compliance committee for the Chicago-based real estate investment trust.

“Sean is an incredible addition to our diverse, experienced and independent board of directors,” said Debra A. Cafaro, Ventas chairman and CEO. “With three decades of extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical industry and a proven track record of business accomplishment, Sean will contribute unique and complementary insights to enhance our rapidly expanding research and innovation business and our enterprise growth.”

Nolan, 51, is an accomplished senior executive with more than 28 years of biopharmaceutical experience. At AveXis, he successfully grew the organization from four employees to a publicly listed company which was acquired by Novartis for $8.7 billion in 2018. He currently is chairman of a gene therapy company, Encoded Therapeutics, Inc., and executive chairman of Istari Oncology, Inc. and is also a member of the board of directors of Aquinox Pharmaceuticals Inc. Prior to joining AveXis, Nolan held senior leadership positions at InterMune Inc., Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Lundbeck, Inc. and Abbott Laboratories.

“Ventas is a powerful platform with expansive opportunities, and I’m delighted to join the company’s excellent board,” said Nolan. “I look forward to making contributions as the company gains momentum within the large, dynamic healthcare and biopharmaceutical landscape.”