Kari Kataja Email & Phone Number

Espoo, Finland

I led the Hologic Contract Manufacturing team and operations outside US and was accountable for the selection, relationship management and performance management of the contract manufacturers as well as building processes to drive business growth, lower costs and improved quality. I had direct responsibility of several major manufacturers for diagnostics instruments and consumables and medical devices and acted as the virtual plant manager and primary business interface for the Diagnostics division for all communications with site manufacturing activities.During August-November 2022, I held the overall responsibility of the Somatex - a Hologic company operations in Germany. I was also a member of the leadership team of Mobidiag - a Hologiccompany.

Finland

(leading Supply Chain and Logistics team 01/2021-02/2022)Main responsibilitiesi) to identify, develop and execute business, collaboration and funding opportunities in existing andnew market segments with large corporations, governmental offices and global organizationsii) to drive pipeline of OEM/CDMO relationshipsiii)to grow company’s life sciences business by building a distributor networkAlso, my task was to establish high-level relationships with large corporations to drive the company’slong-term strategy. I took active part in the due diligence processes and finally, in the Hologic acquisition process of the company during spring 2021. Later, I was strongly involved in theintegration process. I also had responsibility of selected strategic partnerships and agreements and acted as member of Mobidiag management team.Since Covid-19 in spring 2020, I took responsibility of securing the operations’ needs for raw materials, components, and accessories in large scale. This played a crucial role enabling the testing in Finland (covering up to 70%) and our other direct countries in Europe. I formed and led the Supply Chain and Logistics team of 12 people (procurement, purchasing, warehouse, customer service andsupplier quality) until the functions’ transitioning into the Hologic organization.

Helsinki Area, Finland

Finland

I strove to make Finland the business hub for digital health, increase the health technology export and attract investments to Finland. I actively developed, implemented and led new activities and services for companies and research groups and created and enforced networks in Finland, UK, USAand Middle East. I led the programme team of 10 people.My main achievements were: i) co-crafting Business Finland’s strategy and action plan for Wellbeing and Health 2017-2020 and ii) initiating National Test Bed Network.Other major initiatives and strong contributions: introducing Clinical Entrepreneur Finland program; initiating Hospital Co-development Projects (with Saudi Arabia and UK); further developing export and invest-in projects Gateway to UK and Gateway to USA; driving the landing of HIMSS Health 2.0 European event to Finland; leading Health Tuesday networking event.

Helsinki

I focused on supporting life science, health technology, wellbeing and biotechnology companies and academic groups to create and develop viable products and in their commercialization and internationalization. The work included evaluation of financing applications, project steering and sparring of SMEs’ business plans. As member of Bits of Health programme (part of Team Finland Health growth program) team, I initiated Gateway to UK export and invest-in promoting activities which opened relations between NHS England and 20+ Finnish companies. I also coordinated and hosted the monthly Health Tuesdaynetworking event reaching regularly 100+ participants.

This assignment was part of a longer joint attempt (12/2013 – 12/2014) to establish a new diagnostics/manufacturing company basing on founders’ IPR and knowhow in PCR and qPCR technologies. Preparing to be the Managing Director of the company, I was responsible of businessand strategy planning, market research and establishment process.

Vantaa, Finland

I possessed global responsibility of launching, developing and expanding the new product line. I actively steered and engaged with R&D, marcom, sales, operations and service departments. The focus was on new product development; planning, executing and monitoring global product launches; training and associating with various sales channels and distributors; developing marketing strategies and marketing and advertising material; developing portfolio and strategy; interdivisional co-operation and establishing and managing key customer collaborations.My main achievements were the successful launches of PikoReal® Real-Time PCR and Piko PCR Systems (including training of 650 sales reps in 18 months) and growing the product line business and global market share substantially every year.

Espoo, Finland

My responsibilities included crafting and executing marketing plans in key strategic areas, new product launches, business development, benchmarking with other EMEA countries and implementing best practices in Finland and acting as a supervisor and member of the management team.Main achievements: steering successful product launches in POC, IA, Haematology and Coagulation;establishing Siemens Days customer event (spread out to Nordics); leading the first Lean process optimization project at United Medix Laboratories Ltd (09/2008-04/2009) resulting in takingConsultation as part of the services portfolio.

Espoo, Finland

In this intentionally transient role my task was to introduce Key Account concept to the company and manage demanding key customer contacts e.g. with Medix Laboratories Ltd, HUSLAB and TYKSLAB.

Helsinki, Finland

During this short, but most intensive and highly effective period, I started the sales and marketing initiatives of novel microarray based products, created and managed 3rd party and research collaborations, supervised CE-IVD studies and acted as member of the management team.The main achievements were successful launches of Prove-it™ Herpes and Sepsis products, getting first customer contacts abroad and establishing long-term partnerships with five collaborators.

Espoo, Finland

I managed three major customer accounts: Finnish Red Cross, HUSLAB Virology and Institute of Biotechnology (Helsinki University). The work included extensively contracting, tender processing, negotiations and project management. In addition, I possessed the product management of two new products: GS20/GS FLX in genome sequencing and Cobas s201 in blood screening. My main achievement was selling the first Genome Sequencer, GS20 in Finland.

Espoo, Finland

In this role, I had the responsibility of Applied Science portfolio sales and support in Finland. The main products were Light Cycler® real-time PCR and MagNA Pure® nucleic acid purification instruments. My main achievement was selling the first Light Cycler® 480 in Finland.

Espoo, Finland

I managed multidisciplinary VTT-TRAC project developing a novel multiplexed nucleic acid transcription profiling method to a working concept. A start-up company, PlexPress Ltd was founded on basis of this work and associated patents. In addition to research, my work included training, managing collaborations to the industrial partners and marketing activities. I also led the VTT sequencing service team and coordinated and hosted the in-house weekly seminar series.

I was primarily involved in an EU project on acetylcholine esterase. My tasks included virus production, insect cell cultivation in fermentor and flask scale, protein production and purification and quality control. I had a training period in Israel.