Ardena, a specialist pharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) and bioanalytical contract research organization (CRO), has announced the appointments of Ben Ash as Chief Financial Officer and Henny Zijlstra as Chief Commercial Officer. These strategic additions to the executive leadership team are designed to support the company's next phase of growth as it scales its operations and commercial reach worldwide.
Ben Ash: New Chief Financial Officer
Ben Ash brings over 20 years of finance leadership experience, primarily in the pharmaceutical sector. He has held senior finance roles at publicly listed companies in the UK and US, as well as privately held organizations. Most recently, he served as Chief Financial Officer at Essential Pharma, a global pharmaceutical company focusing on medicines for small, underserved, and rare disease patient populations. Prior to that, he held senior finance positions at PTC Therapeutics and Shire. Ash is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
At Ardena, Ash will lead the company's financial strategy, supporting scalable growth and disciplined international expansion. He will work closely with the Chief Information Officer to advance Ardena's digitization roadmap.
Henny Zijlstra: New Chief Commercial Officer
Henny Zijlstra brings a strong track record in commercial leadership, brand positioning, and business development within the pharmaceutical and CDMO industry. She has held senior leadership roles at Lonza and, most recently, at Adragos. At Ardena, Zijlstra will lead the commercial organization across business development and marketing. Her responsibilities include elevating Ardena's brand presence, accelerating its go-to-market strategy, broadening customer engagement, and increasing visibility for the company's drug development capabilities in complex molecules, nanotechnology, drug conjugates, and bioanalysis.
CEO Comments
Jeremie Trochu, Chief Executive Officer at Ardena, commented: "Over the past 15 months, Ardena has undergone a significant transformation, including our expansion in the US, the divestment of our Sweden operations, and continued investment in bioanalytical services, nanomedicines, and digital capabilities. As we move into the next phase, Ben and Henny bring the drive, focus, and leadership needed to help scale the business to the next level. Their experience will be critical as we continue to build a more focused, innovative, and international Ardena."
Reactions from New Appointees
Ben Ash stated: "Ardena has a very strong operational foundation and a uniquely differentiated scientific offering. I am very excited to join the company, and I look forward to supporting its next phase of international growth, and enabling rapid, scalable expansion."
Henny Zijlstra added: "I am thrilled to join Ardena at such a pivotal time. The company's expertise in complex drug development is impressive, and I look forward to driving commercial success and expanding our global footprint."
About Ardena
Ardena is a specialist pharmaceutical CDMO and bioanalytical CRO that enables precision medicines and other complex therapies. The company provides integrated services for drug development, including bioanalysis, nanomedicine formulation, and manufacturing. With facilities in Belgium and the US, Ardena supports pharmaceutical and biotech companies in bringing innovative therapies to patients worldwide.
