Novartis executive Ramon Zapata-Gomez to join BioNTech as CFO
Germany: BioNTech SE has announced that the Supervisory Board has appointed Ramon Zapata-Gomez to the Management Board as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) effective July 1, 2025. He will join BioNTech from Novartis AG’s global biomedical research organization where he has been serving as CFO since 2022. Ramón Zapata will succeed Jens Holstein, who, as previously planned and announced, will retire at the end of his term on June 30, 2025.
In his new role as CFO at BioNTech, Ramón Zapata will ensure the Company’s financial direction continues to align with BioNTech’s strategy to become a multi-product company in the oncology field. In preparation for BioNTech’s oncology product launches, he will be responsible for fostering and further optimizing a strong financial infrastructure and performance in key markets. He will continue to drive sustainable organizational excellence and global execution in financial reporting, accounting, tax and treasury, and purchasing with the aim of furthering cost-effective value generation.
“Ramón Zapata is an accomplished leader with deep finance expertise who will be taking over from Jens Holstein at an exciting phase. He has gained extensive experience within the international pharmaceutical industry with a focus on North America, Europe, and Latin America, and has a deep understanding of market and business dynamics, resource optimization, and high-performing teams,” said Helmut Jeggle, Chairman of the Supervisory Board. “We, the Supervisory and the Management Board, thank Jens Holstein for his financial leadership and contributions to BioNTech’s successful trajectory. He strengthened BioNTech’s global finance organization and processes and contributed to the Company’s financial stability while increasing operational efficiency. Today, the Company is uniquely positioned to continue its success story and transformation into a multi-product company.”
“It has been a privilege to be part of the development of BioNTech into one of the largest global biotechnology companies,” said Jens Holstein, CFO at BioNTech. “I would like to thank my colleagues on the Boards as well as my teams for their dedication and collaboration during this remarkable growth journey. For me personally, it is the right time to retire as CFO and focus on non-executive Board roles in the future.”
“I am looking forward to joining BioNTech and am eager to contribute to its ambitious vision of improving patients’ lives,” said Ramón Zapata, designated CFO at BioNTech. “Throughout my career, I have been driven by the goal of developing and providing access to innovative medicines for patients. As BioNTech focuses on its first oncology launches, while advancing its unique clinical pipeline with disruptive and synergistic potential, I look forward to working with the talented team at BioNTech and accelerating financial strategies that support the Company’s vision.”
Ramón Zapata is a seasoned global finance executive with more than 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and consumer goods industries. He has held leadership roles at leading global companies including Novartis AG, Sandoz AG, and Mondelēz International. Throughout his career, Ramón Zapata has led finance functions enabling seamless execution from drug discovery through commercialization, including overseeing M&A transactions and successful integrations as well as driving digital finance transformations. Prior to joining BioNTech, Ramón Zapata served as CFO of BioMedical Research at Novartis, where he was responsible for the overall leadership of the division’s finance strategy and operations.
Ramón Zapata holds dual citizenship of the United States and Mexico. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) from Universidad Panamericana in Mexico City and holds an MBA degree from IPADE Business School in Mexico City and from IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain.
