david dodd

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David Dodd founded RiversEdge BioVentures LLC in 2009, establishing the company as an investment and advisory firm focused on the life sciences industry.  His executive management experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries spans more than 40 years, for which he has been recognized as a highly successful, consistent value-builder of life science companies.  Mr. Dodd has led the capital development of over $1 billion in direct investment, while also leading the transformation of several undervalued, poor performing companies to achieve significant success.  His expertise includes General management, Corporate Development, M&A and related value-expansion expertise.


Mr. Dodd joined the GeoVax Board of Directors in March 2010 and was elected Chairman in January 2011.  Effective September 2018, he began serving also as the President, CEO.  He also serves as Chairman of the Management Committee for VetGraft LLC,  a private tissue bank company providing proprietary novel biological therapies for the treatment of bone, cartilage, musculoskeletal applications and other body tissues for both human and veterinary medicine. Key highlights of his career include:


  • During Mr. Dodd's six-year tenure as President, CEO and Director of Serologicals Corporation, the market value of that company increased over $1 billion -- from $85 million to an all-cash sale to Millipore Corporation for $1.5 billion;
  • Mr. Dodd served as President, CEO & Director of Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc., during which the enterprise value increased over $2 billion – from $100 million to $2.5 billion;
  • As President, CEO & Director of Aeterna Zentaris, Mr. Dodd led the development of and FDA approval of Macrilen™, the first and only product successfully developed and receiving regulatory approval in the 30-year history of that company;
  • Mr. Dodd also served in executive roles with Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories (now part of Pfizer), Bristol-Myers Squibb and Abbott Laboratories; during his career, he has overseen the approval of over 10 NDAs, over 15 acquisitions/divestitures, in excess of $2.5 billion in financial transactions and, over $5 billion in incremental enterprise growth.


He is a frequent invited speaker and panelist at business and economic development conferences, as well as various conferences focused on the life sciences and pharmaceutical industry.  Mr. Dodd is a recipient of the Oglethorpe Award for UK-US Business Relationships recognized by the British American Business Council, the Georgia BIO Industry Growth Award, and the FastTech 50 Growth Company Award (2000-2006) while leading Serologicals Corporation.


In addition, he has served on a development committee of the MacArthur Foundation, as an advisor to the First Minister of Scotland, as the Chair of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, as a member of the External Advisory Board of the Petit Institute for Bioengineering & Biosciences (GaTech), as the Chair of GaBio, as a board member on the Harvard Business School Healthcare Alumni Association and, in leadership roles with numerous additional organizations.


Mr. Dodd holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from Georgia State University and completed the Harvard Business School of Advanced Management Program.

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