CHESS ROBERT

About CHESS ROBERT

Robert Chess is a seasoned life-sciences executive and board leader with a long track record in biotechnology governance and company building in the United States public markets. He has served on the board of Twist Bioscience since July 2014 and was appointed lead independent director effective October 2018. He is also Chairman of the Board of Nektar Therapeutics, a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company, and public filings indicate that he has been associated with Nektar’s board in leadership roles since 1992, serving as Chairman since 1999. Public sources also note prior board service at Pharsight Corp. and CoTherix, Inc., both public companies in the biotechnology and life-sciences space. His career path reflects substantial executive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, combined with hands-on involvement in founding and managing biotechnology ventures. Publicly available biographies describe him as having worked in executive management of a multinational pharmaceutical company and as having founded and managed several biotech companies. He also co-founded and served as President of Penederm Inc., underscoring his experience in building science-driven businesses from the ground up. In addition to corporate leadership, Chess has had a significant presence in academic and industry institutions. He has served as a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business since 2004, where he contributes practical insight on strategy, leadership, and corporate governance. He has also held leadership positions within BIO, including Chairman of the Emerging Companies Section and Co-Chairman of BIO’s Intellectual Property Committee, and he served as Chairman of Bio Ventures for Global Health. Overall, his profile is most closely associated with board leadership, biotech company oversight, and strategic decisions supporting innovation, governance quality, and long-term value creation.