Dr. Menghis Bairu is a purpose-driven leader committed to advancing equity and expanding access to opportunity. He is guided by a belief in dreaming boldly and serving with integrity, and strives to uplift communities, inspire possibility, and contribute to meaningful, lasting change. With three decades of experience across drug development, global health, neuroscience, and health equity in the United States, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, Dr. Bairu serves as Co-Founder, CEO and President of Bio Usawa, a biotechnology company committed to developing and manufacturing high-quality, affordable biotherapies in Africa for patients on the continent and beyond.
Prior to founding Bio Usawa, Dr. Bairu held senior executive roles at leading global biopharmaceutical companies, including Elan Pharmaceuticals, where he served as Executive Vice President, Head of Global Development & Chief Medical Officer, and Senior Vice President & Head of International, overseeing worldwide clinical development and international operations. During his tenure at Elan, he led global development and R&D due diligence that supported a $1.5 billion transaction with Johnson & Johnson and the company's $8.6 billion acquisition by Perrigo in 2013.
Dr. Bairu currently serves on the boards of several biotechnology and global health organizations, including BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics (NASDAQ: BCLI), HCP Cure Blindness (Vice Chairman and Chair of the Risk Management Committee), and the Society for Equity Neuroscience (SEQUINS). He has previously served as Executive Chairman of Treos Bio and as Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Serenus Biotherapeutics, where he raised up to $43 million in Series A funding.
In addition to his corporate leadership, Dr. Bairu is the Founder and Chairman of the Bairex Institute of Health Education and Research, which advances independent medical education and clinical research capacity across Africa and the Middle East, and an Adjunct Professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine.
Dr. Bairu's career reflects a consistent focus on translating scientific innovation into real-world impact by strengthening health systems, expanding access to essential medicines, and advancing equitable solutions to some of the world's most pressing medical challenges.
