EMD Serono, Germany-based Merck KGaA's biopharmaceutical business in the US and Canada, announced yesterday that it has named Elizabeth Varki Jobes as its new senior vice president, chief compliance officer North America.

In this role, Jobes will manage the strategic direction of the company's comprehensive compliance program. She will serve as a member of the company's leadership team and as a member of the Global Compliance Healthcare team led by Betania Glorio, global compliance officer, healthcare, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. Prior to joining EMD Serono, she served as global chief compliance officer and legal counsel at Spark Therapeutics Inc. Previously, she held leadership positions across a number of biopharmaceutical companies, including senior vice president, chief compliance officer for Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc; vice president, chief compliance officer for Adolor (Cubist) Corporation; and senior director, global compliance for Cephalon Inc. Jobes also spent a number of years working in the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, first as a trial attorney, then as assistant chief and chief across various units.

Rehan Verjee, resident of EMD Serono and global head of innovative medicine franchises, Merck KGaA, said, 'It's an exciting time to be at EMD Serono as we prepare to introduce new therapies into practice and advance existing standards of care. I am very pleased to welcome Elizabeth at this time given her significant experience in supporting companies like ours achieve on this mission.'