A distinguished leader in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry sectors, Damien is recognized for his vision, strategic planning, and corporate leadership. With a career spanning more than 30 years, he has served in multiple executive leadership and board roles. Prior to Aspen, Damien was CEO of rare diseases company Akcea Therapeutics, Inc., acquired by Ionis Pharmaceuticals in 2020. He has also served in senior executive roles at Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Acadia Pharmaceuticals, and GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals. Damien earned his B.A. and Ph.D. at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, and completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M.