Smith Anderson’s Santo Costa Elected as New NC Biotech Chairman

North Carolina Biotechnology Center, a life sciences technology-based economic development organization for North Carolina, has announced that Smith Anderson attorney Santo Costa has been elected as chairman of the Board of Directors. The Triangle Business Journal featured Sandy’s latest accomplishment and distinguished background in the article “NC Biotech Center picks former pharma exec as new chairman.”

Sandy joined the Center’s Board in 2018 bringing nearly 50 years of experience in the pharmaceutical, health care and life sciences industries as well as leadership in the legal sector. He previously served as President of the Triangle's largest contract research organization, Quintiles (now IQVIA), as general counsel and director of Glaxo Inc. (now GlaxoSmithKline) and as U.S. area counsel for Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals. In addition, Sandy has served as a board member for over 20 public and private companies and charitable organizations, including currently serving as chairman of Aquestive Therapeutics and as a board member of Cytokinetics Inc.

In an NCBiotech press release, the Center’s President and CEO Doug Edgeton noted that Sandy's breadth of knowledge and experience is a valuable asset as North Carolina faces fierce competition from other states and nations for life sciences investments and said, "Sandy is a wise and seasoned executive who knows the life sciences landscape extensively.”

Aside from Sandy’s legal practice at Smith Anderson, he is a nationally recognized speaker on leadership and is author of the book “Humanity at Work: Encouraging Spirit, Achievement and Truth to Flourish in the Workplace.”

TBJ subscribers can read the full article here.

About NC Biotech Center

The North Carolina Biotechnology Center leads life sciences technology-based economic development for North Carolina by supporting the progression of ideas from the research lab to the marketplace. NCBiotech invests in technology development through grants, in company development through loans, and in economic development through infrastructure grants. The Biotech Center’s programs and activities target emerging sectors and work across North Carolina to develop strengths that yield jobs in the life sciences. NCBiotech is a private non-profit corporation funded by the North Carolina General Assembly.