“Follow your dreams, move forward.
Life is in front of you, not behind you”
Dr. Maky Zanganeh
Maky firmly believes in the concept of “taking responsibility and the ability will follow.”
about
Maky Zanganeh
Maky has led many industry transformations ranging from minimally invasive surgical robotics, to a patient-friendly small molecule drug for blood cancer patients. She is known by her colleagues as a leader who has a proven track record of bringing unmistakable intensity and clarity to companies who have transformed healthcare for the betterment of humankind. She firmly believes in the concept of “taking responsibility and the ability will follow.”
Maky is currently the Co-Chief Executive Officer and President, as well as a member of the board, at Summit Therapeutics – a company committed to optimizing human health. She previously served as Summit’s Chief Operating Officer, from the time she joined the company in November 2020.
Prior to that, Dr Zanganeh, as Chief Operating Officer at Pharmacyclics, led a struggling biotech company to a multimillion-dollar collaboration and license deal for ibrutinib with Janssen Biotech Inc. in 2011 and, the subsequent sale of the company for $21 billion dollars in 2015 to AbbVie Inc.- the second largest biopharma sale ever in the industry. The deal with Janssen Biotech received the award of the “Best Biotech Transaction” in 2011. Under her leadership in 2015, Pharmacyclics was also awarded the prestigious Prix Galien for “Best Pharmaceutical Agent”. This award is the biomedical industry’s highest accolade and recognizes outstanding achievements in the development of new therapies.
Dr. Zanganeh is an honored speaker of the United Nations, recently speaking during the closing ceremony during the United Nations February 11 Global Movement held on February 11, 2022. Dr. Zanganeh was President of EMEA / Global VP of Training and Education for Computer Motion, Inc. (Pioneers in Robotic Surgery) which later merged with Intuitive, Inc. (ISRG) company in June 2003. Dr. Zanganeh was awarded her DDS (Dental Degree of Surgery) from the Louis Pasteur University, France and an MBA from Schiller International University, France. She is fluent in French, German, Farsi, and English. Dr Zanganeh earned the Fierce Biotech “2013 Top women in biotech” award, and the E&Y company “Entrepreneur of the Year” 2013 award. She is also a published author, recently releasing her book entitled The Magic of Normal.
Learn more about Maky and her story through her memoir, The Magic of Normal.
A Life Spread Over Three Continents and Four Countries
Born in Iran in 1970, Maky has overcome tremendous personal challenges, after a life spread over three continents and four countries. Maky had a mixed Franco-Iranian education at Jeanne d’ Arc School in Tehran.
Maky had the privilege of being able to move to Germany to continue her schooling. After obtaining her German Highschool diploma, she joined her two sisters in Strasbourg France where she received her Dental Degree of Surgery. Her sisters also went to medical school at the Louis Pasteur University and continued their professions as cardiologist and gynecologist. “My mother told the three of us to choose a profession, as a woman, that could help people, and would allow us to be both financially and socially independent, no matter where we ended up living” continued Dr. Zanganeh.
After few years in pediatric dentistry, treating very sick and difficult children, she realized that society, in general, needed so much help. Society needed massive action and focused attention. “I needed a bigger project in my life that would have a bigger impact on the world.” Maky shared. So, she left dentistry, got her MBA from Schiller University, and start her work in the medical industry in 1998.
Inspiring & Empowering Women
As a woman, Maky knows how challenging it can be to be a woman entrepreneur trying to balance family, home, and work. “One of the special highlights in my life was my pregnancy in 2005. I never understood until I had my son, Shaun, what the meaning of motherhood was. I love being a mom. I believe it is one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs ever. It is an unconditional love that you can give to someone. Many women today are afraid to start to work or take an executive position because they fear they cannot handle the stress of both work and family. Between long meetings during the day, many sleepless nights, bringing kids to school, doing homework, managing sick days, and handling household activities. It is crazy when you step back and try to figure out how to do it all. But God will never give you more than you can handle. Children give you a whole different perspective on life. You have to just tell yourself ‘keep going.’” stated Maky.
In December 2019, Maky was diagnosed with breast cancer. “After all those years being part of an oncology biotech company and trying to help so many patients, I believe God allowed me to realize the game was not over for me. I learned what it felt like to be a patient by becoming one, the pain and suffering, and hoping for a miracle. Hope is the key to happiness. It makes us stronger and gives us the courage to overcome challenges. Every part of my breast cancer was scary, getting the announcement, going through the treatments, and on top of it, there was the coronavirus pandemic in 2020” shared Maky. It was an incredibly challenging time.
In the summer of 2020, I finished my cancer treatments, but I had to reconstitute myself, get used to my new look of non-existent hair, non-existent eyelashes and eyebrows and then settle for my short hair and try to get back with a new perspective on my life as a businesswoman”, continued Maky.
In November 2020, Maky joined Summit Therapeutics as Chief Operating Officer, and in July 2022 Maky was appointed CEO & President of Summit Therapeutics. Maky is determined to make a positive impact on the medical world, improve the quality of life, and help save lives.
Transforming the Healthcare Industry
Over Maky’s career she learned a great deal about cancer patients and their will to live. She learned that to fight cancer, the industry must aim high and go for a cure as long as the body can handle it. In other words, fighting until the end and never giving up.
“I learned that 2% chance is not 0% chance. But the truth is, when I got my own cancer, I realized that progress and innovation must take care of the most basic needs first. We may have invented, innovated, created anti-cancer drugs, but it is a combination of everything else that is occurring in the body, that impacts the patient’s prognosis, and we must give that our consideration” stated Maky.
“Two thirds of the world’s population have no access to diagnostic imaging, and over 5 billion people do not have access to safe and affordable surgical care and anesthesia. Most cancer patients will not die because of cancer, but the side effects of cancer like infection. I am determined that my new company, Summit Therapeutics, will make a positive impact on the medical world, improve the quality of life, and help save lives” continued Maky.
Following Your Dreams
Maky believes that “curiosity and caring about life and its forward progress, hard work and willingness to sacrifice are required to achieve our goals and purpose.” Maky would like to share some of here life experiences. She has been honored to meet and work with many inspiring people. These photos are a tribute to these people, along with a few of Maky over the years.
