Governance
Executive Committee Members
Jean-François DOUCET - General Deputy
Jean-François DOUCET has over 25 years’ experience in corporate finance and administration. After ten years as an audit and transactional consultant at PwC, Jean-François was appointed Chief Financial Officer of a number of companies in the chemicals and healthcare sectors (BASF, Gibaud, Ossür, etc.). Throughout his career, he has acquired extensive experience of operational, strategic and international issues in commercial and industrial environments. He has also been involved in corporate divestment and transformation projects. Jean-François is a graduate of EM Lyon, where he specialised in finance.
Jean-Baptiste EBERST – Regulatory Affairs Director
Jean-Baptiste EBERST has more than 10 years of experience in Regulatory Affairs in various regulated fields, including healthcare and anti-parasite products. Before joining Amoéba in 2015, he worked in the drug industry (Sanofi Pasteur, Merck Serono) and the medical device industry (Integra LifeSciences), where he was in charge of regulatory management of product portfolios in various areas (USA, Europe, Canada, Middle East). He has a strong background in regulatory product registration and compliance assurance. Jean-Baptiste is a pharmacist, graduated from the University of Strasbourg.
Sandrine TROUSSIEUX – Scientific Director
Sandrine TROUSSIEUX, Doctor of Science, has more than 20 years of experience in research and development in the field of environmental microbiology. She has published 25 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Before joining Amoéba, she was in charge of a sequencing platform and the realization of research projects in microbial ecology in an engineering school (École Centrale de Lyon). Sandrine TROUSSIEUX is a graduate of the Claude Bernard University in Lyon.
Herve TESTEIL - Industrial Director
Hervé Testeil has over 24 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. From his beginnings in structural calculations for the aerospace and rail industries, to his current role as Industrial Director at Amoéba, he has held a variety of operational positions (Production, Supply Chain, Quality and Regulatory Affairs, Industrial Development). He has also supported the strategic transformation of a number of laboratories (FAMAR, BOIRON, MERIAL, ALCYON, GIBAUD, J&J MEDICAL, DELPHARM, KISKO INTERNATIONAL, DÔME PHARMA, PHYTEO, etc.). Hervé Testeil holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical CAD/CAM Design from the University of Lille.
Board of Directors
Amoéba relies on a prestigious and balanced Board of Directors, composed of financiers and industry experts.
The speed of Amoeba’s development has always been one of its strengths. Our Board of Directors reflects this need and relies on experts.
Benoît Villers - Chairman
Benoit Villers, Nice & Green SA Executive Board Member, was appointed as a director of Amoéba and Chairman of its Board of Directors in December 2023. Benoit brings vast experience in commercial strategies and market development, drawing on expertise built up with major groups, such as Barry Callebaut and ADM, as well as younger companies like Nice & Green SA and the various startups that he supports.
Fabrice Plasson – Founder and Director
Fabrice Plasson is the founder of Amoéba. He has 20 years of experience in the life sciences and biotechnology industry.
Prior to creating Amoéba, Fabrice Plasson was the CEO and founder of DiscoverX’s French subsidiary and responsible for sales in Southern Europe. DiscoverX is a company specializing in the sale and supply of products and services to research centers to enable them to accelerate the discovery of new drug candidates. Fabrice Plasson was also in charge of the management of international distributors at Whatman Ltd in France. Fabrice Plasson has been a key player in Whatman Ltd allowing it to win the DNA market in France. At the same time, he developed the sales of Oxoid as a consultant to hospitals and industrialists on the risk of legionellosis.
Fabrice Plasson holds a Master’s degree in biology with a specialization in biology and marketing techniques from the Joseph Fourier University in Grenoble. Fabrice Plasson recently graduated with an Executive Masters of Business Administration from EM-Lyon
Valérie Filiatre – Director
Valérie Filiatre has over 30 years’ experience in the administrative and financial management of listed European and American companies. Formerly Deputy Managing Director of Amoéba, she is now a member of the company’s Board of Directors. She has over 25 years’ experience in multinational companies, including 10 years in listed companies. Prior to joining Amoéba, Valérie Filiatre was CFO Europe of the ABnote group, a major supplier of secure documents to financial, government and educational institutions. In charge of consolidated financial information for the French, Czech, Slovakian and UK subsidiaries, Valérie Filiatre also played an active role in restructuring these entities.
Valérie Filiatre is a graduate of EM-Lyon, where she specialised in finance and accounting.
Jean-Luc Souche - Director (independent)
Jean-Luc SOUCHE has 36 years’ experience in the life sciences and is a specialist in plant protection. He has held various technical and marketing positions, in France and abroad, with Rhône-Poulenc Agrochimie. After gaining experience in biotechnology at Metabolic Explorer, in 2013 he became CEO of Agrauxine, a French start-up specialising in biocontrol, and then took charge of business development following its acquisition by the Lesaffre group. In particular, he contributed to the international development of Agrauxine’s range of biofungicides for vineyards, market garden crops and post-harvest treatment of fruit. In March 2023, Jean-Luc SOUCHE was elected to the Board of Directors of IBMA France, the French association of biocontrol companies, for a 3-year term.
Jean-Luc is a graduate agronomist from the Institut National Agronomique Paris Grignon (now AgroparisTech) and holds an executive MBA from HEC.
Philippe Dujardin – Director (independent)
Philippe Dujardin has 30 years of experience in growth companies. Previously Deputy CEO of Awabot, CFO of Erytech Pharma, he was also Director of Financing and Investor Relations of Infogrames / Atari Group. He joined BOOSTHEAT in 2014 as Administrative and Financial Director and held the positions of Head of Development of BOOSTHEAT SA (partnerships, offers, international development…) and Director of BOOSTHEAT France.
Philippe Dujardin is a graduate of the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Reims and of the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Lyon.
Sylvie Guinard – Director (independent)
An engineer by training and holder of an MBA from EM-Lyon, Sylvie Guinard has extensive experience in the industrial sector, having worked in a wide range of fields including space, defence, rail, public works machinery and vehicles. Currently Chairwoman of the Thimonnier Group, Sylvie Guinard is a committed figure involved with national and regional players in the industrial sector. Appointed Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of INPI, and a director of Business France, Visiativ and EVOLIS-SYMOP, her career has been honoured on a number of occasions in the form of trophies: Innovation, Export, Entrepreneur of the Year, Industry, Finance, Transfer, Business Leader of the Year. In 2014, she was made a Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite, and in 2017 a Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur.
Pierre Morgon – Censor
Pierre A. MORGON is CEO of MRGN Advisors, Regional Partner for Switzerland at Mérieux Equity Partners and Senior Vice President International Business at CanSino Biologics.
He is Chairman of the Boards of Theradiag, Eurocine Vaccines, MYCB1 and Health Technologies Holding, as well as a non-executive Director of the Boards of Vaccitech and Univercells.
Pierre has over 30 years of experience in the global life sciences industry, particularly in specialty care, vaccines and immunotherapy, leading international operations, in global C-level positions in multinational companies and as CEO of start-up companies.
He is a speaker at several MBA programs and life science conferences, as well as at the Mass Challenge incubator in Switzerland where he also mentors life science startups.
He holds a Ph.D. in pharmacy, an M.B.A. and an MBA. He is also an alumnus of INSEAD and IMD.
Status and internal regulations
Audit Committee
At its meeting of June 22, 2017, the Company’s Board of Directors, using the option provided for in Article R.225-29 of the French Commercial Code, decided to create an Audit Committee from among its members.
Composition of the Audit Committee
As of December 31, 2020, the Audit Committee was composed of two members:
Mr. Pascal Reber, independent director, Chairman of the Audit Committee, and
Mr. Bernard Ambolet, independent director.
Mr. Pascal Reber has particular expertise in financial matters as a result of his professional experience in the finance departments and administrative and supervisory bodies of other companies.
Duties of the Audit Committee
Without prejudice to the powers of the Board of Directors, the Audit Committee is responsible for the tasks referred to in Article L.823-19 of the French Commercial Code.
Operating procedures of the Audit Committee
The rules governing the composition and operation of the Audit Committee have been laid down by the Board of Directors in specific internal regulations, the main terms of which are reproduced below.
The Audit Committee appoints its Chairman from among its members. In the absence of the Chairman, the Audit Committee appoints a Chairman for the meeting. In the event of a tie, the oldest candidate is appointed chairman.
At least half of the members of the Audit Committee must be present at the meeting, or two members if there are only two members.
The members of the Audit Committee may not be represented.
The Audit Committee meets as often as deemed necessary. The Audit Committee is convened by its Chairman, who sets the agenda and sends it to the members of the Audit Committee at least three days before the date of the meeting. Nevertheless, the Audit Committee may meet without delay if circumstances so require.
It may also meet at the request of two of its members or the Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Meetings may be convened by any means, including verbally. Meetings are held at the Company’s registered office or at any other place indicated by the person giving the notice.
The Chairman or the Chairman of the meeting organizes and directs the work of the Audit Committee. He or she ensures that the Audit Committee functions properly and, in particular, that the members of the Audit Committee are able to perform their duties.
The Chairman of the Audit Committee ensures that the Audit Committee’s reports to the Board of Directors enable the Board to be fully informed, thereby facilitating the deliberations of the members of the Board of Directors and their decision-making.