MLA Places Tinne Gilles as Head of Legal Commercial Operations at Vifor Pharma Group

Hanover, MD (June 23, 2020) — Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA), the world’s leading legal search firm, announced the placement of Tinne Gilles as head of legal commercial operations for Vifor Pharma Group, the global pharmaceutical company dedicated to innovative, patient-focused solutions. The search was led by Tanja Albers, Naveen Tuli and Arthi Cobb of MLA’s In-House Counsel group in Amsterdam and London, respectively.

As head of legal commercial operations, Tinne will act as a key business partner to the global operations, marketing, medical affairs and market access teams. She will manage a variety of legal commercial matters and manage a team of senior lawyers within a diverse international and complex grown environment.

Commenting on the appointment, Tanja Albers said: “Tinne has a strong commercial background within the pharmaceutical sector with many years of experience operating in a leadership capacity. Her passion for team management and experience working in an environment that constantly challenges her and puts patients first makes her a great fit both culturally and technically at Vifor Pharma. Tinne’s business approach and optimistic mindset lends well to any growing business with a strategic focus, making her a real asset to Vifor’s legal leadership team.”

A dedicated life sciences legal counsel for 20 years, Tinne joins from UCB S.A. where she served as associate general counsel in the immunology business unit. As the lead legal advisor, she managed an in-house legal team and served on the immunology global leadership team. Prior to this, she was associate general counsel in the new medicines research and development unit, data protection legal counsel and regional lawyer for Northern Europe with UCB. Earlier, she was director legal with Genzyme Europe in Amsterdam. She began her legal career in private practice with Van Bael & Bellis in Brussels as a senior associate focused on the life sciences.

Tinne holds a Master of Laws, cum laude, from the Katholieke Universiteit in Leuven, Belgium as well as an MBA from Melbourne Business School in Australia.