Portola Pharma Names Tao Fu Executive VP

Portola Pharmaceuticals has appointed Tao Fu as executive vice president, chief commercial and business officer. Mr. Fu joins Portola from Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), where he was vice president and head of mergers and acquisitions and alliance management. At Portola, Mr. Fu will be responsible for the company’s commercial operations and business development and will serve on the executive committee.

“Tao is a proven leader with a track record of success in the biopharmaceutical industry,” said William Lis, chief executive officer, Portola. “His strategic leadership and experience in both commercial strategy and business development in the areas of thrombosis and cardiovascular disease will serve Portola well as we advance toward the next exciting phase of our evolution to become a leading independent biopharmaceutical company with multiple marketed products.”

At BMS, Mr. Fu was responsible for the company’s corporate development, alliance management and venture activities. Prior to that, he was vice president, business development at Janssen, the pharmaceuticals group of Johnson & Johnson.