Wednesday, July 9, 2008

MIT Enterprise Forum taps Kivel as global chairman

By Mass High Tech Staff

Richard Kivel, a former Mass High Tech All Star and now CEO of pharmacogenetics diagnostics company TheraGenetics Ltd., has been named the new chairman of the global board of directors for the MIT Enterprise Forum Inc.

Kivel replaces Joe Hadzima, who has served as chairman for the past four years. As part of the appointment, Kivel will also hold an ex-officio seat on the MIT Alumni Association board of directors, according to forum officials.

A serial entrepreneur in the life sciences, Kivel also served as CEO of MolecularWare Inc., an MIT spin-out and developer of data management, visualization and database frameworks for genomic and proteomic microarray technologies. Since 2006, he has run TheraGenetics, a U.K.-based company focusing on pharmacogenetic diagnostic tests to improve the treatment of central nervous system disorders.

Kivel has been a judge for the MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition for more than a decade. He also serves as a lead catalyst and mentor for the MIT Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation. In 2002, he was named a Mass High Tech All Star.

The MIT Enterprise Forum is a platform for entrepreneurial networking, inspiration and education, in operation since 1978 with 24 global chapters producing more than 300 annual events.