Codexis Appoints Two New Senior Leaders for Human Resources and Corporate Development

Rhea-AI Summary

Codexis has appointed Karen Frechou-Armijo as Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Asli Aras, Ph.D., as Vice President of Corporate Development. Frechou-Armijo brings extensive HR experience, previously growing employee numbers at Cepheid significantly. Dr. Aras, with a strong background in corporate development, will enhance Codexis’ inorganic growth strategy. Both executives report to John Nicols, President and CEO, who emphasized their roles in building a high-performance culture and advancing growth opportunities as Codexis prepares for a crucial year ahead.

Positive

• Appointment of Karen Frechou-Armijo enhances HR leadership, crucial for talent acquisition.
• Asli Aras's extensive experience in corporate development is expected to drive inorganic growth.

Negative

• Concerns about potential gaps in leadership continuity due to management changes.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Nov. 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Codexis, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDXS), a leading enzyme engineering company enabling the promise of synthetic biology, today announced the appointments of Karen Frechou-Armijo as Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Asli Aras, Ph.D., as Vice President, Corporate Development. Ms. Frechou-Armijo is responsible for continuing to build a world-class human resources team and to expand the Company’s talent acquisition and development strategy. Dr. Aras is responsible for driving the advancement and expansion of Codexis’ inorganic growth strategy. Both executives join the Company today and report directly to John Nicols, President and CEO of Codexis.

“Codexis’ success relies on our exceptional team, so I am extremely pleased to welcome Karen and Asli, two high-impact additions who will help fuel our Company’s continued growth,” said Mr. Nicols. “Karen has deep experience as a proven company-builder throughout periods of rapid scale. Her leadership will be key to continuing to build the organization and drive our high-performance culture, best positioning us for advancement as we head into what is shaping up to be a defining year for Codexis.”

Mr. Nicols continued, “I am equally excited to welcome Asli to the team. She has extensive expertise as a corporate development leader with an impressive track record of success in executing deals in the life sciences space. Her financial and strategic acumen will drive Codexis’ increasing opportunities for inorganic growth that are synergistic with our well-established organic growth strategies across the Company’s target markets.”

Ms. Frechou-Armijo has over two decades of human resources experience, holding increasingly senior positions within life sciences and technology companies. Most recently, she served as Vice President, Human Resources at Cepheid, a molecular diagnostics company, supporting the workforce through a period of expansion, increasing employee headcount by greater than seven times over a five year period. Prior to Cepheid, Ms. Frechou-Armijo held senior Human Resource Business Partner roles at Broadcom, where she led workforce strategy, change management and talent management for over 800 employees across eight countries in the Commercial Applications and Engineering units. She also previously held human resources management roles with Molecular Devices, KPMG, and Genencor. Ms. Frechou-Armijo received her B.A. from California State University, Chico.

Dr. Aras brings over two decades of global experience creating enduring value for companies in the life sciences sector, having closed more than 25 deals with total value exceeding $3.5 billion, with expertise across corporate development, investment banking, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic planning. She joins Codexis from Woodside Capital Partners, where she was a Managing Director and provided M&A and strategic financing advice to health-tech companies with breakthrough technologies. She led dozens of transactions, including acquisitions as well as early-stage investments. She previously served at Agilent Technologies for 13 years, most recently as Associate Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development, where she was responsible for all aspects of deal sourcing and transaction processes. Dr. Aras received her Ph.D. in Finance from Bogazici University in Turkey, her M.S. in Accounting and Finance from The London School of Economics and Political Science, and her B.S. in Management from Bilkent University in Turkey.

About Codexis
Codexis is a leading enzyme engineering company leveraging its proprietary CodeEvolver® platform to discover and develop novel, high performance enzymes and novel biotherapeutics. Codexis enzymes have applications in the sustainable manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, food, and industrial products; in the creation of the next generation of life science tools; and as gene therapy and biologic therapeutics. The Company’s unique performance enzymes drive improvements such as: reduced energy usage, waste generation and capital requirements; higher yields; higher fidelity diagnostics; and more efficacious therapeutics. Codexis enzymes enable the promise of synthetic biology to improve the health of people and the planet. For more information, visit www.codexis.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
To the extent that statements contained in this press release are not descriptions of historical facts regarding Codexis, they are forward-looking statements reflecting the current beliefs and expectations of management made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are, in some cases, beyond Codexis’ control and that could materially affect actual results. Additional information about factors that could materially affect actual results can be found in Codexis’ Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 1, 2021, and in Codexis’ Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 5, 2021, including under the caption “Risk Factors,” and in Codexis’ other periodic reports filed with the SEC. Codexis expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Investor Relations Contact:
Argot Partners
Stephanie Marks/Carrie McKim
(212) 600-1902
Codexis@argotpartners.com

FAQ

Who has been appointed as the new Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Codexis?

Karen Frechou-Armijo has been appointed as the Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Codexis.

What is the role of Asli Aras at Codexis?

Asli Aras, Ph.D., has been appointed as Vice President of Corporate Development, focusing on advancing inorganic growth strategies.

How might the management changes at Codexis impact the company's growth?

The management changes are expected to contribute to Codexis's talent acquisition and inorganic growth opportunities, positioning the company for upcoming challenges.

What experience does Karen Frechou-Armijo bring to Codexis?

Karen Frechou-Armijo brings over two decades of HR experience, notably in expanding workforce at Cepheid.

What achievements does Asli Aras have in corporate development?

Asli Aras has successfully closed over 25 deals valued at more than $3.5 billion in the life sciences sector.