The trade group BIO has parted ways with 30 employees, including several senior leaders, in what sources are describing as a restructuring of the trade organization, the latest changes at the organization after bringing on a new chief executive late last year.
Two sources described it as a restructuring of the group, and others said that more departures were expected over the course of the day. Among the exits are Chief Policy Officer John Murphy and Chief Public Affairs and Marketing Officer Rich Masters, according to sources.
In a statement, BIO’s new CEO John Crowley described the changes as a strategic reprioritization to “bring stronger focus and greater impact” to the group’s activities. The trade group is hosting its annual industry conference in San Diego in about two weeks.
A spokesperson for BIO didn’t immediately respond to further questions. Staff at the organization were told on Monday morning they were being let go, according to people familiar with the reductions. Before the changes, the group employed somewhere between 120 and 140 people, according to two sources.
Under Crowley, who took over in March, the trade group has been making significant shifts. It reversed its public stance on the Biosecure Act, a piece of legislation working its way through Congress that could sharply curtail how biotech and pharma companies work with Chinese businesses.
BIO previously opposed the legislation. After Crowley took over, the group said it would support the bill and push for changes instead. In April, soon after the reversal, BIO’s top lobbyist left the group. Several notable companies have departed as well, including Pfizer and UCB, and BIO and WuXi ended their relationship amid the scrutiny of the Biosecure Act.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to add the names of some of the departures as well as the size of the cuts. The start date of BIO’s CEO has also been corrected. Lia DeGroot and Zach Brennan contributed reporting.
