Kjesten Wiig Appointed Director Of Malaghan Institute As Graham Le Gros Steps Into New Role

Professor Kjesten Wiig has been appointed Director of the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research at the organisation’s AGM today, as Professor Graham Le Gros continues in a leadership capacity as Deputy Chair of the Trust Board and advisor to the new Director.

Chair Sir Paul Collins says the Trust Board is delighted to appoint such a capable and well-respected leader as Director, whose time at the Malaghan has proven her readiness, ambition and vision for the role.

“She has big shoes to fill after Graham’s extraordinary tenure, but she’s poised to build on Graham’s legacy and forge her own,” he says.

Prof Wiig has held senior leadership roles at the Malaghan Institute since 2022 and was appointed Deputy Director in early 2024 with a view to transitioning into the director role. A neuroscientist by training, Prof Wiig’s career has spanned senior leadership roles in academia, industry and government, all with a focus on advancing science and innovation.

She says she is passionate about progressing research that will positively impact on people’s health and ultimately save lives.

“Graham has built an amazing organisation that I feel privileged to lead, bringing considerable learnings from my time spent in ambitious, US-based drug discovery companies as well as central government here in New Zealand to the role.”

Prof Le Gros says he is ready to hand over the baton to Prof Wiig after 30 years at the helm.

“This is not farewell – I’m not going away, but it is time to transition to a new leadership team, with Kjesten ably supported by Mike Zablocki as General Manager and our senior science and support leaders. This change takes the Malaghan Institute into a new era as we continue to be ambitious about what can be achieved here in New Zealand for the benefit of global health – tackling diseases that affect us all.”

Prof Wiig’s appointment to Director and Prof Le Gros’ appointment to Deputy Chair will be effective from 1 January 2025.

“As Chair I’m delighted we can retain Graham in this important role as my deputy moving forward and in an advisory role to the new director through this change,” says Sir Paul.

“This will continue be a strong and seamless transition and, alongside a refreshed and strengthened governance team, places the Malaghan Institute in an excellent position for the future.”

BACKGROUND

Professor Kjesten Wiig was appointed to the Malaghan Institute in 2022 as Director of Strategic Partnerships and took on the role of Executive Director of Vaccine Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand – Ohu Kaupare Huaketo the same year. In 2023 she was appointed Co-Director of the new government-funded national RNA Development Platform and Adjunct Professor at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington's Ferrier Research Institute—Te Kāuru. In March 2024 she was appointed Deputy Director of the Malaghan Institute.

After receiving her PhD from the University of Otago, and completing postdoctoral training at Brown University in Rhode Island, Prof Wiig spent many years working in the competitive drug discovery industry in the USA and was involved in the spin-out and start-up of two companies from Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At both companies, she served as Director of Neuropharmacology and was responsible for pre-clinical development of all programmes, including stroke, mild cognitive impairment, Fragile X, schizophrenia, Huntington’s Disease and obesity.

Prof Wiig then brought her experience in commercialising science to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment in New Zealand. There, she worked as National Manager for Commercialisation where she was responsible for a $15M portfolio of government investments, as well as securing high-level support for commercialisation and an increase to the pre-seed accelerator fund. She then served as Director of Innovative Partnerships, a programme she created and grew to enable international companies to establish an R&D presence in New Zealand.

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