

Jan Adams, MD
Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)
Member of the Corporate Executive Board

Jan Adams, MD, assumed the role of Chief Commercial Officer and Member of the Corporate Executive Board in October 2024. Since 2019, he had led Grünenthal's R&D organisation as Chief Scientific Officer and Member of the Corporate Executive Board. He has over two decades of experience in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry.
Since joining Grünenthal in 2017, he has played a key role in driving the company's transformational journey. Under his leadership, Grünenthal successfully built a state-of-the-art R&D organisation, redefined its R&D strategy, and built an industry-leading pipeline focused on delivering innovative treatments for acute and chronic pain. Before assuming the role of CSO, he served as Head of Strategy and Portfolio, working at the interface between Strategy, R&D and Commercial. His role was instrumental in several successful M&A projects and Grünenthal’s entry into the US market.
Before joining Grünenthal, he held positions with increasing responsibilities at Takeda, McKinsey & Company and Novartis. Jan Adams started his career as a resident in cardiology. He is a Medical Doctor by training, married and has two children.
Jan Adams at a glance
- Nationality: German
- Year of birth: 1977
- Education: Medical Doctor (MD) at Medical Schools in Kiel, Frankfurt and Sydney; Doctoral Thesis at Goethe University Frankfurt
- Family status: Married, two children.
- Leisure time: My 2 daughters, travelling, hiking.
Career highlights
- Since 2024: Member of the Corporate Executive Board and Chief Commercial Officer, Grünenthal
- 2020-2024: Member of the Corporate Executive Board and Chief Scientific Officer, Grünenthal
- 2019: Deputy/Acting Chief Scientific Officer, Grünenthal
- 2017 – 2019: Senior Vice President & Head Corporate Strategy and Portfolio Management, Grünenthal
- 2016-2017: Vice President & Head R&D Strategic Management and Planning, Takeda Pharmaceuticals Inc.
- 2008-2016: Associate Principal, McKinsey & Company
- 2005-2007: Project Leader Cardiovascular and Hemostaseology, Clinical Development and Medical Affairs, Novartis Pharma
- 2004 – 2005: Resident at Hannover Medical School (MHH)