Healthcare >> CEO Interviews >> August 25, 2003
J. DONALD deBETHIZY became President and Chief Executive Officer of
Targacept in August 2000 when the company was spun out from R.J.
Reynolds Tobacco Company. Dr. deBethizy joined RJRT in Winston-Salem,
North Carolina in 1985. During his tenure there, he held positions of
increasing responsibility, including Vice President of Product
Evaluation, Research and Development. He was named President of
Targacept, Inc. in March 1997, when it became a wholly owned subsidiary
of RJRT. Dr. deBethizy played a lead role in negotiating Targacept's
alliances with Aventis Pharma SA and Dr. Falk Pharma GmbH. He also led
teams that have raised $90 MM in the company's first two rounds of
private equity financings. Profile
import?
Dr. deBethizy: We've had a tremendous year. Probably the most important
thing that's happened is our raising of the
