Who we are
Since our inception in 2005, not only have we established and nurtured an experienced and dedicated workforce, but we have also built what we believe to be a best-in-class executive team.
Our client focused and flat structure of our organisation means that our leadership team remain easily accessible to all projects, irrespective of size or value. Our senior management is always on hand to support operational teams to deliver a swift resolution to any issues that might arise.
Management board
With over 20 years of clinical research experience, Ivana Waller has held several executive leadership positions, setting, and executing strategies for global CROs across the USA, Europe, and APAC. Throughout her career, Ivana has developed an extensive global expertise in operational delivery of clinical trials and in leading cross-functional/multicultural teams.
A dynamic leader specialized in operational advancement for contract research organizations, rapid expansions, organic growth, acquisitions, and integrations, Ivana also brings living and working experience in USA, Europe, and APAC to the table.
Ivana Waller is joining Optimapharm from Advance Clinical, where she has served as Senior Vice President of Global Development and Expansion; Managing Director Europe and Asia Pacific since January 2018. She previously spent 8 years in Clinipace Worldwide, serving as Chief Business Officer, Europe and Middle East from January 2016 till December 2017, and Chief Operating Officer from October 2009 to December 2015. Prior to joining Clinipace Worldwide, Ivana acted as Vice President, Business Operations for more than a decade at MedTrials Inc. in USA.
Mrs. Waller holds a BA in Economics at the University of Texas, USA.
As COO, Miguel is responsible for securing patient safety and data integrity within all clinical trials OPTIMAPHARM conducts.
He started in clinical research in 1993 as CRA, and since then Miguel was taking more responsibility in all companies he has been working with (MDS Pharma Services, ICON and Pharm-Olam). He successfully managed and led teams in Project Management, Clinical Operations and Biometrics, as well as in Business Development.
Miguel graduated from the Pharmacy School at “Complutense” University, Madrid in 1993. In 1997 he completed an MBA at “Instituto de Empresa” in Madrid and got his PMP Accreditation by PMI in 2011, which has been renewed every three years.
Mirna is a finance professional with more than 15 years of experience in pharmaceutical and banking industry, M&A and integrations.
She has started her career in investment banking in one of the leading Croatian banks, working on industry and company analysis, company valuations, feasibility studies, M&A transactions and equity raising and was later responsible for setting-up a controlling department in a regional bank.
Mirna has joined OPTIMAPHARM in 2012 and established procedures and systems within company’s Finance Department. She was involved in various DD process, led several post-acquisition integrations and was also involved in and headed several IT implementations on the customer side (DMS, CTMS, accounting software).
Mirna holds an MA in Economics (major Finance) from the University of Zagreb, Croatia, has completed CFA program at the CFA Institute with the Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency.
Leadership team
With over 25 years of experience in clinical development and a background spanning global pharmaceutical leadership, across various therapeutic areas, Pavle brings his expertise to our team. His deep knowledge of international drug development processes, across Latin and North America, EU/non-EU countries, and India positions him as a key driver of innovation in our operations and service offering.
Pavle has successfully designed and executed clinical programs across multiple therapeutic areas, including rheumatology, autoimmune diseases, and rare indications. His in-depth experience includes medical monitoring, pharmacovigilance oversight, regulatory strategy, and clinical trial safety management. He has played a pivotal role in global drug development initiatives, supporting research for small molecules, biologics, gene therapies, and drug-device combinations.
Beyond his industry expertise, Pavle is an ACRP-certified GCP trainer and a former lecturer at the CRA Academy in Belgrade. He is also the author of “Conducting Clinical Trials in Europe: An Insider’s Analysis”, an expert report published by the Cambridge Healthtech Institute.
With over 15 years of experience in the life sciences industry, Paul brings a strong track record of commercial leadership across global markets. His background includes supporting the growth and successful exit of CROs, driving profitability, strengthening global brand identity, and identifying strategic growth opportunities through innovation. Paul is known for building high-performing teams and delivering client-centric solutions that enable long-term value creation in competitive, regulated environments.
In his role as CCO, Paul will lead Optimapharm’s global sales, marketing, and commercial growth strategy — focusing on deepening client partnerships, expanding our presence across key markets, and driving long-term business success. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, he will play an integral role in shaping and executing the company’s commercial vision.
Karol brings over 17 years of clinical research experience coming from global CROs and pharmaceutical companies across diverse therapeutic areas. Since joining Optimapharm in 2020, he has served as Senior Project Manager and Project Director. This builds upon his project management experience, which has grown in responsibility since 2013.
Currently leading the Project Management Department, Karol is responsible for strategic planning, execution and coordination of Project Management Functional Area including providing leadership, guidance, and insight to oversee the successful execution and implementation of Optimapharm’s strategy.
Karol holds a MSc degree in biotechnology from University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland.
As Head of Operations, North America, and Executive Director, Project Management, Jan is responsible for overseeing clinical operations and project management activities across the region.
With 15 years of experience in drug development, Jan’s expertise spans the entire clinical research spectrum, from Preclinical Testing to Post-Approval studies. He has held leadership roles in Clinical Operations and Project Management within mid-size and large CROs, as well as biotech and pharmaceutical companies.
Jan has worked across multiple countries, including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. His expertise includes country operations, resource and people management, vendor oversight, and CRO management. He has a strong background in Oncology, Rare Diseases, CNS, and Immunology.
Jan holds a Master of Science (MS) degree in Drug Production – Organic Technology from the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague.
Sara holds a MSc degree in Biochemistry, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Her professional career in clinical research started in 1999 as CRA for both CRO as Pharma prior to join Pharm-Olam in 2004 to continue her professional development as Lead CRA, Project Manager, Clinical Operations Manager and Country Manager during several years.
From 2016 Sara was leading Regulatory Affairs and led the transformation from Regulatory Affairs into a Global Site Activation Unit.
From January 2022 Sara worked to prepare the company for the new EU CTR having experience getting approvals in CTIS.
Furthermore, Sara is Board Member of BeCRO.
Jelena Pavlović joined Optimapharm in Q3 2023 with over 20 years of experience in global CRO business.
She started her career as a Clinical Trial Assistant, moving gradually through different roles and working actively on more than 30 clinical trials across multiple indications. Over the years, her interests shifted mainly to the management of Trial Master File and the development of high-level support for Project Management. Since 2017, Jelena has continued her professional development in global management positions, introducing customized eTMF workflows to improve the quality of the TMF and developing a centralized Project Specialist department that grew to over 50 professionals in more than 15 countries across the globe.
Jelena holds an MSc degree in Geological Engineering from the University of Belgrade, Serbia.
Nataša Mihajlov is a clinical research professional with a medical background (MD) and over 20 years of experience in the industry, including big pharma and CRO.
Nataša joined Optimapharm in 2013 as Senior CRA. Since 2014, she has worked in various roles: Project Manager, Clinical Project Manager Director, and Country Manager for Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia.
Her leadership journey continued as Clinical Operations Director, and now she serves as Executive Director of Clinical Operations, overseeing clinical research activities across Central and Eastern Europe. She plays a key role in driving efficient and high-quality clinical trials in the Region.
With 25+ years of leadership experience in clinical operations, clinical project management, and executive direction in CRO and the pharmaceutical industry, Lidia has been leading clinical operations in local and international companies, being responsible for several countries in the EU and USA.
Lidia has a proven track in managing local and global resources by ensuring optimal resource allocation and achievement of KPIs by highly productive teams.
She is experienced in most therapeutic areas, being a reference member when implementing recruitment and staffing knowledge and continuously driving process optimizations by standardizing and centralizing processes.
Her deep knowledge of the global and local settings highly contributes in the development and maintenance of effective relationships with clients, vendors, and internal stakeholders at all levels.
Lidia holds a Biology University degree, a Post-degree in Pharmaceutical Industry Medicine, and a Master's in business administration.
With 25 years of experience in Clinical trials, Stiina has wide knowledge to share as she has held various operational roles in both the pharmaceutical and CRO sectors.
Her expertise spans Clinical operations, Global project management, and leading operational teams across multiple countries. Stiina has been part of the Optimapharm group for 18 years, as joined via acquisition as the Chief Operational Officer of Crown CRO.
Stiina is currently responsible for overseeing Clinical operations across the Northern European countries as well as responsible for the Trial Management team within Clinical Operations.
Stiina holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Laboratory Technology.
Vassil is a biostatistics leader with over 15 years of experience in the drug development industry. He has a strong track record of successfully leading and executing complex projects across various therapeutic areas, including oncology, pediatrics, rare diseases, dermatology, and more. His expertise spans all clinical trial phases (Phase I-IV) and real-world evidence studies, with significant experience in early-phase pharmacokinetic projects.
Vassil joined Optimapharm as Biostatistics Director in 2024. Before that, he held various operational and management roles at Syneos Health since 2019 and has also worked with PPD and Comac Medical. Throughout his career, he has contributed to over 80 clinical trials, delivering high-quality statistical solutions under demanding timelines. He is passionate about building and leading high-performing global teams across North America, EMEA, and APAC.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics and Econometrics and a Master’s degree in Business Informatics from the University of National and World Economy in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Beyond his professional work, Vassil is strongly interested in artificial intelligence and machine learning. He is always exploring ways to optimize processes and improve efficiency. He thrives on innovation, collaboration, and advancing medical research.
Based in Sofia, Bulgaria, Vassil brings a strategic vision and operational excellence to Optimapharm’s biostatistics team, driving forward data-driven insights that enhance clinical development.
With over 14 years of experience across multiple CROs, Raivo has good hands-on knowledge of data management activities throughout the full lifecycle of a study, from data entry to leading studies from a data management perspective to developing processes and teams and supporting great collaboration with all involved parties.
Raivo joined Optimapharm at the end of 2021 through Optimapharm’s acquisition of Crown CRO.
As the Director of Data Management, he is responsible for the overall management, strategic planning, development, and execution of Data Management activities in Optimapharm.
Ivaylo is a pharmacist by education, with more than 15 years of clinical research experience in the fields of Clinical Operations and Project Management.
He joined Optimapharm in 2017, assuming diverse roles in the company as Country Manager for several countries, Regional Clinical Manager, Project Director, and lately Senior Project Management Resourcing and Efficiency Director responsible for the resourcing, utilization, and performance of the Project Managers and Project Management Analysts.
In the beginning of 2024, Ivaylo took on the challenge to lead the newly established Business Intelligence department, to deliver data-driven insights that fuel strategic decision-making.
Ioustini holds a degree in Agricultural Sciences and an MSc in Quality Assurance, with over 20 years of experience in clinical research across various CROs. She began her career as a CRA and has since held diverse roles within clinical operations, including Project Manager and Head of the Clinical Trials Department, as well as positions in quality assurance, information security, FSP, and commercial/business operations.
Ioustini became part of Optimapharm in June 2022 following the acquisition of Qualitis Greek CRO.
In May 2024, Ioustini assumed leadership of the newly established FSP department, where she has driven the development and successful implementation of the FSP strategy. Her leadership has streamlined operations, enhanced team collaboration, and aligned the department’s efforts with the company’s long-term growth. Additionally, Ioustini plays a key role in advancing commercial operations and driving business development in Greece.
Ioustini has built expertise in team leadership, process optimization, operational excellence, and regulatory compliance throughout her career. She focuses on empowering her teams and fostering a collaborative work environment. Her goal is always to ensure the delivery of high-quality results that create long-term value for partners. Ioustini is committed to employee growth and strives to provide efficient, client-first solutions that exceed expectations.
Thurston has around 15 years of experience working within the commercial arms of mid-sized CROs where he has led teams primarily responsible for proposals, budgeting, contracting, and vendor management.
Prior to joining Optimapharm in 2020, Thurston worked for two transatlantic CROs, where in addition to the set-up and management of large commercial teams, he oversaw the commercial due diligence and commercial integration of multiple acquisitions.
Thurston has a Business Management degree from the University of Essex and has a strong background in business development, having worked in various sales positions within tech start-up companies before moving into the CRO industry.
With over 20 years of clinical research experience, Ivana Waller has held several executive leadership positions, setting, and executing strategies for global CROs across the USA, Europe, and APAC. Throughout her career, Ivana has developed an extensive global expertise in operational delivery of clinical trials and in leading cross-functional/multicultural teams.
A dynamic leader specialized in operational advancement for contract research organizations, rapid expansions, organic growth, acquisitions, and integrations, Ivana also brings living and working experience in USA, Europe, and APAC to the table.
Ivana Waller is joining Optimapharm from Advance Clinical, where she has served as Senior Vice President of Global Development and Expansion; Managing Director Europe and Asia Pacific since January 2018. She previously spent 8 years in Clinipace Worldwide, serving as Chief Business Officer, Europe and Middle East from January 2016 till December 2017, and Chief Operating Officer from October 2009 to December 2015. Prior to joining Clinipace Worldwide, Ivana acted as Vice President, Business Operations for more than a decade at MedTrials Inc. in USA.
Mrs. Waller holds a BA in Economics at the University of Texas, USA.
Sonja is a legal professional with more than 15 years of experience working in an international environment. She started her career in Legal and HR department. She gained valuable experience in leading operational and sales teams in Booking.com, also developing and executing sales strategy and working with central teams on projects and development of the key local markets. Sonja joined Optimapharm in July 2021, providing legal and administrative support in HR. She is responsible for overseeing ESG activities. Since July 2022, as a Legal Counsel and Compliance Officer, Sonja supports the company regarding all legal services, including being the subject matter expert on data privacy laws and risk management. Sonja holds a Master of Law degree. She is fluent in English, French and Italian, proficient in Spanish.
Mani, our IT Leader, brings a comprehensive blend of over 12 years of expertise in the CRO industry, focusing on business, clinical applications management, and IT infrastructure. His career journey began as a clinical applications analyst, leading to his current role as Senior IT Director.
Mani is known for his strategic approach to implementing and overseeing various technology platforms such as Veeva, Medidata, Microsoft, and Oracle.
His vision is consistently directed towards developing innovative, cost-effective solutions, emphasizing enhancing operational efficiency.
Mani holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science, a testament to his deep-rooted technical acumen and innovative mindset.
Supervisory board
Mr. Clark heads The Rohatyn Group’s (“TRG”) private equity business in EMEA. He focuses on investing in high quality companies with superior growth potential across Europe in the Consumer, Healthcare and TMT sectors. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of five portfolio companies in Europe: Pet Network International (Pet Supplies), Amethyst Radiotherapy (Specialised Radiotherapy Treatment Centres), Optimapharm (European CRO), Tallink (Ferry & Short Cruise Operator) and Prestige (Branded Biscuits & Wafers). He has held numerous board positions over the past 18 years in both public and private companies and sits on various investment committees within TRG.
Prior to joining TRG in December 2013, Mr. Clark was a Partner at Citi Venture Capital International (“CVCI”) and a member of the investment team from 2003. During this period, he led and successfully exited multiple investments across Europe for CVCI. Before CVCI, Mr. Clark originated and structured project finance transactions for Citi across the EMEA region. From 1996 to 2000, he worked with Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh in various positions in project finance and acquisition finance.
Mr. Clark has a bachelor’s degree in Accountancy and Management from the University of Dundee, Scotland and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.
Mr. Bachvarov focuses on supporting the Team’s efforts across sourcing, evaluating, executing and monitoring investments.
Prior to joining TRG, he was a Visiting MBA Associate at Duke Street Capital and One Equity Partners in 2016 where he worked on private equity investments in the Healthcare and TMT sectors. From 2014 to 2015 he was seconded as an Analyst at the Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking team focusing on analyzing private debt principal investments across all industries. From 2011 to 2014, Mr. Bachvarov was a strategy consultant with Accenture and Deloitte advising clients on operational and strategic improvement initiatives.
Mr. Bachvarov earned an MBA with Distinction from London Business School. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Business and Economics from the American University in Bulgaria and a Master of Science degree in Statistics from Warwick Business School. Mr. Bachvarov is fluent in Bulgarian and Russian.
Dr Charles Woler has over 35 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical, biotech and medtech industry in Europe and the United States.
He was formerly Chairman and CEO of Roche France, Smith Kline Beacham President of Europe Pharmaceuticals in London, President and CEO of Cadus Pharmaceutical (US), before becoming CEO of venture capital backed biotechs Neuro3d and Endotis Pharma. As Executive GM at the Biomnis Group, Charles led the negotiations when the company was sold to Eurofins Scientific.
More recently Charles has built a portfolio of non-executive assignments across different areas of the life sciences sector, in different countries, and played a pivotal role in the successful execution of exit strategies for several of these, including as Chair, the acquisition of full site CRO Synexus by PPD, the sale of Citoxlab to Charles River, and recently the sale of ERBC, a preclinical CRO to the private equity fund UI Investissement.
Igor is founder of Optimapharm and from 2011 until 2020 he was Chairman of the Supervisory Board. During that period, Optimapharm realized impressive growth of business, from the position of reginal niche player to a leading full service mid-size European CRO. After TRG investment in Optimapharm in early 2020, Igor maintained significant minority equity stake in the company and SB position.
Igor is also CEO and the Founder of an investment firm Provectus Capital Partners (PCP). PCP has created Adriatic Structured Equity Fund (ASEF), a Luxemburg based PE fund which is providing equity investments in established mid-market businesses in SEE, with the focus on private health care sector.
Igor graduated at Faculty of Economics and Business in Zagreb, has completed GMP program in Vienna and Senior Executive Program at London Business School.
