Elçin Barker-Ergün

Elcin Barker Ergun is a business leader in the pharmaceutical industry. In September 2019 she was appointed chief executive officer and member of the board of directors of the Italian company Menarini Group.

Biography Ergun graduated from TED Ankara College (high school) in Turkey, where she also played basketball and handball and was a member of the team that won the national championship three times. Elcin has a Bachelor of Science degree in computer engineering from Middle East Technical University in Ankara and an MBA from INSEAD (Institut Europeen d’Administration Des Affaires).

Ergun's career started as a software engineer, working for five years in IT management in Amsterdam for ITT Corporation. After her MBA in France, Ergun moved to the UK, leading marketing and supply chain projects at the Northern European head office of Honeywell

After joining Merck KGaA's Healthcare business, for three years as Executive Vice President,

Under Ergun's leadership, Menarini has accomplished milestones such as the 2020 acquisition of Stemline Therapeutics, a U.S. commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, formerly a public listed organization quoted on NASDAQ,

In December 2023, the Menarini Group signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Insilico Medicine, a biotech company specializing in generative AI. The partnership grants Menarini global rights to develop and commercialize a small molecule inhibitor of KAT6, aimed at treating hormone-sensitive tumors and other potential therapeutic areas. In December 2024, the Menarini Group and Insilico Medicine concluded a second exclusive licensing agreement. This partnership grants the Menarini Group global rights to develop and commercialize a preclinical molecule targeting an oncological area with a significant need for innovative therapeutic solutions.