Joseph Ju
Joseph Ju is Director of Continuous Improvement at Ardena Somerset. He brings more than 13 years of experience in the CDMO pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, with expertise spanning cGMP clinical and commercial manufacturing operations, process optimization, and operational excellence.
At Ardena, Joseph oversees cGMP clinical and commercial manufacturing operations in Somerset, focusing on continuous improvement initiatives and scalable manufacturing performance. Throughout his career, he has led commercial operations teams supporting operational efficiency and sales growth within regulated pharmaceutical manufacturing environments.
Joseph obtained both his Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in Biomedical Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Juan Jose Serrano
Juan Jose Serrano is Business Development Manager at Ardena. He brings experience in international business development, market analysis, and strategic account growth across the pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors.
Before joining Ardena, Juan Jose held international commercial and trade advisory roles across Europe and Australia, building expertise in global business development and commercial strategy. Over the past four years at Ardena, he has supported global business development activities across multiple regions and service areas, helping identify collaboration opportunities between biotech and pharmaceutical companies and Ardena’s integrated CDMO and CRO platform.
Juan Jose obtained his MBA and brings a strong international and client-focused perspective to strategic partnership development within the pharmaceutical industry.
Ben Vermeulen
Ben Vermeulen, PhD, is Business Development Director at Ardena. He brings a combination of scientific expertise and commercial experience, supporting biotech and pharmaceutical companies across drug development and CMC programs.
Ben joined Ardena in 2016 as part of the Project Management Office, where he guided clients through formulation development, GMP manufacturing, analytical development and validation, and clinical supply activities. He later transitioned into business development and technical CMC sales roles, supporting clients by bridging scientific and strategic aspects of pharmaceutical development. In parallel, he also served as Safety Coordinator, overseeing API safety-related activities at Ardena. His expertise spans immunobiology, clinical development, CMC, safety, highly potent APIs (HPAPIs), and nanomedicine.
Ben obtained his degree in Bio-engineering, specializing in Cell and Gene Biotechnology, and earned his PhD in Virology and Immunobiology from Ghent University. He began his career as a technology developer at a Belgian-Australian biotech start-up before moving into the investment sector, where he evaluated oncology therapeutics for a private investor.
Elena Bilello
Elena Bilello is Global Vice President of CDMO Sales at Ardena. She leads global commercial strategy and business development initiatives supporting Ardena’s integrated CDMO services.
With more than 25 years of experience in sales and business development, Elena has built a strong track record in driving commercial growth, leading high-performing teams, and fostering long-term client partnerships across the pharmaceutical industry. Prior to joining Ardena, she held multiple roles at Catalent, where she led the East Coast North American Business Development team.
Elena is recognized for her leadership approach, commercial expertise, and ability to support strategic partnerships across global pharmaceutical development programs.
Chrissa Schremp
Chrissa Schremp is Director of Business Development at Ardena. She supports biotech and pharmaceutical companies across the full development pathway, from preclinical strategy to clinical and commercial readiness.
Her experience spans drug development, analytical services, and CDMO partnerships. At Ardena, Chrissa works closely with clients to connect them with the company’s integrated service offering, including drug substance development and manufacturing, drug product formulation and manufacturing, nanomedicine solutions, bioanalysis, and CMC regulatory support. She is known for her collaborative approach and industry insight, helping support program continuity across complex therapeutic development programs.
Chrissa is based in the United States and brings broad experience supporting pharmaceutical innovators through integrated development and manufacturing strategies.
Amber Basinger
Amber Basinger is Director of Business Development at Ardena, focused on building strategic partnerships and supporting biotech and pharmaceutical companies across the Southern United States through Ardena’s integrated CDMO services. She brings more than 11 years of experience in business development within the life sciences industry.
Throughout her career, Amber has built strong relationships with emerging and established pharmaceutical organizations by supporting complex drug development and manufacturing programs. At Ardena, she works closely with clients to align development and manufacturing strategies with evolving program needs, supporting projects from early development through commercialization.
Prior to joining Ardena, Amber served as an Account Executive on Catalent’s Early Phase Small Molecule team, supporting clients across early-stage drug development initiatives.
Henny Zijlstra
Henny Zijlstra joined Ardena as Chief Commercial Officer in May 2026. She is an accomplished commercial leader in the pharmaceutical and CDMO industry, with a career built on driving growth through strategic business development, brand positioning, and customer engagement.
She has held senior commercial roles across the sector, including at Lonza and most recently at Adragos. At Ardena, Henny leads the commercial organization across business development and marketing, with a focus on strengthening Ardena’s market presence and supporting customers in complex molecules, nanotechnology, drug conjugates, and bioanalysis.
Henny believes that strong commercial performance is built on trust, authenticity, and meaningful relationships. She leads with a clear focus on results and on helping customers connect with the specialist expertise they need to advance complex therapies.
Gunnar Flik, PhD
Gunnar Flik joined Ardena in 2024 as Division Head of Bioanalytical Services. With over 20 years of experience in drug discovery within biotech and CRO environments, Gunnar brings a wealth of strategic vision and entrepreneurial expertise to his role. He is dedicated to developing comprehensive short- and long-term strategic plans aimed at optimizing efficiency, fostering growth, and enhancing profitability within Ardena’s Bioanalysis division.
Prior to joining Ardena, Gunnar served as owner and Managing Director of operations EU of Brains On-Line which was later acquired by Charles River Laboratories (CRL). He led the successful and seamless integration of Brains On-Line into CRL. Gunnar played a pivotal role in the seamless integration of Brains On-Line into CRL, where he subsequently served as Site Director and contributed to strategic initiatives within the Discovery Business Unit, advising on partnerships and M&A activities.
Gunnar holds a PhD in Neuropharmacology.
Ariane De Ganck, PhD
Since 2019, Ariane has overseen Ardena’s drug product activities, spearheading successful integration and transformation at Ardena Pamplona and expanding the company’s capabilities to include sterile services.
With over a decade of senior management experience in CRO/CDMO sectors, Ariane excels in leading multidisciplinary teams and is dedicated to team development, fostering networks, and maintaining a customer-centric approach. Her leadership has also been instrumental in driving business development initiatives.
Prior to joining Ardena, Ariane made significant contributions to the growth of Biogazelle, a specialized CRO in RNA and DNA biomarker services.
Ariane holds a PhD in biomedical sciences, focusing on proteins and oncology
