Ian F. Smith
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Ian Smith joined Vertex in November 2001. Prior to joining Vertex, Mr. Smith served as a partner in the Life Science and Technology Practice Group of Ernst & Young LLP, an accounting firm, from 1999 to 2001. As Vertex’s CFO, Mr. Smith holds responsibility for a wide variety of core functions at Vertex, including Finance, Strategic Communications, Information Systems and Operations. Mr. Smith is also a member of the Executive Team at Vertex.
Mr. Smith received a B.A. with honors in Accounting and Finance from Manchester Metropolitan University. Mr. Smith is a current member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, and the Financial Executives Institute.
Mr. Smith is a member of the Board of Directors of Acorda Therapeutics, Inc, Epix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and TolerRx Inc. Additionally, he is a board member of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council and is Chair of its Policy Committee.
Ian F. Smith
Financial & Business Advisor
“When I joined the company, Vertex was well-respected for its innovation and science. However, the challenge remained to advance the science toward product creation and to build a pharmaceutical business that has the opportunity to create many products for major diseases. This required a large amount of capital, an investment balance between early research and product development, and now an investment in the potential launch of a drug for a significant disease. Vertex is getting closer to the position of realizing the value of its commitment to innovative science with a major product for HCV infection.”
“The business of drug development is a marathon. Never a sprint. It’s endlessly challenging. But it’s also rewarding to be part of an enterprise whose goal is to create hope and make a difference in the lives of millions of people. Those at Vertex would not have it any other way.”