Geir Hetland joins the board of Oslo Cancer Cluster

Geir Hetland, Chief Financial Officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific, is the latest addition to the board of Oslo Cancer Cluster.

“I wish to contribute to the strategic direction and success of Oslo Cancer Cluster. The organisation has a great foundation to further develop to become one of the leading cancer clusters worldwide,” commented Hetland after he was elected at Oslo Cancer Cluster’s general assembly last week.

Hetland brings 30 years of experience from the life science industry ranging from global companies to start-ups. He has worked 15 years for AstraZeneca, both as Chief Financial Officer in Norway and as European Business Director supporting the 7 largest European countries with base in Brussel.

Expanding the innovation park

After spending close to 14 years in Thermo Fisher Scientific, Hetland is now the company’s Chief Financial Officer. Thermo Fisher Scientific is a key player in the current expansion of Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. The company has signed a lease for nearly four floors (two lab floors and two office floors) compromising almost 75 per cent of the entire fourth tower being constructed on the western side of the premises.

“Thermo Fisher Scientific has always been located close to Radiumhospitalet (Oslo University Hospital) with close collaboration with the hospital. This has been a win-win situation for both sides, and we would like to even strengthen this further moving forward. Radiumhospitalet is the birthplace of some of the greatest innovations in multiple cancer fields bringing better cancer treatments to patients,” said Hetland.

Supporting cancer start-ups

Going forward, Hetland wishes to increase Oslo Cancer Cluster’s capacity to help start-ups so that new cancer innovations faster reach patients.

“Oslo Cancer Cluster mission is dedicated to improving the lives of cancer patients by accelerating the development of new cancer diagnostics and treatments. This will always be the number 1 priority! To achieve this, we need to ensure that start-up companies are positioned to succeed in everything from capital funding, sufficient expansion space with research labs and all the way to readout of patient data in their clinical trials.”