Gunnar Staaf is an Execution Partner at CCD Partners, bringing extensive commercial leadership experience across the pharmaceutical and contract research sectors. He held senior roles at Eli Lilly, Novartis, and Astellas before joining Cambridge-based biotech Serentis as Commercial Director.

In 2009, Gunnar became CEO of Avantium Pharma, leading a management buyout to form Crystallics, where he executed a successful turnaround from a loss-making CRO to a profitable global service provider. Five years later, he sold the business to Ardena and helped implement its buy-and-build strategy.

Gunnar holds an MBA from Warwick Business School and a BSc in Economics from the University of Reading.