Affymetrix has made several management changes. Robert Ellis, former CEO of Genometrix, which closed its doors June 25, is the companys new vice president, product development and quality. Barbara Caulfield has been appointed vice president and general counsel, replacing Vern Norviel, who will become general counsel of subsidiary Perlegen. Additionally, Gregory Schiffman will assume the role of chief financial officer beginning August 10, while current CFO Edward Hurwitz will become senior vice president of corporate strategy and new ventures.
Before taking the helm at the ill-fated Genometrix, Ellis served as Applied Biosystems head of genetic analysis and nucleic acid synthesis, and was the companys Far East vice president and general manager while it was a subsidiary of PerkinElmer. Ellis also worked for nine years in the scientific instrument division of Hewlett-Packard.
Caulfield joins Affymetrix from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, where she was a partner and represented Affymetrix in patent disputes with Incyte and Oxford Gene Technology. She has also represented Microsoft, Apple Computer, Mobil Oil, and Hoffman-LaRoche in patent disputes, and served as US District Judge for the Northern District of California from 1991 until 1994.
Schiffman, who began working at Affymetrix earlier in the year as vice president of finance and administration, previously served as vice president and controller of Applied Biosystems, and in various finance positions at Hewlett Packard and IBM.