Jeito Capital (“Jeito”), a leading global independent private equity fund dedicated to Biopharma, today announces the appointments of Elaine Caughey, MBA, as Partner, Business Development and Investor Relations, and Sarah Shackelton, MPA, as Partner, Talent.
With extensive senior leadership experience across top-tier life-sciences investment funds, pharma and Biopharma companies, Elaine Caughey and Sarah Shackelton bring deep expertise in life sciences operations, investment, recruitment, and team building.
Their appointments are synergistic and aligned with Jeito’s strategy, combining complementary skills across the full drug value chain to support portfolio company development and advance breakthrough therapies for patients.
Building on a series of recent high-profile hires — including Samit Hirawat, M.D. as Strategic Medical Advisor, bringing senior leadership and clinical development experience at Novartis and Bristol Myers Squibb; Karin Van Baelen as Chief Regulatory Advisor, with 30 years of global regulatory experience including over 10 years in a leadership role at Johnson & Johnson; and Pascal Touchon, MBA, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, as Operating Partner, with senior leadership experience in the US and across Novartis, Servier and GSK — these appointments further strengthen Jeito’s growing collective of seasoned executives and enhance its ability to accelerate the development of both the fund and its portfolio companies to building the next generation of leading global biopharma companies which will bring innovative therapies to patients in need.
Elaine Caughey, MBA, Partner, Business Development and Investor Relations
With over 30 years of experience across business development, commercial operations, market access, and investing, Elaine Caughey will support portfolio companies in advancing their programmes and enhancing their strategic value through business development including partnerships and acquisitions. She will also bring her knowledge of the investment ecosystem to strengthen relationships with investors for Jeito funds and its portfolio companies. She will contribute to expanding Jeito’s operations in the U.S.
Prior to Jeito, Elaine served as Deputy Chief Operating Officer at Blackstone Life Sciences (BXLS), based in Cambridge (MA) where she worked on fund operations, Limited Partner engagement, co-investments, and interacted closely with the investment team.
Before that, she was the Chief Business Officer at Kymera Therapeutics (NASDAQ: KYMR) where she was responsible for licensing and pharma partnerships. She was also CBO of privately held Cygnal Therapeutics, Inc. (now Sonata Pharmaceuticals). She also gained substantial experience at Biogen, where she worked in business development, completing several large global partnerships in oncology, neurology, and immunology. At Biogen, she also served as Head of Strategy and Operations, Global Market Access where she took part in several drug launches. She began her career after business school in venture capital, investing in clinical stage biotech and med-tech start-ups with MPM Capital and ATV Capital.
Elaine holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wellesley College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Sarah Shackelton, MPA, Partner, Talent
Sarah Shackelton brings over two decades of experience building high calibre senior leadership teams and boards in life sciences, health tech and deep tech – working at the intersection of investment and talent to help innovative, VC-backed companies’ scale.
At Jeito, Sarah will work closely with the investment team across the full cycle, from leadership due diligence pre-deal, through to partnering with portfolio CEOs, Chairs and board members on team structure, executive hiring and the people challenges that arise as companies scale. She will also help expand and deepen Jeito’s network of executives, entrepreneurs and advisers across the global life sciences community.
Prior to Jeito, Sarah was Chief Talent Officer at Oxford Science Enterprises. She partnered with investment and leadership teams to build high-performing boards and senior teams for a broad portfolio of science-based companies. Before that, as Partner, Marketing and Talent at Abingworth, she led the people and talent strategy for a leading transatlantic biotech investor, spanning early and late-stage portfolio companies and network development. Before moving to investment firms, she worked in executive search across the Biopharma, PE/VC and technology practices of global and boutique firms, including Coulter Partners and Spencer Stuart. She began her career as a U.S. Government trade negotiator, working closely with the pharma industry.
Sarah holds a MPA in Economics and Political Science from Princeton University and a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Pomona College. She is a member of Women Innovating Together in Healthcare (W.I.T.H.) and sits on its steering committee.
Dr. Rafaèle Tordjman, M.D., PhD, Founder and CEO of Jeito Capital, said: “We are delighted to welcome Elaine and Sarah, whose backgrounds and expertise will further strengthen Jeito’s strategic capabilities in a highly complementary way. Their extensive and widely recognized experience in the biopharma and investment sectors will help strengthen our unique collective model, which integrates key expertise across drug development to support the scale-up of our portfolio companies. Their commitment to excellence aligns fully with our mission to accelerate therapeutic innovation for patients.”
Elaine Caughey, Partner, Business Development and Investor Relations, added: “I am very pleased to join Jeito and contribute to this new phase of its development. With significantly strengthened financial resources following the record final closing of its latest fund, a highly regarded team, and a high-quality portfolio, I am pleased to bring my experience to Jeito and its portfolio companies, supporting them in reaching their full potential and creating value for patients.”
Sarah Shackelton, Partner, Talents, said: “Talent is one of the most powerful drivers of company value – but only when it’s treated as a genuine strategic input, not an afterthought. Jeito has achieved an outstanding track record in a short time, backing pioneering companies that are bringing new treatments to patients. Joining a team with that kind of ambition, momentum and understanding of talent as a strategic lever was an easy decision. I look forward to helping build the outstanding leadership that will drive Jeito’s companies and clinical programmes forward, and to fostering a culture of excellence across the portfolio.”
About Jeito Capital:
Jeito Capital is a global leading Private Equity fund with a patient benefit driven approach that finances and accelerates the development and growth of ground-breaking medical innovation. With €1.6 billion in assets under management, Jeito empowers and supports managers through its expert, integrated, multi-talented team and through the investment of significant capital to ensure the growth of companies, building market leaders in their respective therapeutic areas with accelerated patients’ access globally, especially in Europe and the United States. Jeito has built a diversified portfolio of clinical biopharmas with cutting-edge innovations addressing high unmet needs. Jeito Capital is based in Paris with a presence in Europe and the United States.
For more information, please visit www.jeito.life or follow us on LinkedIn.
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