Christian O. Henry is the CEO of Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. He has a strong background that blends science and business. He earned his B.A. in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from the University of California, San Diego, then furthered...
Christian O. Henry is the CEO of Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. He has a strong background that blends science and business. He earned his B.A. in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from the University of California, San Diego, then furthered his education with an M.B.A. focused on finance from UC Irvine. Before joining Pacific Biosciences, Christian held several high-level positions at Illumina, a leader in genomics. He stepped in as CEO in September 2020, right when the pandemic began to alter global operations and perspectives on biotechnology. His leadership is pragmatic and data-driven; for instance, in 2023, he achieved a significant annual compensation totaling about $7 million, due mainly to performance targets linked to revenue and company cash balances. This reflects a broader trend in his career where he has successfully linked compensation to performance, motivating teams to meet substantial goals. Interestingly, Christian has a history of substantial stock sales; his insider trading peaked in early 2021 with over $37 million in sales at one point. As he continues to drive innovation in the biotech field, his focus remains on creating long-term value for shareholders and making a mark in DNA sequencing technology.