Novotech Appoints Anand Tharmaratnam as New CEO

SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 7, 2026--

Novotech, a globally recognized full-service biotech clinical research organization ( CRO ), is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Anand Tharmaratnam as its new Chief Executive Officer.

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Dr. Tharmaratnam brings nearly three decades of experience in the global CRO industry and has served as Novotech Chairman since 2021. He commenced as Chairman and CEO on 1 January 2026. Reflecting Novotech’s increasingly international profile, Dr. Tharmaratnam will be based at the company’s new global headquarters in Singapore.

The appointment follows a thoughtful and considered process. In early September 2025, Novotech’s former CEO Dr. John Moller informed employees of his intention to step down from the position at the end of last year, after nine years in the CEO role. The decision followed the successful completion of the company’s capital raising in March 2025, which brought in GIC and Temasek as new investors alongside long-term supporter and leading global asset management firm, TPG.

A critical care physician by training, Dr. Tharmaratnam previously spent 23 years at the global CRO Quintiles and its successor organization IQVIA, including 10 years on the global executive committees of the respective companies as Head of Asia and Japan, a role he held until 2020. As Chairman of Novotech over the past four years, Dr. Tharmaratnam has been instrumental in providing leadership and guidance to support Novotech’s growth into new markets, as well as the expansion of the company’s innovative service capabilities in clinical research. With his vision and experience, together with the support of Novotech’s long-standing investor TPG, alongside GIC and Temasek, the company is well positioned to continue to grow as a global, biotech-focused full-service clinical CRO.

Dr. Tharmaratnam said: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks to John for his leadership and commitment to Novotech over the past nine years, and through a remarkable period of growth. John and I have already been working closely together over the past months to ensure a seamless transition, and we also look forward to welcoming John back to Novotech in a board role later in 2026.”

Looking ahead, Dr. Tharmaratnam added: “It has been a privilege to be part of Novotech’s tremendous growth over the past four years as Chairman. As the company enters its next phase of growth, our reputation as the leading biotech CRO in Asia-Pacific will remain a clear differentiator. The company will expand its global footprint, strengthen its scientific capabilities, and leverage technology & data to support increasingly global and complex biotech programs. Novotech will continue to deliver impactful and innovative outcomes for clients to help advance future medicines.”

About Novotech

Novotech is a globally recognized full-service clinical research organization (CRO) and scientific advisory company trusted by biotech and small- to mid-sized pharmaceutical companies to guide drug development at every phase. With a global footprint that includes 30+ offices across the Asia-Pacific region, North America, and Europe and partnerships with 5,000+ trial sites, Novotech provides clients an accelerated path to bring life-changing therapies to market by providing access to key clinical trial destinations and diverse patient populations. Through its client-centric service model, Novotech seamlessly integrates people, processes, and technologies to deliver customized solutions that accelerate the path to market for life-changing therapies. By adopting a true partnership approach, Novotech shares a steadfast commitment to client success, empowering innovation, and advancing healthcare worldwide. Recipient of numerous industry accolades, including the Frost & Sullivan CRO Company of the Year award for 19 consecutive years, Novotech is recognized for its excellence in clinical trial execution and innovation. Its deep therapeutic and regulatory expertise, combined with local market insights, ensures streamlined clinical trials, optimized data analytics, and accelerated patient recruitment strategies. Together with clients, Novotech transforms scientific advancements into therapies that improve global health outcomes, embodying a mission of driving innovation and delivering impactful results.

For more information on Novotech visit www.Novotech-CRO.com

Dr. Anand Tharmaratnam, Novotech CEO and Chairman

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has agreed to display a plaque honoring the police who defended the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack, rebuffing House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has said the commemorative memorial does not comply with the law.

The action happened swiftly, with brief debate, in floor action Thursday. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina had announced during this week’s fifth anniversary of the Capitol siege that he would seek to ensure the plaque is installed, partnering with Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, who was also working on the situation, and Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California. No senators objected.

“A lot of people said it was a dark day for democracy,” Tillis said about Jan. 6, 2021, describing his memory of hearing the thousands of people — “thugs,” he said — lay siege to the Capitol as Congress was tallying the 2020 election results.

He said that because of the work of the law enforcement officers, it instead became a great day for democracy. “We came back and completed our constitutional duty to certify the election,” he said. “We owe them eternal gratitude and this nation is stronger because of them.”

This week, senators stepped up after learning the plaque, which had been approved by Congress more than three years ago, was nowhere to be found at the Capitol. Instead, many House lawmakers have been hanging up replicas outside their office doors.

The Senate also appeared to be motivated by the shifting narrative from President Donald Trump 's White House about what happened Jan. 6, 2021, when his supporters stormed the building after he urged them go to Capitol Hill to confront Congress over Democrat Joe Biden's 2020 election victory.

Trump himself shifted blame for the attack during a speech this week in which he said he only intended for his supporters to march peacefully to the Capitol. Moreover, the White House produced a glossy new report also shifting blame for the deadly riot — on Democrats, for Biden's victory over Trump, and on the police for their response to the mob.

“It’s so important we be honest with the American people about what happened,” Merkley said, as he called the resolution up for passage.

“It’s so important we recognize those who defended our democratic republic on that day,” he said, and that “people know we came back, as senators and House members, and finished our work that day, for the peaceful transfer of power.”

Padilla said part of the context is the White House's new website that he said is an “attempt to rewrite history.” He said that “dishonors” the officers.

“The Senate bipartisan commitment to real history is strong,” he said.

The plaque, according to the law, was intended to be placed at the West front of the Capitol where some of the fiercest fighting took place. It was required to be installed in 2023, a year after the legislation had passed.

The new resolution directs the Architect of the Capitol to “prominently display” the plaque in a “publicly accessible” location in the Senate wing of the Capitol until it can be placed in its permanent location.

To display the plaque in its intended location would require agreement with the House.

The office of Johnson, a Republican who before becoming the House speaker led efforts to object to the 2020 election results, said this week that the plaque, as constructed, does not comply with the law.

Police have sued to have the plaque put on display, as required, but Trump’s Justice Department is trying to dismiss the lawsuit.

Tillis said part of the “technical implementation problem” was a concern that the law specified the plaque would honor all the officers involved, but the plaque only lists the various law enforcement agencies that responded to help the Capitol Police that day.

He said there will be a digital component, presumably a website, that will list all the names. The number of officers runs into the thousands.

“You'll see how many people came here,” he said.

A replica plaque commemorating the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot stands outside the office of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)