Will Tilton

Will Tilton joined Sarepta in 2019 as vice president, corporate strategy and program management, responsible for leading and developing the Company’s long-rage strategic planning process across its three core technologies – RNA, gene therapy and gene editing. In his current role as head of strategy and chief of staff to Sarepta’s president and CEO, Doug Ingram, Will serves as a strategic advisor to the CEO and other senior leaders, collaborating across the organization to ensure the Company’s strategic business initiatives are successfully executed and are aligned to Sarepta’s vision and mission.

Will’s 30-year career in pharmaceuticals began as a research scientist focusing on drug formulation at Perrigo. From there, and after earning his MBA, he advanced into leadership positions in technical operations, supply chain and portfolio management. He joined Shire in 2002 as the company was poised for tremendous growth - expanding from just a few hundred employees to over 23,000 when he left in 2019. During his tenure at Shire, Will moved into increasingly senior roles. As group vice president, he was responsible for all business development due diligence, including in-licensing and material M&A across a full range of early/pre-clinical opportunities through commercial assets. He led Shire’s Integration Management Office (IMO) encompassing more than $40B in M&A opportunities. The IMO, including Baxalta and Dyax, integrated 3 major franchises totaling $6B in annual revenue, 20+ pipeline assets, 11 manufacturing sites, and 16,000 employees across 100+ countries. He also led the Shire side of the Takeda/Shire ($60B) merger to provide a smooth transition, balancing the interests of Shire shareholders, patients, and employees. 

“In Sarepta, I saw an opportunity to continue to play a critical role in helping translate leading-edge science into important therapies for rare disease patients. I have a passion for the rare disease space and that coupled with the team here at Sarepta, made joining this organization an easy and logical decision.”

“I approach my work every day with an open mind, a dedication to do my best, and a listen-first mentality. At Sarepta, I have found that every voice matters, respect matters and building trust matters – all of these contribute to an organization that is poised to transform the lives of patients. I cannot imagine being anyplace else.”

Will received his MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, majoring in Finance, and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. He also serves on the Advisory Board of Directors for Company One, a professional theater organization in Boston, MA.