New President/CEO for California's $12 Billion Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Program: Jonathan Thomas

Thomas has had nearly 13 years experience with CIRM

Jonathan Thomas, CIRM photo

A man who began his career at the $12 billion California stem cell and gene therapy program 13 years ago was named today as its new president and chief executive officer, an appointment that comes as the agency is engaged in a sweeping review of its funding priorities. 

Jonathan Thomas was approved for the post this afternoon by the governing board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), as the agency is officially known. Thomas had been serving as interim president of CIRM since the sudden resignation of the former CEO, Maria Millan, last November. 

Thomas, who is known as JT, served as chairman of the CIRM board beginning in 2011 but was termed out in 2023. Prior to that, he was a co-founding partner at Saybrook Capital, an investment banking and private equity firm, where he led an early round of financing for Advanced Cell Technology (now Astellas Pharma).

At an annual salary