Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
Ex-Beckman Coulter executive to lead Seegene's US office
Richard S. Creager, CEO of Seegene's United States subsidiary / Courtesy of Seegene
By Baek Byung-yeul
By Baek Byung-yeul
Richard S. Creager, a former chief science officer of U.S.-based medical diagnostics company Beckman Coulter, was appointed as CEO of Korean diagnostics company Seegene's U.S. subsidiary.
Seegene, the country's leading diagnostics company, said Wednesday that it appointed Creager to lead its U.S. subsidiary as part of its plan to strengthen business there.
Creager holds a Ph.D. in microbiology from the School of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. As former chief science officer and executive officer for Beckman Coulter, he has diverse experience in developing new products, technologies and business models for the diagnostic, laboratory services and business-to-business sectors
Seegene gained global attention as an early assay provider when COVID-19 infections were spreading at an increasingly rapid pace in early 2020. However, the company said its presence has been relatively limited in the U.S., the world's largest molecular diagnostics market.
“With Dr. Creager's expertise in organizational design, talent management, product development, program management and quality and design control systems, Seegene expects him to help create momentum for expanding and strengthening its business in the U.S. and to replicate its success story seen in other global molecular diagnostics markets,” Seegene said.
Under the company's strategy, Creager will conduct product development, mergers and acquisitions activities and strategic alliances with other businesses to achieve the company's goal to become a global molecular diagnostics platform company.
“I have supported many companies in solidifying the strategic direction of their molecular diagnostics technologies," Creager said. “Seegene is, by far, one of the most outstanding companies I've seen in terms of diagnostics assay technology. I am thrilled to help Seegene build upon its worldwide success by establishing a leading enterprise in the U.S."