Maarten Van Acker

Head of Digital Technology for Patient Solutions (Research & Early Development)

Overijse, Flemish Region, Belgium

About

I'm passionate about science and technology and how to effectively apply these to build a better society. I believe to be an inspiring, collaborative and caring leader who is driven by delivery of impactful results and who can help teams seeing through and acting beyond self-limiting beliefs. Skills: • Strategic leadership • (Visual) storytelling • R&D technology and innovation thought leadership • Project, Program and Portfolio management • IT infrastructure, compliance and risk management (cyber-security, data integrity,…) • Business process and operating model (re-)engineering • Lean start-up / Design Thinking • Lean / 6-Sigma • ERP - LIMS - eLN - SDMS

Experience

  • Head of Digital Technology for Patient Solutions (Research & Early Development) at UCB
    Mar 2021 - Present · 5 yrs 4 mos

  • GSK (13 yrs 7 mos)
    • Head of Global Equipment and Laboratory Process Integration for GSK Vaccines R&D
      Mar 2019 - Feb 2021 · 2 yrs

      Leading a team of 65+ members responsible for Computerized Laboratory systems for the Belgium Vaccines R&D campus. Delivering innovative robotics solutions (Image Analysis, High-Throughput Liquid handling and Labeling), as well as major client-server systems (e.g. HPLC) and highly customized Data Reduction software. Accountability of the Laboratory Data Management processes (enabling of Data Analytics as well as compliance and archival). Ensuring Computer System Qualification/Validation and a cyber-security proof lab technology infrastructure.

    • Head of Labware Competency Center and R&D Lab Projects at GSK Vaccines
      Jul 2014 - Feb 2019 · 4 yrs 8 mos

      In this role, I have set up the Labware Competency Center for the Vaccines division, supporting QC as well as R&D lab processes. The Competency Center ensures reliable product releases (timing, quality) as well as best-in-class incident management (SLA). I was also accountable for innovative R&D products delivery such as eLN, SDMS and Data Warehouses.

    • Quebec site IT Manager
      Jun 2012 - Jun 2014 · 2 yrs 1 mo

      During a 2-years assignment in Quebec, I was responsible for the IT applications deployment, Risk and Compliance (e.g. audit readiness) and the IT infrastructure (e.g. Business Continuity Planning). As member of the Site Leadership Team, I also contributed to the strategy definition and the site day-to-day operations performance (Finance, Quality, Supply, Continuous Improvement,...)

  • Scientific Researcher at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
    Aug 2005 - Aug 2007 · 2 yrs 1 mo

    I did research at the Faculty of Medicine, in biotechnology, molecular biology and biochemistry on a protein (ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1) involved in bone mineralization diseases.