Family of Care

Michael brings decades of experience to AGEPHA Pharma as a business leader, founder, and innovator. He founded his first healthcare company as a student in 1978, which distributed of novel micro surgical equipment and surgical lasers in Austria as well as its neighboring countries. He co-founded Riel Pharma in 1988 which specialized in the distribution of ophthalmic drops and ointments for major European manufactures. Michael and Susanne Riel spearheaded the acquisition of the AGEPHA Pharma brand and portfolio in 2001 and has since overseen the company’s growth from a small Austrian manufacturer to a global company. Michael serves as Co-Chair of the Board along with Susanne Riel.

Susanne co-founded Riel Pharma along with Dr. Michael Riel in 1988, where she led the company’s business development opportunities. She oversaw the expansion of Riel Pharma’s portfolio as it increased its strategic alliances with major European manufacturers, becoming a more prominent distributor in the region. Michael and Susanne Riel spearheaded the acquisition of the AGEPHA Pharma brand and portfolio in 2001 and has since overseen the company’s growth from a small Austrian manufacturer to a global company. Her vision for long-term growth has been the inspiration for AGEPHA Pharma’s rapid expansion, including major milestones such as the acquisition of new products and completion of European MRPs. Susanne serves as Co-Chair of the Board along with Dr. Michael Riel.

Since joining the leadership team, Antonia has been AGEPHA Pharma’s driving force during the company’s expansion into over 25 new markets. Antonia established the company’s ecommerce, marketing, and market access divisions. She has guided the company’s transformation from a small European business to a global player with the establishment of new business units in Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. Prior to joining AGEPHA Pharma, Antonia was a member of Merck KGaA’s in-house consulting team in Germany. Antonia received her double M.Sc. degrees from the London School of Economics and B.A. from EBS London.

Usman is an experienced marketing professional with over 12 years of expertise in the pharmaceutical industry. Usman has an extensive background in developing and implementing marketing strategies that have driven sales and increased brand awareness for a wide range of pharmaceutical products in multiple therapeutic areas across global markets. Usman completed his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry at the University of Bradford and an MBA from the University of Manchester.

Wolfgang currently overseas AGEPHA Pharma’s research and development activities. His career at AGEPHA Pharma began in 2012 as a member of the regulatory affairs team. Wolfgang’s unique experience comes from hand-on involvement in the research field and its interplay with regulatory affairs. Wolfgang holds an PhD in Immunology from ETH Zürich, M.Sc. in Molecular Microbiology from the Karl-Frazens University Graz along with an MBA from the Medical University of Graz in Austria.

As a seasoned pharma leader with over 30 years of experience and an entrepreneur in his own right, having co-founded Spiritus Pharmaceuticals, Steve brings a uniquely insightful perspective to AGEPHA Pharma. Steve’s most notable achievements include leading the team that launched the first direct-to-consumer TV campaign for a pharmaceutical product with Claritin, where he established marketing best practices that have continued to influence the industry today. He also served as Chief Commercial Officer of King Pharmaceuticals, where he optimized commercialization efforts to increase profits and eventually led to the company’s acquisition by Pfizer. Steve has also served as CEO of Nycomed US and VP of Marketing at Amarin Corporation. Steve teaches Health Economics at NYU Stern School of Business and serves as an entrepreneur-in-Residence at Yale Ventures. He holds an MBA degree from NYU’s Stern School of Business and a BA degree from Hamilton College.