Biovac
Board Memorandum

Continental Mandate

Biovac is not a conventional biopharmaceutical company. It is a strategic instrument of South Africa's NDP 2030 and the AU Agenda 2063 — engineered to eliminate Africa's dependency on imported vaccines and biologics, and to build end-to-end manufacturing capability on the continent.

Mission Statement

Localize. Manufacture. Protect.

To localize the end-to-end development and manufacturing of high-quality vaccines and biologics, ensuring a reliable supply for South Africa and the African continent while cultivating a world-class hub for biotech innovation and continental talent development.

100%

Vaccine Localization Target

5

Active Pipeline Candidates

4

Technology Platforms

Strategic Vision

Africa's Vaccine Manufacturer

To be the leading biopharmaceutical enterprise in the African continent — safeguarding public health, driving a knowledge-based economy, and establishing South Africa as a self-sufficient and globally recognized force in biotechnology. Aligned directly with NDP 2030's industrialisation mandate and the AU Agenda 2063's vision for continental health self-sufficiency.

NDP 2030 Aligned SAHPRA Regulated GMP Certified
Governance & Capital

Board of Directors

The strategic apex of Biovac — providing strategic capital, institutional vision, and fiduciary oversight of the continent's biopharmaceutical mandate.

Chairman of the Board

Board Chairman

Chairman of the Board

Strategic oversight of Biovac's continental vaccine manufacturing mandate and DFI consortium governance.

Dr. Morena Makhoana — Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Morena Makhoana

Chief Executive Officer

Leading Biovac since 2004. UCT MD with Harvard and Stanford executive education. Driving the transformation from fill-and-finish to end-to-end vaccine manufacturer, targeting 60% local supply by 2040.

Independent Director

International regulatory governance & cross-border strategic advisory

Independent Director

Biopharmaceutical science governance & academic counsel

Operations & Science

Executive Leadership

The operational command driving Biovac from mandate to manufacturing — bridging continental vision with scientific execution.

Dr. Morena Makhoana

Chief Executive Officer
Since 2004 — UCT MD; Harvard & Stanford executive education
Mandate Scale from 150M to 560M annual doses
Partnerships Pfizer, Sanofi, WHO mRNA Hub technology transfers
Team 400+ employees, 85% with tertiary education

Mark MacNaughton

Chief Operating Officer
Since 2019 — manufacturing scale-up specialist
Focus End-to-end manufacturing operations & SADC distribution
Oversight Production, supply chain, facility commissioning

Craig Mitchell

Chief Financial Officer
Since 2013 — $150M capital raise architect
Focus DFI consortium financial structuring & IFC relationship
Oversight Treasury, investor relations, AIMM reporting

Angelo Tsihlas

Chief Quality Officer
Since 2019 — 36+ years pharmaceutical quality
Focus SAHPRA & WHO PQ compliance, TrackWise Digital QMS
Oversight Quality assurance, regulatory affairs, GMP certification

Farrah Losper

Chief Commercial Officer
Credentials CA(SA) — AVMI Chairperson
Focus Commercial strategy & continental market development
Oversight Sales, tenders, SADC market access, pricing

Lauren Bhayat

Chief People & Business Officer
Focus Human capital development & B-BBEE transformation
Mandate Build 400+ specialised bioprocess workforce
Oversight Talent, training, skills development, culture

Dr. Patrick Tippoo

Head of Science & Innovation
Focus AVMI leadership & WHO mRNA Technology Transfer Hub
Expertise OCV, conjugation, mRNA platform R&D pipeline
Oversight Science & innovation, technology transfer, Afrigen partnership
Institutional Scale

Operational Framework

A continental enterprise operating across four integrated divisions — each staffed with domain specialists and governed by dedicated committee oversight.

Committee

Scientific & Advisory

Directing preclinical & clinical strategy, pipeline prioritization, and scientific due diligence across all technology platforms.

— Chair
Committee

Risk & Audit

Enterprise risk management, financial oversight, internal controls, and regulatory compliance across manufacturing operations.

— Chair
Division

Regulatory Affairs & QC

SAHPRA regulatory submissions, quality control protocols, batch release testing, and GMP compliance for all manufacturing lines.

Regulatory Affairs Division
Division

Manufacturing Ops

End-to-end biomanufacturing execution — upstream cell culture through downstream purification, fill-finish, and cold-chain distribution.

Manufacturing Operations Division
Institutional Principles

Core Values

Integrity

Upholding the highest ethical standards in research, manufacturing, and business practices — transparent and accountable to the continent and its people.

Innovation

Relentlessly pursuing scientific and technological breakthroughs to solve pressing health challenges facing the region.

Collaboration

Building powerful partnerships with academia, industry, and government to accelerate progress toward continental vaccine manufacturing.

Excellence

Committing to world-class quality and execution in everything we do, from the laboratory to the manufacturing floor.

Join the Continental Mandate

We are building a team of the brightest minds in science, engineering, and business. If you are driven by purpose and want to shape the future of biotechnology in Africa, we want to hear from you.

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