CRISPR Therapeutics AG announced the hiring and appointment of Raju Prasad, Ph.D., as Chief Financial Officer, effective March 14, 2023. He joins CRISPR Therapeutics from William Blair & Company, where he served as a Partner and Senior Equity Research Analyst covering cell therapy, gene therapy, and gene editing companies. Dr. Prasad succeeds Brendan Smith, who is leaving the Company to pursue external opportunities.

Prior to joining CRISPR Therapeutics, Dr. Prasad served in various roles at William Blair & Company since March 2014, most recently as a Partner. While at William Blair he was a senior biotechnology analyst covering small-cap, mid-cap and large-cap companies. He led the firms' initiative on launching coverage in the areas of cell therapy, gene therapy, and gene editing.

Dr. Prasad previously worked as a research associate with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Gillings School of Global Public Health and as an independent consultant with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He also serves on the advisory board of Portal Innovations, a life sciences venture development engine. Dr. Prasad has a B.A. in cell biology and neuroscience from Rutgers University, an M.S. in exercise physiology from the University of Delaware, and a Ph.D. in environmental sciences and engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a focus in genetic toxicology and mutagenesis.

He has authored several publications in scientific journals and is the author of Building Breakthroughs: On the Frontier of Medical Innovation.