Randal J. Kirk, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

R.J. Kirk is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Intrexon, a leading synthetic biology technology company.  Mr. Kirk was named Chairman in February 2008 and was later appointed Chief Executive Officer in April 2009.
 
Mr. Kirk serves on the Board of Directors of Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: HALO) as well as the Board of Directors of ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZIOP).   In addition, Mr. Kirk is Founder, Senior Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Third Security, LLC, an investment management firm. 
 
Prior to Intrexon, Mr. Kirk served on the Board of Directors of Clinical Data, Inc. starting in September 2002.  In December 2004 he became Chairman of the Board of Directors and served in that capacity until the NASDAQ-traded company was acquired by Forest Laboratories, Inc. in April 2011. 
 
Mr. Kirk was also Chairman of the Board of New River Pharmaceuticals Inc., a specialty biopharmaceutical company he founded in 1996.  New River Pharmaceuticals traded on NASDAQ until its acquisition by Shire plc on April 18, 2007.
 
From February 2000 to May 2002, Mr. Kirk served as a member of the Board of Directors of Scios, Inc. a biopharmaceutical company that traded on NASDAQ prior to its acquisition by Johnson & Johnson on April 29, 2003.
 
Mr. Kirk received a B.A. in Business from Radford University and a J.D. from the University of Virginia.  He began his professional career in the private practice of law.