STUDIO CITY, Calif., Feb. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) announced today that Mr. Yelak Biru has decided to step down as President & CEO. Mr. Biru’s last day with the organization will be on February 28, 2025.
After three years of dedicated service, Mr. Biru has determined that the time is right to pass the torch and allow for new leadership to guide the IMF into its next chapter. His decision is rooted in a desire to embrace new challenges and opportunities after a transformative journey, both professionally and personally.
Mr. Biru has had a major impact on the IMF in all areas, including research, education, patient support, and advocacy. He has been a myeloma patient advocate for over two decades and continues to be an inspiration to patients and physicians worldwide.
Under his leadership, the IMF embraced a new vision statement: "A world where every myeloma patient can live life to the fullest, unburdened by the disease." Mr. Biru has helped the organization identify and work on clear priorities that will help myeloma patients worldwide.
“It has been an incredible honor to lead the IMF, and to work alongside such a talented and dedicated team—committed to advancing research and improving the lives of myeloma patients worldwide,” said Mr. Biru.
The IMF expresses its sincere gratitude to Mr. Biru for his immense contributions to the organization, to patients, and to the myeloma field. We wish him the very best in his future endeavors.
S. Vincent Rajkumar, MD, Chairperson of the IMF Board of Directors said, "I have been personally and professionally inspired by Yelak, and I thank him for his dedication and long service to myeloma patients and the IMF. The IMF Board of Directors will work quickly on a seamless leadership transition. A process to select the new CEO will begin right away."
Martine Elias, Chief Executive Officer of Myeloma Canada and Chair of the Governance and Nomination Committee of the IMF Board of Directors, will play a leadership role in the transition.
As the IMF moves forward with its mission and vision, the IMF Board of Directors has chosen Diane Moran, IMF Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning — a highly accomplished healthcare executive who has served the Foundation for almost 20 years —to be the Interim CEO during the transition process.
“As we advance the IMF mission and vision, I am privileged to lead our organization forward at this pivotal time of transformation and growth, building on our strong foundation and elevating our mission to improve the quality of life of myeloma patients while working toward prevention and a cure,” said Diane Moran.
The IMF has a clear focus on innovation, and we will continue to defy boundaries and redefine possibilities in myeloma, empowering patients, strengthening partnerships, and fostering collaboration in the community worldwide.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL MYELOMA FOUNDATION
Founded in 1990, the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) is the first and largest global foundation focusing specifically on multiple myeloma. The Foundation's reach extends to more than 525,000 members in 140 countries worldwide. The IMF is dedicated to improving the quality of life of myeloma patients while working toward prevention and a cure by focusing on four key areas: research, education, support, and advocacy. The IMF has conducted more than 250 educational seminars worldwide, maintains a world-renowned InfoLine, and in 2001, established the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), a collaborative research initiative focused on improving myeloma treatment options for patients. In 2012, the IMF launched the Black Swan Research Initiative®, a groundbreaking research project aimed at curing myeloma. The IMF can be reached at (800) 452-CURE (2873). The global website is www.myeloma.org.
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Facebook: @myeloma
LinkedIn: International Myeloma Foundation
Media Contacts:
Peter Anton
Panton@myeloma.org
Jason London
Jlondon@myeloma.org