Naji Gehchan

Naji Gehchan is an accomplished biopharma physician executive with expertise in drug development, commercialization, and general management. He thrives on building and leading high-performing teams with care and discipline to deliver impactful results for patients. Currently, Naji serves as Chief Medical & Development Officer at Kyverna Therapeutics, where he is responsible for the company’s research, clinical development, regulatory, and medical affairs functions.

Previously, he was head of Oncology Development at Eli Lilly, where he led the development and global commercialization of an oncology therapy from early to late-phase clinical stages. Naji has held senior leadership roles across Australia, Canada, Europe, and the USA, successfully managing product launches and P&Ls while bringing life-changing medicines to patients. His dedication to patient care stems from formative experiences during medical school, when he volunteered with the Lebanese Red Cross as a first responder and team leader during periods of war and unrest. These experiences inspired his lifelong commitment to serving patients and leading with purpose.

In addition to his corporate work, Naji cofounded an e-health startup recognized as one of the hottest startups in MENA. He also launched SpreadLoveio.com, a podcast supported by MIT Sandbox, focused on purpose-driven, human-centered healthcare leadership. Since 2020, he has been a healthcare leadership and management lecturer at ESCP Business School, and a guest lecturer at the MIT Legatum Center, where he shares his expertise to empower the next generation of leaders. He also serves as a mentor for MIT Sandbox and Nucleate Bio, and is an external commerce consultant for the French government. In 2024, Naji joined the MIT Sloan Enterprise Management Lab as a faculty mentor.