Evotec hires exec with AI experience to lead rebooted commercial team

Evotec has appointed Ashiq Khan, Ph.D., as chief commercial officer, putting an executive with robotics and artificial intelligence experience in charge of a unit that is central to the company’s recently unveiled transformation plan.

Last month, the biopharma service provider named commercial execution as one of three focuses of its reorganization. Evotec is closing sites and laying off staff as part of the changes. But on a call about the reorganization, Evotec CEO Christian Wojczewski told investors the company is expanding its commercial organization and upgrading its leadership team to be more responsive to customers. 

At the time, Wojczewski said Evotec had already hired some people and was working to make additional appointments. Khan is the highest-profile appointment to date. As head of the commercial group, Khan will lead the creation of a global organization aligned with Evotec’s capabilities. 

In a statement, Wojczewski said Khan has driven growth in robotics, AI and drug discovery platforms, adding that his expertise is essential for executing Evotec’s transformation. Wojczewski expects Khan to recognize and create new opportunities for Evotec as the company seeks to build a drug discovery and development engine around high-value services and capabilities.

Khan previously worked as chief business officer at Iktos, an AI-driven drug discovery company that he joined in September. Earlier in his career, Khan held senior leadership roles at Proteros Biostructures and Schrödinger. 

The new executive inherits an organization that, according to Wojczewski, is already feeling the benefits of recently implemented changes. The Evotec CEO said last month that actions, including efforts to accelerate responses to requests for proposals, were paying off, with the number of prospects increasing and the sales intake stabilizing. Wojczewski added that momentum was building behind strategic deals. 

Evotec needs deals to reverse its falling revenues, which dropped (PDF) 7.1% over the first nine months of 2025 as it contended with weak demand for discovery and preclinical services. The company needs to hit the top end of its full-year range when it reports results next week to exceed the sales it generated in 2024.