Vir Biotechnology Appoints Aziz Sawaf as EVP and CFO

Vir Biotechnology, Inc. has appointed Aziz Sawaf, MBEE, MBA, CFA, as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), where he will be responsible for leading the finance, IT and investor relations functions.

“I am delighted to welcome Aziz to the executive leadership team. His experience in driving financial performance across the biotech lifecycle, from clinical development through regulatory approval and commercialization, will be a valuable asset for Vir Biotechnology’s next phase of growth,” said Marianne De Backer, President and CEO of Vir Biotechnology. “Aziz also brings a mindset of disciplined capital allocation, thoughtful investor engagement and tailored strategic partnering.”

Experience

Sawaf brings more than 20 years of biopharmaceutical experience spanning both large global organizations and small public biotechnology companies. He joins Vir Biotechnology from Theravance Biopharma, Inc., where he served as CFO since 2023 and also as Senior Vice President of Operations Strategy since 2025.

Prior to Theravance, Sawaf held roles on the R&D and commercial finance teams at Gilead Sciences during a period of growth. He received a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Arizona, an MBA from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business and an MBEE from Johns Hopkins University. Sawaf is also a CFA charterholder.

“I am thrilled to join Vir Biotechnology at this moment in the company’s trajectory as it builds out its differentiated cancer immunotherapy pipeline while continuing to advance a potentially transformative hepatitis delta virus program for patients,” Sawaf remarked. “I look forward to partnering with Marianne, the Board and the entire Vir Biotechnology team to continue to allocate capital with discipline, advance the opportunities with the greatest potential for patients and create durable value for shareholders.”