Hannes Þór Smárason

Hannes represented Iceland at a junior level in soccer.Armann Thorvaldsson, “[https://www.amazon.com/Frozen-Assets-Lived-Icelands-Boom/dp/0470749547 Frozen Assets: How I Lived Iceland's Boom and Bust],” John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2009. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Management and also obtained an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.[http://www.icelandairgroup.is/servlet/file/FL_Group_Annual_Report_2005.pdf?ITEM_ENT_ID=211892&ITEM_VERSION=1&COLLSPEC_ENT_ID=653 FL Group Annual Report 2005]. He worked for McKinsey & Company from 1992 to 1996 in Boston as a consultant.[https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1022974/000089322002000544/w60153e10-ka.txt Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10K/A], deCODE Genetics Inc., Fiscal Year 2001.

Kári Stefánsson asked Hannes to join him in establishing deCODE in 1996.Armann Thorvaldsson, “[https://www.amazon.com/Frozen-Assets-Lived-Icelands-Boom/dp/0470749547 Frozen Assets: How I Lived Iceland's Boom and Bust],” John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2009. Hannes served as senior vice president, chief business officer and treasurer, chief financial officer, and executive vice president and senior business and finance officer for deCODE.[https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1022974/000089322002000544/w60153e10-ka.txt Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10K/A], deCODE Genetics Inc., Fiscal Year 2001. deCODE made a series of genetic discoveries involving 27 common diseases that were published in top scientific journals.Luke Timmerman, “[http://www.xconomy.com/national/2012/12/10/amgen-acquires-decode-genetics-the-once-fallen-star-for-415m/ Amgen Acquires DeCode Genetics, the Once-Fallen Star, for $415M],” Xconomy, December 10, 2012. In 1998 Hannes was involved in the $200 million genomics collaboration between Hoffman-La Roche and deCODE to identify genes involved in common diseases which was billed as the largest human genomics deal up to that time.“[http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hoffmann-la-roche-and-decode-genetics-sign-genomics-collaboration-to-identify-genes-involved-in-common-diseases-76523967.html Hoffmann-La Roche and deCODE genetics Sign Genomics Collaboration To Identify Genes Involved in Common Diseases],” Press release issued by deCODE Genetics Inc., February 2, 1998. Hannes oversaw deCODE's initial public offering on the NASDAQ stock market in 2000 – the first listing of an Icelandic company on an international exchange.[https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1022974/0000950123-00-002076.txt Form S-1 Registration Statement], DeCODE Genetics Inc. Hannes also oversaw a deal with Hoffman-La Roche to integrate genetics, services and diagnostics in 2001,“[http://www.thepharmaletter.com/file/79442/roche-and-decode-sign-new-alliance.html Roche and deCODE sign new alliance],” The PharmaLetter, March 7, 2001. the acquisition of MediChem Life Sciences in 2002,“[http://www.thepharmaletter.com/file/53783/icelands-decode-to-acquire-medichem-life-sciences-for-836-million.html Iceland's deCode to acquire MediChem Life Sciences for $83.6 million],” The PharmaLetter, January 14, 2002. and a deal in the same year with Merck & Co. to identify genes involved in obesity.Matthew Herper, “[https://archive.today/20130713124517/http://www.forbes.com/2002/10/03/1003merck.html Is There A Fat Gene?]” Forbes Magazine, October 3, 2002. He left deCODE in 2004.“[http://bioinformtest.blogspot.com/2004/06/hannes-smarason-leaves-decode-genetics.html Hannes Smarason leaves Decode Genetics],” TrialBioInform, June 23, 2004. The company was subsequently sold to Amgen for $415 million with Hannes providing advice to deCODE during the sale process.Thorbjorn Thordarson, “[http://www.visir.is/hannes-smarason-var-radgjafi-vid-solu-a-islenskri-erfdagreiningu/article/2012121229790 Hannes was advisor during the sale of deCODE genetics],” Visir, December 23, 2012.

Hannes became chairman and chief executive officer of Icelandair, in 2004.Maureen Jenkins, “[http://www.boeing.com/news/frontiers/archive/2005/may/i_ca1.html Icelandair has thrived, thanks to its North Atlantic location, the natural beauty of its home nation—and its all-Boeing fleet],” Boeing Frontiers, May 2005. Icelandair changed its name to FL Group in 2005.Armann Thorvaldsson, “[https://www.amazon.com/Frozen-Assets-Lived-Icelands-Boom/dp/0470749547 Frozen Assets: How I Lived Iceland's Boom and Bust],” John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2009. Hannes oversaw the acquisition of the Danish airline Sterling Airways and the sale of FL Group's 16.18% stake in the British airline EasyJet which returned a profit of US$178 million.“[http://www.businessoutlook.co.uk/reports/2006/iceland.pdf All eyes are on Iceland],” Business Outlook UK, 2006. In 2006 FL Group sold Icelandair to other Icelandic investors.“[http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/icelandair-being-sold-by-fl-group-to-other-icelandic-investors-210014/ Icelandair being sold by FL Group to other Icelandic investors],” Flightglobal, October 16, 2006. Under Hannes’ leadership, FL Group purchased a 5.98 percent share in AMR Corp., the parent of American Airlines.“[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/26/AR2006122600436_pf.html Iceland's FL Group buys stake in AMR Corp],” Washington Post, December 26, 2006. Hannes later urged AMR to spin off its frequent flyer program.“[https://www.cnbc.com/2007/09/27/amr-investor-urges-frequentflyer-spinoff.html AMR Investor Urges Frequent-Flyer Spinoff],” CNBC, September 27, 2007. FL Group shed its stake in AMR in late 2007.“[https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2007/12/03/fl-group-sheds-stake-in-amr/ FL Group Sheds Stake in AMR],” New York Times, December 3, 2007. Under Hannes, FL Group made charitable contributions such as co-underwriting a 135 million Icelandic Krona contribution to UNICEF to support education in Guinea-Bissau.

“[http://www.mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2005/12/01/baugur_fl_group_og_fons_gefa_135_milljonir_til_unic/ Baugur, FL Group and Fons give 135 million to UNICEF],” Morgunblaðið,January 12, 2005. The group also purchased Refresco, which is now the largest private label soft drink company in Europe, and the House of Fraser, a leading high street retailer in the UK.Harry Wallop, “[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2948396/Icelandair-opts-to-float-after-bid-talks-fail.html Icelandair opts to float after bid talks fail],” The Telegraph, October 14, 2006. Hannes left FL Group in 2007.“[http://wayback.vefsafn.is/wayback/20080714180842/http://www.flgroup.is/library/81 FL Group reports net loss of ISK 67 billion in 2007],” FL Group press release, February 13, 2008.

As a private investor, Hannes was part of a group that built the Smáralind shopping center near Reykjavík, Iceland.Arni Sæberg “Smaralind,” Morgunblaðið, October 15, 2000. Smaralind is today Iceland's largest shopping center with over 100 shops, restaurants and services.“{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130612073642/http://planiceland.com/smaralind/ Smaralind Shopping Mall]}},” Iceland Travel Guide.

In 2010 Hannes was named as one of eight defendants in a suit filed by the winding-up committee of Glitnir Bank.Rowena Mason, “[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/7716599/Former-Baugur-boss-Jon-Asgeir-Johannesson-accused-of-2bn-fraud.html Former Baugur boss Jon Asgeir Johannesson accused of $2bn fraud],” The Telegraph, May 13, 2010. The suit was dismissed in New York in December 2010,Catharine Fulton, “[http://grapevine.is/Home/ReadArticle/Hannes-Smarason-Seeking-60-Million-ISK-From-Failed-Bank Hannes Smárason Seeking 60 Million ISK From Failed Bank],” The Reykjavík Grapevine, March 6, 2013. refiled in 2011 and dismissed again in January 2012.“[http://www.ksfiomdag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1199:iceland-review-13-apr-12-pwc-sues-glitnir-bank-winding-up-committee&catid=45:newspaper-a-media-reports&Itemid=102 PwC Sues Glitnir Bank Winding-Up Committee],” Iceland Review, April 13, 2012. Hannes filed suit for reimbursement of legal expenses from the winding up committee.Catharine Fulton, “[http://grapevine.is/Home/ReadArticle/Hannes-Smarason-Seeking-60-Million-ISK-From-Failed-Bank Hannes Smárason Seeking 60 Million ISK From Failed Bank],” The Reykjavík Grapevine, March 6, 2013.

According to a report by the Icelandic Public Radio, (RUV), Hannes’ business dealings were the subject of investigation by the Icelandic authorities,“[http://www.ruv.is/node/111686 Owes 80 billion to Landbanki] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130713124439/http://www.ruv.is/node/111686 |date=2013-07-13 }},” RUV, March 10, 2010. culminating with a charge for misappropriation in November 2013."[http://www.ruv.is/frett/hannes-smarason-akaerdur-fyrir-fjardratt Hannes Smarason charged with embezzlement]," "ruv.is", Nov 9, 2013. He was acquitted in Reykjavik District Court in February 2015.Eygló Svala Arnarsdóttir, "[http://icelandreview.com/news/2015/02/18/former-fl-group-ceo-acquitted-district-court?language=en Former FL Group CEO Acquitted in District Court]," Iceland Review, February 18, 2015. The Supreme Court of Iceland confirmed the acquittal in October 2016.Björn Þorfinnsson, “[http://www.dv.is/frettir/2016/10/13/haestirettur-fellir-mal-gegn-hannesi-nidur/ Supreme court dismisses case against Hannes]”, DV, October 13, 2016.

In October 2013 Hannes co-founded and became CEO of NextCode Health, a spinout of deCODE with a mission of applying deCODE's genomic database to patient care.Ben Fidler, “[https://www.xconomy.com/boston/2013/10/23/decode-spinout-nextcode-health-launches-15m-arch-polaris/ DeCode Spinout, NextCode Health, Launches With $15M From Arch, Polaris],” Xconomy, October 23, 2013. In January 2015, WuXi AppTech acquired NextCode Health for $65 million and merged NextCode with its genome center to form a new company called WuXi NextCode. Hannes became Co-Founder and COO of the new company.“[https://www.genomeweb.com/business-news/wuxi-pharmatech-buys-nextcode-health-65m#.Wwb-Qu4vz3g WuXi PharmaTech Buys NextCode Health for $65M],” GenomeWeb, January 9, 2015. In 2016, WuXi NextCode introduced three products – RareCODE, FamilyCODE and HealthCODE—tailored to Chinese population variants.Allison Proffitt, “[http://www.diagnosticsworldnews.com/2017/04/21/hannes-smarason-on-future-platform-wuxi-nextcode.aspx Hannes Smarason On The Future Of The Platform For WuXi NextCODE],” Diagnostics World, April 21, 2017. In January 2017 WuXi NextCode, AbbVie and Genomics Medicine Ireland launched an initiative to sequence 45,000 volunteer participants from across Ireland to advance the clinical development of better treatments for a range of serious diseases.“[http://www.bio-itworld.com/2017/1/12/jp-morgan-news-round-up.aspx Sequencing Partnerships],” BioIT World, January 12, 2017. WuXi NextCode appointed Hannes as CEO in February 2017.Allison Proffitt, “[http://www.diagnosticsworldnews.com/2017/04/21/hannes-smarason-on-future-platform-wuxi-nextcode.aspx Hannes Smarason On The Future Of The Platform For WuXi NextCODE],” Diagnostics World, April 21, 2017. WuXi NextCode closed a $240 million Series B round of financing in September 2017.Ben Fidler, “[https://www.xconomy.com/boston/2017/09/07/nextcode-reloads-with-240m-eyes-ipo-as-genomic-data-demand-grows/ NextCODE Reloads With $240M, Eyes IPO, As Genomic Data Demand Grows],” Xconomy, September 7, 2017. The company grew from 60 to just under 500 people by the end of 2017.Angus Liu, “[https://www.fiercebiotech.com/cro/conversation-wuxi-nextcode-ceo-hannes-smarason In conversation with: WuXi NextCODE CEO Hannes Smárason],” Fierce Biotech, January 22, 2018. In March 2018 Hannes stepped down as CEO and transitioned to a position as Co-Founder and Senior Advisor to WuXi NextCode.“[https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wuxi-nextcode-announces-executive-leadership-transition-300612222.html WuXi NextCODE Announces Executive Leadership Transition],” PR Newswire, March 12, 2018.

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Hannes Thor Smarason

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Hannes Thor Smarason

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Hannes Thor Smarason