February 13, 2025, TORONTO – Everest Clinical Research Corporation (Everest), a global full-service Contract Research Organization (CRO), announces the promotion of Jin Dai from her current position of Chief Operating Officer (COO) to the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). At the same time, the company appoints Rob Woolson as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO). Founder and former President and CEO, Irene Zhang, will continue to support Everest’s growth in her new role as Founder and Executive Chairman, where she will focus on strategic advisory and the planning and execution of the company’s long-term business strategy.
The enhancement of the leadership structure comes at a time of growth for Everest and will help support expanding strategic and operational needs to continue the company’s strong trajectory. Despite market conditions and challenges faced by the pharmaceutical and clinical research industry in past years, Everest has continued to achieve above-industry growth and has been recognized as a high quality CRO partner.
Irene Zhang, who started the company in 2004, has been a visionary and operational leader driving the company’s success for more than 20 years. Irene looks forward to transitioning day-to-day operational management activities to Jin, Rob, and Everest’s longstanding executive leadership team. “This seamless transition is the culmination of years of planning and now is an opportune time to hand the CEO role over to Jin,” said Irene. “Jin has played a critical role in her leadership at Everest, developing our business expansion and operational strategies, extending our legacy culture and capabilities, and delivering strong service and financial performance. I have full confidence in her vision, ability, and commitment to lead the company to the next level of success.”
Jin’s achievements in the past decade at Everest include the major expansion of service offerings and Everest’s global footprint, while growing Everest’s client base through thoughtful solutioning and a hands-on approach to drive results and customer satisfaction. She helped the company evolve from a biometrics center of excellence to a full-service CRO, developed the company’s in-house clinical trial technology solutions, drove operational transformation to support Everest’s growing business needs, and led the company through the acquisition of two companies in recent years. As a CEO, Jin will continue to drive quality, innovation, and operational excellence, ensuring Everest remains a top-performing CRO in the industry.
“Our continued growth, even amidst industry challenges, is a testament to our extraordinary team and the trust our clients placed in us. For more than two decades, we have been steadfast in our commitment to delivering the highest quality clinical research solutions and supporting our clients’ unique and important needs – an unwavering dedication that remains the foundation of our success and the driving force behind our future,” said Jin Dai. “I am honored to step into the role of CEO at such a pivotal time.”
Rob Woolson joins Everest as COO with 20 years’ experience in providing clinical research services to pharmaceutical and biotech companies through all phases of clinical development. A biostatistician by training, Rob is a multi-disciplinary leader who is versed in leading biometrics, regulatory strategy and submission, and technology innovation functions in a global CRO environment. He is known for his hands-on and methodical approach to driving business growth, mentoring and expanding global teams, establishing and growing strong client partnerships, and achieving strong operational and financial performance.
“Everest has long been recognized as an industry leader in biometrics. I am excited to build on these core competencies while leading expansions into additional key strategic functions,” Rob said. “It’s an incredible opportunity to contribute to Everest’s continued growth and reputation, and I look forward to working closely with Jin and Irene to drive our shared vision forward.”