Optimum Expands its Team with Senior Investor Relations and Communications Hires Jonathan Edwards and Hana Malik

14 February 2023 – Optimum Strategic Communications (“Optimum”), the specialist life sciences communications consultancy, today announces that it has hired Jonathan Edwards and Hana Malik, two highly experienced investor relations and communications professionals, to join as permanent members of its team.

Edwards and Malik have joined Optimum as Account Directors and will be advising clients across its life sciences, healthcare and industrial biotechnology portfolio.

Edwards has over 10 years’ investor relations experience across energy and consumer sectors working in-house and in advisory businesses. He has a wealth of knowledge and expertise advising senior management teams and companies on refinancing activities, capital raises and M&A transactions.

Malik joins from NASDAQ listed Tiziana Life Sciences, where she was responsible for Investor Relations and Business Development working closely with the senior management team, advising on IR and PR strategy. Whilst at Tiziana, Malik managed the Company’s move from LSE AIM to NASDAQ. Prior to this Malik created and supported the IR/PR strategy for OKYO Pharma Ltd.

Commenting on the appointments, Mary Clark, Chief Executive Officer of Optimum Strategic Communications, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jonathan and Hana to Optimum. Jonathan is a highly experienced professional which will be invaluable in advising and supporting our clients on their IR strategies. Hana has extensive experience in the life sciences and biotechnology sectors helping companies to communicate a compelling investment story.  Her experience of working with both the LSE and NASDAQ indices will be very useful in preparing companies for listing in the US.”

Jonathan Edwards, Account Director at Optimum Strategic Communications commented: “After more than a decade working in Investor Relations, I am thrilled that the next step in my career is joining the incredibly experienced, talented and hardworking team at Optimum. The Company’s clients are some of the world’s most exciting businesses in the pharmaceuticals, biotech and healthcare space and it is a privilege to have the opportunity to be a part of, and contribute to, this exciting sector.”

Hana Malik, Account Director at Optimum Strategic Communications added: “Having worked in the life sciences and biotech industry for nearly a decade, I am very excited to be taking this next step in my career. Increasingly companies are looking to US public markets and my experience will be invaluable in helping them navigate this journey. I look forward to working with Optimum’s interesting and innovative clients and helping them to achieve their business goals.”

 

For more information

Nick Bastin – nick@optimumcomms.com

 

About Optimum Strategic Communications

Optimum Strategic Communications is an international healthcare communications firm which specialises in strategic investor relations, corporate and financial communications. Our senior healthcare specialists, based in London, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Zurich, and New York, are experienced and trusted advisors to some of the world’s most exciting public and private companies, both large and small, across healthcare, life sciences and industrial biotechnology.

Over the last 20 years we have worked with over 300 healthcare companies, advising them on financial communications and investor relations, including major corporate activities such as fundraising, IPOs, and M&A, as well as corporate reputation and crisis scenarios.

We have an exceptional network of contacts across the international investment community in Europe and the US; contacts we have built and maintained over the last three decades. Our team includes ex-fund managers and analysts, scientists, as well as financial and corporate communications specialists.

For more information, please visit www.optimumcomms.com.

About Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan has vast experience developing and communicating narratives that have covered an array of different scenarios and has supported and advised a wide range of senior management teams on best practice Investor Relations (IR) and Communication strategies.

Jonathan began his career at HSBC shortly after graduating from the University of Liverpool with a business degree. He moved into IR in 2012 and began working within the energy sector at UK listed Petrofac. He has worked for both private and public companies across a variety of sectors, including energy, support services, retail and for an IR consultancy, where he advised a number of listed clients across a range of sectors on their IR and communication programmes. He is passionate about IR and supporting companies to tell their story to stakeholders.

About Hana Malik

Hana has worked in the Life Sciences and Biotechnology industry for eight years. Prior to joining Optimum, Hana served as the Investor Relations and Business Development Manager at Tiziana Life Sciences, where she supported the transition of Tiziana from LSE: AIM to NASDAQ. As part of her Business Development role, Hana engaged with big and small pharma. Hana also created and supported the IR/PR strategy for OKYO Pharma Ltd, an LSE Main Market listed company. She has worked with several private biotechnology companies, helping them to communicate corporate messaging and engaging with shareholders. Hana holds a MSc. in Biomedical and Molecular Sciences from Kings College, London, and a BEng. in Dental and Materials Sciences from Queen Mary, University of London.