Natera Appoints Steve Chapman CEO and Robert Schueren COO; Matthew Rabinowitz Moves to Executive Chairman

SAN CARLOS, Calif., Jan. 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Natera, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRA), a leader in non-invasive genetic testing and the analysis of cell-free DNA, has announced the appointment of Steve Chapman as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective today and Robert Schueren as Chief Operating Officer (COO) effective January 7, 2019. Previously, Chapman was the company’s COO and will succeed Matthew Rabinowitz, Ph.D., Natera co-founder and CEO. Rabinowitz will remain integrally involved as Executive Chairman focusing on the company’s long-term business strategy and technology innovation.

"These executive changes are in line with the Board and Rabinowitz’s long-term succession planning," said Natera Board Member Roelof Botha, representing Sequoia Capital. "Matthew has built a market-leading company, and we look forward to working with him, Steve, and Robert as the company continues to change the management of disease worldwide."

"We’ve clearly established a leading position in reproductive health genetic testing with more innovations planned, and have developed cutting-edge technology in oncology and organ transplantation," Rabinowitz said. "For the next phase of the company’s growth into new, large markets, we need to focus on exceptional commercial and operational execution. Steve’s commercial expertise and track record is remarkable. The Board and I believe that this is the perfect time for Steve to become Natera’s next CEO, and we are very pleased to have simultaneously recruited Robert Schueren as COO."

Chapman is a proven strategic business leader with deep, hands-on experience in the field of genetic diagnostic testing and has repeatedly delivered winning growth strategies, leveraging extensive commercialization and reimbursement expertise. Since joining Natera in 2010, Chapman has delivered extraordinary results in roles ranging from Vice President of Sales, to Senior Vice President of Commercial, to Chief Commercial Officer and most recently COO. As COO, he drove day-to-day execution while leading over half the company including operations, human resources, sales, marketing, product development, medical affairs, market access, and business development. Notably, Chapman led the company’s commercial entry into the highly competitive non-invasive prenatal testing market in which the company’s Panorama^® test became the market leader against three established competitors despite being fourth to market. Chapman was previously at Genzyme Genetics, where he was credited with delivering record-breaking commercial growth and strategies that changed pregnancy genetic testing.

Schueren is an accomplished industry veteran with extensive molecular diagnostics and genomics experience, having served in executive leadership roles at companies including IntegenX Inc. (recently acquired by Thermo Fisher Scientific), Agilent Technologies, and Genentech. "Robert’s strategic vision and consistent track record in driving profitability and efficiency in large companies are exactly what Natera needs as we enter this next chapter of our growth," Chapman said. "I am confident that he will play a vital role in effectively leading the company’s scaling efforts and delivering on our ambitious goals."

"Together with the leadership team, I look forward to building upon Natera’s success in ways that will further advance the company’s mission of changing the management of disease worldwide and helping the millions of patients that can benefit from our products," Schueren said.

About Robert Schueren 
Robert Schueren is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of commercial and operational experience and a consistent track record of achievement in high-growth start-up and large companies. Most recently, Schueren was CEO at IntegenX Inc., a Thermo Fisher company. From 2010-2013, he was General Manager Genomics at Agilent Technologies. Prior to Agilent, he was Global Head of Clinical Biomarkers and Operations and Deputy Global Head of Molecular Medicine Labs for Genentech, Inc., a company he joined in 2006. While there, he held roles of increasing responsibility, including Senior Director of Development Sciences and Director of Companion Diagnostics. From 2003-2006, he was Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of Arcturus Bioscience. He formerly held leadership and commercial roles at Accumetrics, Biosite Diagnostics, and GenProbe, Inc.

About Natera
Natera is a global leader in cell-free DNA testing. The mission of the company is to transform the management of diseases worldwide. Natera operates an ISO 13485-certified and CAP-accredited laboratory certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) in San Carlos, Calif. It offers a host of proprietary genetic testing services to inform physicians who care for pregnant women, researchers in cancer including bio pharmaceutical companies, and genetic laboratories through its cloud-based software platform. For more information, visit natera.com. Follow Natera on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including the quotations of management, are forward-looking statements and are not a representation that Natera’s plans, estimates, or expectations will be achieved. These forward-looking statements represent Natera’s expectations as of the date of this press release, and Natera disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including with respect to our efforts to develop and commercialize new product offerings, our ability to successfully increase demand for and grow revenues for our product offerings, whether the results of clinical studies will support the use of our product offerings, our expectations of the reliability, accuracy and performance of our screening tests, or of the benefits of our screening tests and product offerings to patients, providers and payers. Additional risks and uncertainties are discussed in greater detail in "Risk Factors" in Natera’s recent filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q and in other filings Natera makes with the SEC from time to time. These documents are available at www.natera.com/investors and www.sec.gov.

Contacts
Investor Relations
Mike Brophy, CFO, Natera, Inc., 650-249-9090
Media
Andrea Sampson, Sullivan & Associates, 714-374-6174, asampson@sullivanpr.com 

SOURCE Natera, Inc.