Roopal B. Thakkar, M.D., serves as Executive Vice President, Research & Development (R&D) and Chief Scientific Officer at AbbVie Inc., where she leads the company's global R&D organization of approximately 8,000 scientists and clinicians. In this role, she oversees the end-to-end drug discovery, development, and regulatory strategy across key therapeutic areas, including immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, and aesthetics. Thakkar drives AbbVie's innovation pipeline, advancing blockbuster therapies like Skyrizi and Rinvoq while spearheading next-generation modalities such as bispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and precision medicines to address unmet patient needs. A board-certified hematologist and medical oncologist, Thakkar earned her M.D. from Northeast Ohio Medical University and completed her residency in internal medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, followed by fellowships in hematology and medical oncology at the University of Chicago. She began her career in clinical practice before transitioning to industry, holding progressive leadership roles at Janssen, Pfizer, and Celgene, where she served as Vice President of Global Clinical Development for Hematology/Oncology. At Celgene, she played a pivotal role in the development of groundbreaking CAR-T cell therapies, including idecabtagene vicleucel (Abecma), the first approved CAR-T for multiple myeloma. Prior to AbbVie's 2020 acquisition of Allergan, Thakkar was Senior Vice President and Head of Global Clinical R&D and Chief Medical Officer for Oncology and Botox at Allergan, where she expanded the oncology portfolio and advanced clinical programs in immuno-oncology. Under her leadership at AbbVie, the company has achieved significant milestones, including multiple FDA approvals, strategic partnerships, and a robust Phase 3 pipeline poised to deliver transformative treatments. Thakkar's expertise in complex clinical development, coupled with her commitment to patient-centric innovation, positions AbbVie at the forefront of biopharmaceutical advancement.