Jean Hoffman, Founder and CEO, Putney, Inc
Putney's founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jean Hoffman, is a successful entrepreneur with a strong track record in the pharmaceutical industry. Ms. Hoffman previously founded Newport Strategies, Inc. in 1990 and built that company into the world leader in product targeting and sourcing systems for the generic pharmaceutical industry before it was acquired by Thomson Scientific in 2004.
Following the sale of Newport, Ms. Hoffman founded Q Street Advisors, Inc, a consulting and advisory company serving the global generic industry. She has also served as one of the founding members of the Board of the Small Enterprise Growth Fund, a venture capital fund investing in early stage companies in Maine.
Her career in the global pharmaceutical industry began in 1980 by advising innovator pharmaceutial companies on the establishment of businesses with China and advising Chinese API manufacturers on exporting to the U.S.
In 1982, Ms. Hoffman joined the Far Eastern-based, Swiss-headquartered, Zuellig Group, initially as manager, China business for MWM Chemical. After becoming general manager, China for Zuellig Group North America in 1984, she led business development activity in China on behalf of Zuellig subsidiaries in South East Asia and the U.S. Transactions closed included technology and equipment sales and tech transfers to Chinese API manufacturers; and purchasing for the Gold Coin Group of feed mills and FEZ animal health companies. Ms. Hoffman speaks Mandarin Chinese.
She was named CEO and a member of the board of directors of ZetaPharm in 1987, a Zuellig subsidiary. There she developed a new strategy and a business plan to turn the company around by focusing on the then-nascent U.S. generic industry and led implementation of the plan.
Ms. Hoffman graduated cum laude from Bowdoin College in Maine with degrees in East Asian History and Governement and Legal Studies. Ms. Hoffman studied at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and completed executive education programs at Stanford University Graduate School of Business and Columbia University Graduate School of Business. She speaks frequently at international pharmaceutical conferences and has published numerous articles in leading industry publications.
Ms. Hoffman is a member of the Board of Directors of the Generic Animal Drug Alliance (GADA), a member of the Executive Advisory Committee of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Generic Medicines, and is active in the International Generic Pharmaceutical Alliance. A native of Washington, D.C., Ms. Hoffman lives in Maine and has two children, with whom she shares the company of Malcolm and Raccoon, two adopted shelter cats.