By Rich McAvoy, Chief Business Officer
We’re excited to welcome Rich McAvoy to Avid Bioservices as our new Chief Business Officer. Rich brings deep industry experience that will help accelerate Avid’s growth while strengthening what we’re known for: being the easiest CDMO to work with.
In this sit-down, Rich shares what drew him to Avid, what he’ll focus on in the first 90 days, and how he thinks about creating a standout client experience in today’s CDMO market.
Q: What made you say “yes” to Avid, and why now?
A: Avid is extremely well-situated for success right now. What stood out to me immediately was the combination of a strong track record of quality and delivery, a team that clearly knows how to execute, and a company with real growth ambitions—the desire to scale thoughtfully and take Avid to the next level.
The “why now” comes down to what’s happening in the broader environment. Today’s geopolitical landscape is creating real uncertainty for biopharma supply chains. Between evolving trade dynamics, potential tariffs, and policy developments like the BIOSECURE Act, many sponsors are rethinking global dependency and accelerating plans for onshoring. In that context, U.S.-based manufacturing isn’t just an option—it becomes the certainty and stability that programs need to future-proof their business.
Avid is in a strong position to provide that certainty: a reliable U.S. partner with a great track record of delivery that can help customers, ensure access to a critical market—especially as trade barriers and geopolitics evolve and supply chain resilience becomes a strategic priority.
Q: In your first 90 days, what will you focus on to create the biggest impact?
A: In the first 90 days, my focus is really on the fundamentals: making sure we’re set up to deliver and execute consistently for our customers. As Chief Business Officer, I care deeply about the bottom line—but not just as a financial concept. For a CDMO, the “bottom line” is our ability to perform: quality, timelines, responsiveness, and doing what we say we’ll do. If we continue to hit that mark, business success follows.
So my priority is being laser-focused on execution—understanding what’s working well, where we can remove friction, and how we can strengthen the systems and decision-making that support reliable delivery for every client program.
Q: Avid’s brand promise is to be the easiest CDMO to work with. What does that mean to you in practice?
A: To me, being the “easiest CDMO to work with” means we never treat clients like they’re lucky to have access to us. In this industry, there are a lot of big players who have a “take it or leave it” approach—and that can make it hard for sponsors, especially emerging biotech teams, to get the partnership experience they deserve.
Avid is different. We meet customers where they are, we invest the time to truly understand what they need and what their priorities are, and we stay focused on making their experience smooth and responsive. In practice that means agility, speed, clear communication, and a willingness to consider how we work to ensure clients feel supported—not boxed into a rigid process.
Q: What do you think pharma and biotech sponsors value most from a CDMO partner today and how will Avid win?
A: In this industry, delivery is king. Sponsors can have the best product in the world, but if they can’t manufacture reliably and on schedule, they can’t get product to patients. And that’s what this is all about.
Biotech teams already have an incredibly difficult job—they’re managing R&D, clinical timelines, fundraising, commercialization planning, and everything in between. A CDMO partner should reduce that burden, not add to it. If we can take manufacturing off their list of things to worry about, we’re creating real value.
That’s how Avid wins: by providing a consistently great client experience and delivering on our commitments—on time, with quality, and with transparency. There’s nothing more important than being the partner clients can count on.
Q: On a more personal note, what motivates you outside of work?
A: A big part of what motivates me outside of work is staying energized. I’m a big CrossFit person, and I’ve found that doing something really hard physically has a way of clearing your head. It helps me step back, refocus, and come back with more energy and perspective.
But really, the best time outside of work for me is simple: being with my wife and kids sitting around the table, playing board games and just being together. That’s the good stuff. It’s where I recharge and reset.
We’re thrilled to have Rich on the team and energized by the leadership, focus, and client-first mindset he brings to Avid.
Please join us in welcoming Rich as he helps drive our next chapter of growth.