Today, Franz is Chair of HMNC Brain Health, a Non-Executive Director at Allogene Therapeutics Inc., Emil Frey Holdings, LetterOne Healthcare, Target PharmaSolutions and Breakthrough Properties. He is an Advisor to Temasek Holdings, and a Venture Partner with Pappas Capital LLC. Franz is Chair of the Board of Directors of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, Chair of the Humer Foundation, and Chair of Kallyope Inc.

Franz has also held several significant non-executive and advisory roles in the past. He was Chair of Diageo plc the world’s leading premium drinks company. Under his chairmanship, Diageo deepened its presence in emerging markets while maintaining global leadership in its core categories.

He was also an Independent Director of Citigroup, Chugai Pharmaceuticals Limited (Japan), Airx Bioscience plc, and Kite Pharma a Los Angeles based biotech company. He was also Chair of the Board of INSEAD.

He brings deep cross-sector expertise in:

• Pharmaceuticals & life sciences – leadership in R&D-driven environments, long-cycle strategy and global regulatory engagement

• Consumer brands – brand stewardship, emerging market expansion and category leadership

• Corporate governance – chairing global boards with multi-jurisdictional oversight and stakeholder complexity

• Cross-sector leadership – bridging healthcare, finance, education and consumer strategy at the board level

With academic foundations in economics and business administration and a PhD in law, he combines intellectual rigour with practical governance experience.

Franz is widely respected for his disciplined leadership, cross-cultural fluency and boardroom judgement. His career offers rare insight into what it takes to lead at the highest levels across sectors that shape economies, public health and consumer markets alike.