Lincolnshire, Illinois-based
Nexus Pharmaceuticals, which opened a new facility in Pleasant Prairie last year, has a new president and CEO in
Usman Ahmed. The manufacturer of specialty drugs announced Monday that Ahmed has replaced
Mariam Darsot, who has been president and CEO since founding the company in 2003.
Darsot will remain active with the company through her role as chair of the board of directors. She was named the
2022 Entrepreneur of the Year by the
Kenosha Area Business Alliance.
Darsot founded Nexus with her husband Shahid Ahmed in 2003. Since then, both Darsot and Ahmed, along with their four children, have all remained active in the company.
“Usman brings an expertise in operations, vision and leadership that is essential to an organization dedicated to high-quality patient care and innovation,” said Darsot. “We are excited about what the future holds for Nexus under Usman’s leadership and believe that this transition is the right step to take the company forward in its next phase of growth.”
Ahmed joined Nexus in 2009 as vice president of finance and business development before being named chief financial officer in 2013. In 2021, he assumed the role of chief operating officer, where he oversaw strategic planning, budgeting, treasury, tax, and corporate development. Prior to joining Nexus, Ahmed spent three years as an analyst at JP Morgan Chase in their corporate finance program.
“I could not be more grateful to accept this position with great respect for what we have already accomplished and what is still possible as an organization,” said Ahmed. “As the health care industry continues to evolve, it has become more important than ever for us to ensure that all patients have access to quality medications. I look forward to continuing to work with the board of directors, the management team, and our employees -- who have helped build this company into what it is today -- to ensure its continued success in delivering innovative solutions and patient care when and where it is needed most.”
In 2021, Nexus completed construction of a $100 million, 85,000-square-foot facility
in Pleasant Prairie. The facility represents the first phase of a $250 million multi-phase project that the company plans to complete there in 10 years. The facility is expected to bring over 77 new jobs in a variety of job functions in fields of high-tech manufacturing and science by this year, creating more than 400 new local jobs long-term.
