Dr Robert Shepherd
Dr Robert Shepherd is a senior biotechnology executive and professional drug developer. He has deep experience leading multidisciplinary teams across all fields of pharmaceutical development, from early target discovery to pivotal clinical development and global commercial licensing. Dr Shepherd’s career has centred on bringing together science, patients and community impact, with a particular focus on developing innovative therapies for conditions with few or no effective treatments.
As the Chief Commercialisation Officer and member of the executive leadership team at Dimerix Limited, Dr Shepherd has stewarded the company’s renal and respiratory clinical portfolio through multiple stages of clinical development. This has included advancing programs from early proof-of-concept through phase one, two and three studies, and guiding successful regulatory interactions with seven national regulatory agencies. He places strong emphasis on clinical relevance, patient partnership and transparent engagement with investigators and trial communities — ensuring that scientific promise translates into meaningful therapeutic progress.
Dr Shepherd is a committed mentor to emerging scientists and future industry leaders, particularly those navigating pathways beyond academic research. He has a long-standing ambition to elevate Australian discovery science and strengthen its translation into globally competitive medicines, contributing to a more resilient and innovation-driven national biotechnology sector. Dr Shepherd has recently led licensing transactions totalling $AUD 1.4 billion in aggregate value, with partners across Europe, the United States, Japan and the Middle East. These transactions have created substantial reinvestment opportunities for the Australian research and innovation ecosystem.
Before joining Dimerix, Dr Shepherd worked across programs at Medicines Development for Global Health, the Monash Vision Group and Monash University, contributing to initiatives spanning global health, medical technology and translational research. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in molecular genetics, a PhD in molecular immunology and a Global Executive MBA, all from Monash University.