Sharon Cunningham is CEO, Co-Founder and board member of Shorla Pharma (‘Shorla’), a speciality pharmaceutical company headquartered in Ireland. The company has developed an innovative pipeline of oncology drugs for global markets focussing on women’s and children’s cancers, solving unmet needs and delivering a significant contribution to patient care.

After half a decade with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and seven years at EirGen Pharma in Waterford, Ireland, Sharon led the raising of an early-stage equity investment of €19m with Waterford and was the internal lead for a $135m sale to US multinational OPKO Health Inc. Following those successful ventures, Sharon co-founded Shorla Pharma with her EirGen Pharma colleague, Orlaith Ryan, in January, 2018. Since its inception, the company has raised over €10m by attracting world-renowned investors, board members, and advisors. Shorla’s advanced portfolio of speciality oncology products are in submission with the US Food and Drug Administration (the regulatory authority approval imminent), and has an exclusive launch planned for 2021.

Sharon was awarded the title of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur 2019, and was included on a list of 50 people to look out for in 2020 by the Irish Times. She also won the prestigious Worldwide Association of MBA’s Best Entrepreneurial Venture Award in 2020 and was recognised as one of the 100 most influential CEO’s in Ireland by the Business & Finance Media Group 2020.

Passionate about the promotion of equality and in particular, gender balance, Sharon is a current board member of Irish Rule of Law International. With her track record in financial gains, corporate leadership, and strategic board initiatives, Sharon brings key operational, administrative, and governance leadership experience.