Richard D. Pilnik graduated with a degree in Economics from Duke University (1979) and completed an MBA in strategic planning and international marketing at the Kellogg School of Business, Northwestern University (1983), and additional advanced management programs at the Harvard School of Business and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

With a career spanning over 35 years in the healthcare sector, Richard Pilnik joined the Board of Directors of BIAL as a non-executive member.

Richard Pilnik worked at US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly for 25 years, where he held various international positions. As CEO and President for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, he has overseen over 50 countries with a turnover of over €4 billion, making Eli Lilly the fastest-growing pharmaceutical company in the region (2006).

He retired from Eli Lilly as the Chief Marketing Officer. From 2009-2014 Richard Pilnik worked at Quintiles Transnational (the leading global CRO - Clinical Research Organization) as Executive Vice President and President of Global Commercial Solutions and was part of the management team that launched the company's IPO on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: IQVIA).

Richard Pilnik is Chairman of Diamedica Therapeutic Solutions (NASDAQ: DMAC) and a non-executive board member at Lumanity Healthcare Services. Mr. Pilnik also dedicates time to coaching and mentoring new entrepreneurs around the world and is an investor/advisor in start-up businesses in the healthcare sector. He is an Emeriti Board member of the Duke University Fuqua School of Business.