Harald Ottenhof, PhD

Harald Ottenhof serves as Executive Vice President of the Life Science business at Meridian Bioscience, where he leads global strategy, commercial execution, and operational excellence across the company’s Life Science portfolio. With more than a decade in progressive leadership roles at Meridian, Harald has been instrumental in strengthening the organization’s operational capabilities, expanding global market reach, and driving high-performance culture across teams and geographies.

Since joining Meridian in 2018, Harald has held several key leadership positions, including Vice President of Commercial Operations, General Manager of the Memphis Life Science site, Vice President of Global Operations, and Senior Vice President of Global Commercial & Operations. His deep industry expertise and results-oriented leadership have helped position Meridian as a trusted global partner for diagnostic innovators and biopharmaceutical manufacturers.

Harald’s leadership philosophy emphasizes clarity, accountability, and alignment around shared goals. Known for building collaborative, empowered teams, he is recognized for his ability to translate complex market and operational dynamics into actionable strategies that deliver sustainable growth. His global background—spanning the U.S., U.K., Europe, and Asia-Pacific—further informs his approach to scaling organizations and fostering customer-focused innovation.

Before joining Meridian, Harald spent more than a decade at Thermo Fisher Scientific (including Life Technologies), where he advanced through commercial and product management roles across the Life Sciences Solutions and Laboratory Equipment businesses. Earlier in his career, he held a postdoctoral research position at the University of Melbourne, building on his scientific training.

Harald holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Genetics and Biochemistry from the University of Cambridge and a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Genetics from the University of Nottingham. He continues to guide Meridian’s Life Science business with a commitment to operational rigor, commercial excellence, and strategic growth on a global scale.