Thousand Oaks, California, United States, July 2026 — Amgen has appointed Raphaella Thorson as Executive Director, R&D Knowledge and Learning, strengthening its research and development learning leadership as the global biotechnology company continues to advance scientific innovation and digital transformation across its R&D organization.
In her new role, Thorson will lead Amgen’s R&D Knowledge and Learning function, driving enterprise learning strategies, knowledge management, capability development, and learning technologies that support research, clinical development, quality, and regulatory excellence. Her appointment reflects Amgen’s continued investment in building a future-ready learning ecosystem that enables innovation while supporting compliance across its global R&D operations.
Thorson joins Amgen after more than seven years with AstraZeneca, where she progressively advanced through several leadership positions across R&D learning, learning technologies, clinical operations learning, and GxP capability development.
Most recently, she served as Senior Director, Head of R&D GxP Learning, where she led the organization’s global Good Practice (GxP) learning strategy, ensuring learning capabilities supported regulatory compliance, operational excellence, and workforce readiness across research and development.
Previously, she was Director, R&D GxP Learning and Clinical Operations Learning, leading enterprise learning initiatives that strengthened clinical operations capability while advancing GxP learning frameworks across AstraZeneca’s R&D organization.
Earlier, as Director, R&D Learning Technology Management, she was responsible for leading learning technology strategy, modernizing digital learning platforms, and enhancing enterprise learning delivery through technology-enabled capability building.
Before that, she served as Associate Director, R&D Learning Technology Management and Learning Systems Manager, where she helped expand AstraZeneca’s learning infrastructure, supported digital learning transformation, and strengthened enterprise learning operations supporting global R&D teams.
Prior to AstraZeneca, Thorson spent more than five years with MedImmune, building expertise across business operations, compliance, contracting, supply chain, and commercial operations.
As Contract Specialist, Global Business Operations, she managed complex external expert engagement programmes, contract administration, global compliance processes, business communications, operational governance, and contract-to-payment operations while partnering closely with compliance, transparency, and global business teams.
Earlier, she served as Senior Distribution Analyst, Commercial Operations, overseeing national and international cold-chain pharmaceutical distribution, logistics planning, inventory management, contract compliance, shipping operations, patient assistance programmes, and operational process improvements supporting key commercial products.
She began her MedImmune career as Production Materials Planner, Supply Chain Operations, gaining valuable experience in manufacturing planning and pharmaceutical supply chain management.
Across nearly two decades in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, Thorson has developed extensive expertise in R&D learning, GxP capability development, learning technologies, clinical operations learning, knowledge management, regulatory compliance, learning systems, digital learning transformation, operational excellence, pharmaceutical business operations, and enterprise capability development.
About Amgen
Amgen is one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies, harnessing biology and technology to develop transformative therapies for patients living with serious diseases. Since helping establish the biotechnology industry, Amgen has continued to pioneer innovations across oncology, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, inflammation, nephrology, and rare diseases while leveraging advanced technologies and human genetics to accelerate scientific discovery.
A constituent of both the Dow Jones Industrial Average® and the Nasdaq-100 Index®, Amgen has consistently been recognized among the world’s most innovative organizations, including being named one of Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies and one of Forbes’ America’s Best Large Employers.
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