MLA Strengthens Valneva SE Legal Team with Key Appointments

London, UK (March 6, 2025) — Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA), the world's leading legal search firm, has announced the placement of Malini Mukhopadhyay as director, legal and Nicole Urban-Krenn as director, compliance and data protection at Valneva SE, the specialty vaccine biotech firm.  The search was led by Arthi Cobb managing director with MLA’s In-House Legal Recruiting group based in London.  

Commenting on the appointment, Arthi Cobb shared: “We are so excited to have supported the recently appointed Kendra Wergin in her capacity of general counsel and company secretary at Valneva on these strategic hires for her team.”

As director, legal, Malini will provide comprehensive legal support and counsel to Valneva SE, with a focus on corporate securities law matters, and other corporate strategic initiatives. Throughout her legal career, Malini has primarily concentrated on offering corporate, transactional and securities advice to organizations preparing for an IPO or those that are already listed. Her most recent in-house roles include time spent with OpSec Security as a consultant and previously with Deliveroo plc as a senior securities counsel.  Malini has worked clients who are listed in the US, on the London Stock Exchange, the Euronext Amsterdam and Brussels.  She earned her J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law, her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and her B.A. from Dartmouth College.

In the role of director, compliance and data protection, Nicole who is a highly experienced legal and compliance professional, will serve as the company’s corporate compliance officer and data protection officer under the EU GDPR for all Valneva entities.  Nicole brings a strong cumulative track record to the position to the role with ethics and compliance roles at Eli Lilly and Company, Astellas Pharma, and 3M.   She received her master’s degree in law from the University of Vienna and is an excellent addition to the Valneva legal function.