Jim Birchenough MD, rejoined Barclays in September 2023 as Chairman of Healthcare Investment Banking and Global Co-Head of Biopharma Investment Banking. With nearly 40 years of experience, Jim began his pharmaceutical career in the Merck Research and Sales and Marketing before spending over 20 years as a top-ranked Extel (formerly Institutional Investor) research analyst and moving to Investment Banking. He joined Lehman Brothers in 2002 and continued with Barclays following its acquisition, where he led Biotechnology Equity Research through 2011. He later held senior leadership positions at BMO Capital Markets and Wells Fargo and is trained as a physician with practice experience in the U.S. and Canada.

Ellie Merle, CFA, joined Barclays in November 2025 as an Equity Research Analyst to cover U.S. Small & Mid Cap Biotechnology. She has over a decade of sell-side equity research experience in the sector; most recently, Ellie worked as a Senior Equity Research Analyst at UBS in Biotechnology for five years. Prior to that, she also covered Small & Mid Cap Biotechnology at Cantor Fitzgerald and held positions at Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank in Biotechnology Equity Research. Ellie graduated from Pomona College with a degree in Economics.

Etzer Darout, PhD, MBA, is a Managing Director and Equity Research Analyst covering the U.S. Small and Mid-Cap Biotechnology sector, with over 10 years of sell-side research experience. Before joining Barclays in June 2025, Etzer spent three years at BMO Capital Markets as a Managing Director and Senior Equity Research analyst covering the Biotechnology sector. Prior to his career on Wall Street, he spent seven years at Pfizer, researching and developing therapies for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. He graduated from Rutgers University with a PhD in Organic Chemistry followed by post-doctoral research at Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter, FL. Etzer also holds an MBA from the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Maneet Singh joined Barclays in September 2023 as a Managing Director and the Co-Head of Healthcare M&A Investment Banking. During his career, Maneet has served as a strategic advisor to large, mid-cap biopharma companies on their most critical transactions. Prior to Barclays, Maneet was a Managing Director in the Healthcare Group at Goldman Sachs and a Managing Director in the M&A Group at Credit Suisse. Maneet received his MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business and his BA from Johns Hopkins University.