Pivot Bio appoints Debra Frimerman Chief Legal Officer

Pivot Bio, one of the world's leading innovative agtech companies, announced the appointment of Debra Frimerman to the position of chief legal officer. Frimerman assumes the role following the departure of General Counsel Devang Shah, who is leaving the company to pursue a new opportunity.

Frimerman brings more than two decades of legal acumen and strategic business development experience to the role. She will oversee Pivot Bio's legal, compliance and governance functions, guiding the company through its continued scale-up in North America and global expansion efforts. This includes the critical role of protecting Pivot Bio's portfolio of patents. Frimerman will continue serving on the executive leadership team and reporting to Chief Executive Officer Chris Abbott.

"Debra is a trusted leader who understands both the letter of the law and the ambitions of a high-growth, science-driven company," said Abbott. "Her experience navigating complex transactions, coupled with her track record of delivering strategic partnerships, makes her the ideal chief legal officer for Pivot Bio as we enter our next chapter of growth and innovation. I would also like to recognize Devang for his notable contributions across the company's legal operations and as a valued adviser to our leadership, board and investors."

Since joining Pivot Bio, Frimerman has served as chief business development officer, playing a notable role in driving new revenue streams, negotiating high-impact partnerships and positioning the company for long-term growth.

Prior to Pivot Bio, Frimerman served as general counsel, corporate secretary and chief compliance officer at Calyxt, where she led legal, licensing, intellectual property, risk and compliance. While there, Frimerman led the successful series of mergers between Calyxt and Cibus, with the combined company valued at over $650 million, and was instrumental in working with the board and public and investor markets. She also held the role of associate general counsel at Syngenta, where she was head of legal for Syngenta Seeds, its U.S. seeds business, and played a key role in global technology licensing. Frimerman has advised on a multitude of public and private securities offerings collectively raising over $1 billion.

Frimerman began her legal career as a corporate lawyer at Stoel Rives and Lindquist & Vennum. She received her JD from the University of Minnesota, magna cum laude, and earned a BA in economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara.