Moderna’s CEO Stéphane Bancel has been named a chevalier (knight) of the Légion d’Honneur, the highest French distinction for military and civil accomplishments.
Bancel and Moderna have had a whirlwind few years. After starting as a small, early-stage vaccine and infectious disease biotech, the company nabbed unicorn status in 2018 then rode to the rescue in 2020 to develop a new mRNA vaccine to help stop the COVID pandemic. Moderna has made tens of billions of dollars in the process.
It seems fitting, then, that he has been made a chevalier of France, akin to a knighthood in the U.K., for his role in helping beat back the attack of SARS-CoV-2.
“I am humbled to have been recognized as chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur by [French President] Macron,” Bancel told Fierce Pharma Marketing.
“To be honored with the highest French distinction for military and civil accomplishments is something I will always cherish,” he added “I remain grateful for the collaboration of the French government in our fight against COVID-19.”
This bright spot comes amid a tough month for the company: Right after CFO Jorge Gomez took office, he was instantly embroiled in a scandal after his former company Dentsply Sirona revealed an investigation into “certain financial reporting matters.”
