# Karen Chu

> Karen Chu is the founder and CEO of HiRO (Harvest Integrated Research Organization), a boutique global contract research organization that bridges clinical trials between Asia, the US, and Europe. A PharmD who spent nearly two decades at Parexel running global clinical operations across 50-plus countries, she launched HiRO in 2020 to help Asian biotechs run trials abroad and Western firms run trials in Asia. Under her leadership the company has expanded through acquisitions including Courante Oncology in the US and PharmaSols in Australia and New Zealand, while positioning itself as global in reach but deliberately mid-sized in ambition.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at HiRO (Harvest Integrated Research Organization)
- **Organizations:** HiRO (Harvest Integrated Research Organization), Parexel (former), APEX International (former)
- **From:** Taiwan
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), Rutgers University
- **Known for:** Founded and scaled HiRO into a boutique global CRO operating across Mainland China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, the US, and South Korea, Oversees 600-800 clinical trials annually with a global clinical team spanning 55+ countries, Led global clinical operations at Parexel, managing roughly 6,000 professionals across 54 countries

## Career timeline

- **2002** — Graduated from Rutgers University with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree
- **2002-2007** — Joined APEX International, a startup CRO in Taipei, as a medical writer and advanced to operations manager
- **2007-2019** — Spent 12 years at Parexel after its acquisition of APEX, rising to head of global clinical operations managing ~6,000 people across 54 countries
- **2019-2020** — Joined a Shanghai-based venture capital fund investing in biotech and therapeutics
- **2020** — Founded HiRO (Harvest Integrated Research Organization)
- **2023** — HiRO acquired Courante Oncology (US) and PharmaSols (Australia/New Zealand)
- **2026** — Moderated cross-border biotech investment panels and workshops at RESI JPM in San Francisco

## Achievements

- Founded and scaled HiRO into a boutique global CRO operating across Mainland China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, the US, and South Korea
- Oversees 600-800 clinical trials annually with a global clinical team spanning 55+ countries
- Led global clinical operations at Parexel, managing roughly 6,000 professionals across 54 countries
- Executed cross-border acquisitions of Courante Oncology and PharmaSols to expand HiRO's global footprint
- Recognized as one of the top international executives in the CRO industry
- Serves as a board member for a global biotech organization

## Latest updates

- **2026-03** — Moderated a cell and gene therapy investment panel and led a workshop on navigating Asian VC investment mandates at RESI JPM in San Francisco.
- **2023-09** — HiRO acquired Courante Oncology, a US-based oncology-focused clinical research provider, strengthening its US presence.

## Links

- Website: https://harvestiro.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-chu-7b87965

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/karen-chu
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-16