Dr Raza Bokhari
Co-Chairman of the Board and CEO
Recipient of Philadelphia Business Journal’s “40 under 40” award, physician turned entrepreneur, Dr. Raza Bokhari has over the past several years developed outstanding expertise in aggregating and accelerating life sciences and healthcare services companies. He has a vast knowledge base of developing creative concepts, implementing programs and forming strategic alliances. An effective “change agent”, with several years of experience and expertise in start-up and turn-around businesses, he has a special knack of adeptly turning around financially struggling companies. Raza has, over the years, come to realize the special role of private equity funds, venture capital money, and leveraged debt partnersin executing accelerated growth trends in healthcare services and cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.
Recognizing his zeal and passion for innovative entrepreneurship, Temple University’s Fox School of Business and Management nominated him “Entrepreneur in Residence” for the academic year 2001-2002. In October 2004,
Philadelphia Business Journal (PBJ) named Dr. Bokhari’s company, Parkway Clinical Laboratories (PCL) as one of the top three small businesses to work for in the greater Philadelphia area. In 2001, Raza acquired financially distressed Lakewood Pathology Associates (LPA). During his term as the President and CEO until May 2007, the company grew ten times in revenue, expanded its client base to more than 25 states and created more than a hundred new jobs in the region. In June 2005, 2006, and 2007, PBJ also recognized LPA as one of the fastest growing top 25 companies in South Jersey. In 2006, LPA was included in the Philadelphia 100® fastest growing companies of the region. In May 2006, Raza sold LPA to a Chicago based PE fund, Water Street Healthcare Partners. The company received a $50 million equity commitment and produced an IRR of 3,684% (EBITDA x 8.3). In July 2008, Raza finalized the merger of PCL with Rosetta Genomics (ROSG), a global biotech R&D Company leading the microRNA revolution in cancer diagnostics and targeted therapeutics, to help execute Rosetta’s global commercialization efforts; the transaction produced an IRR of 137% (EBITDA x 27).
In April of 2016, Raza was named co-chair of the $100 Million centennial campaign to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the Fox School of Business at Temple University, which he kicked off by making a $1 million leadership contribution. This follows his November 2006 $1 million gift to Temple University. In recognition of his support to Temple University and for promoting entrepreneurship in the region and beyond, the suite housing the Fox Business Innovation & Entrepreneurship Institute was named “Raza Bokhari Innovation & Entrepreneurship Suite”. Raza is frequently retained as a consultant for due diligence by PE and VC funds focused in investing in life sciences/bio-tech and healthcare services companies. Regional, national and international media outlets an newspapers have either interviewed Raza or published his profile as an industry expert and community/civic leader.
Raza has also spoken before professional organizations and academic institutions, including the US Congressional Caucus at Capitol Hill in Washington DC. Raza has a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Punjab, Rawalpindi Medical College, and an Executive MBA from Temple University, Fox School of Business & Management. Raza currently serves as the Chairman & CEO of PCL, a global diagnostic provider of addiction screening and opioid prescription medication monitoring. Raza is also the managing partner of RBx Capital, LP and is a board member of Akers Biosciences (Nasdaq: AKER). He volunteers his time as General Pervez Musharraf, Former President of Pakistan’s North American Point of Contact. He was elected as the National President for the Pakistani American Public Affairs Committee (PAKPAC) for the years 2006-07. Raza serves on the Board of Temple University’s Fox School of Business and Management as Chairman of the Dean’s Council. He is Vice Chairman of the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia and a Trustee of the esteemed Foreign Policy Research Institute. Raza has previously served as a Trustee of the prestigious Franklin Institute for the years 2007-2012. More information on Raza is available at www.razabokhari.com.
