Inizio Evoke Announces Medical Leadership Evolution: Matthew Hoelzle Named Chief Medical Officer

May 2025 – New York, NY – Inizio Evoke, a global health marketing, communications, and transformation platform, today announced the elevation of Matthew Hoelzle, PhD, to the role of Chief Medical Officer. The transition marks a significant next chapter for Inizio Evoke’s industry-leading medical team as Karsten Risch, MD, steps into a new role as Chair, Medical Strategy through 2025.

Matt assumes leadership of one of the most respected medical strategy teams in the business, bringing with him two decades of scientific and strategic expertise. Since joining Inizio Evoke in 2016, he has played a pivotal role in evolving the organization’s medical strategy offering—shaping it into a flexible, deeply integrated model that meets the growing needs of today’s pharmaceutical and biotech clients.

“Matt is a brilliant scientific thinker and trusted partner to our clients,” said Cris Morton, Group President, Inizio Evoke. “He brings a unique ability to translate complex science into impactful, insight-led strategy—always with a focus on what truly matters for healthcare providers, patients, and brands. His leadership is critical as we continue to unlock more value across the health ecosystem.”

Matt has led medical strategy for some of the most high-science brands on the market, particularly in oncology, and has been instrumental in delivering integrated solutions across HCP, patient, and corporate communications. Prior to joining Inizio Evoke, he held leadership roles in medical education and publication strategy, and holds a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Pennsylvania, where he also taught cancer cell biology.

As Matt steps into this new role, Karsten Risch, MD, who has served as Chief Medical Officer since 2019, will remain with Inizio Evoke through 2025 as Chair, Medical Strategy. In this capacity, Karsten will continue to support key client engagements and provide strategic counsel across selected business development initiatives.

“Karsten has been a foundational leader for Inizio Evoke’s medical practice,” said Reid Connolly, CEO & Founder, Inizio Evoke. “His scientific rigor, client insight, and unwavering commitment to excellence have helped shape our success over the past six years. We are incredibly grateful that he will continue to lend his expertise during this important transition.”

This leadership evolution reinforces Inizio Evoke’s commitment to delivering medically grounded, human-centric communications that drive transformative growth for health and life sciences brands.

About Inizio Evoke
Inizio Evoke is a global health marketing, communications, and transformation platform unlocking growth through data-driven insight and human centricity. Purpose-built to solve life’s greatest health challenges, we are united by a shared purpose: Health more human. Inizio Evoke is built to design intuitive, people-centric experiences, brands, and businesses that drive transformative growth.
Learn more at www.inizioevoke.com.

About Inizio
Inizio is a commercialization partner that provides tailored, innovative solutions to help health and life sciences companies with their clinical development and commercialization journey to maximize patient access. Leveraging its connected suite of capabilities, Inizio experts guide clients through each pivotal moment in their asset's lifecycle, by simplifying the complex, unlocking value, and enhancing treatment outcomes.

Inizio has five specialist business units, each comprising best-in-class companies that provide the depth, breadth, and scale to activate transformational solutions and reimagine health.
Learn more at www.inizio.com.