NEW YORK—Barbara Lindheim and Stephen Gendel, both veterans of biotech public relations powerhouse Noonan Russo Presence, have formed GendeLLindheim BioCom Partners, an independent consultancy providing strategic communications counsel to biotechnology, diagnostic and specialty pharmaceutical clients.

“Challenging times require fresh approaches,” says Lindheim, whose previous experience includes positions with Edelman, SmithKline Beecham, and most recently as vice president of strategic communications at Orchid BioSciences. “Stephen and I see a need for agency services that are high quality with low overhead, where senior management is directly involved in providing communications counsel that is strategic, effective and affordable by both young and established clients.”

Lindheim has worked with pharmaceutical and biotech companies largely in the areas of strategic positioning, communications and marketing, while Gendel has 20-plus years of media experience, including executive positions with leading agencies in biomedical media relations and a career as an award-winning broadcast journalist. He was most recently a senior media specialist at Chandler Chicco Agency.

“Together Barbara and I have worked inside the media, inside biomedical companies and inside public relations agencies, so we understand what clients, reporters and investors want and need,” says Gendel. “Our solid foundation of broad- based industry experience will enable us to deliver counsel that provides both quality and value to our clients.”

GendeLLindheim will provide counsel on corporate positioning and strategy, press releases and media outreach, investor and analyst meetings, and corporate materials and issues management. Leveraging Gendel’s experience in broadcasting, the company also offers top quality media and speaker coaching, as well as corporate video services.