Bionomics (ASX:BNO) has appointed former Reserve Bank economist Dr Peter Jonson as chairman, and extended the contract of chief executive officer and managing director Dr Deborah Rathjen until June 2008. Dr Jonson is currently chairman of the Australian Institute for Commercialisation and the CRC for Microtechnology. He is also a director of Village Roadshow, Pro Medicus and Sequoia Capital Management. He previously chaired the federal government's Biotechnology Centre of Excellence expert panel, and the Major National Research Facilities Committee. After working as an economist and policy adviser at the Reserve Bank of Australia, Dr Jonson served as CEO of Norwich Union's Australian business and managing director and then Chairman of ANZ Funds Management. He is chair emeritus of the Melbourne Institute. At Bionomics, he succeeds Fraser Ainsworth, who will retire as a director at the annual general meeting in November.