Directorie’s Post

Celebrating 50 Years of Transformative Partnerships! 🎉 As Bench International marks its 50th Anniversary, we’re thrilled to highlight the voices of those who have trusted us to help shape their organizations — our clients, candidates, and partners. This week, we’re honored to feature a testimonial from Marty Keiser, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of IVBH, who beautifully reflects on our commitment to excellence: “Throughout my career in life sciences, I have never partnered with a company that can uniquely address the needs of a company across all stages of its growth, from startup to Fortune 500, quite like Bench International. Bench is a cherished partner across all of my endeavors and has always ensured that each and every placement exceeds expectations while enriching the core values of the company and preserving that ‘something special’ when it comes to corporate culture — a winning formula that has resulted in Bench’s industry-defining dominance over the last five decades.” Helping companies like Marty’s build exceptional teams is at the heart of what we do. This is just the beginning — each week, we’ll feature more stories that reflect our five decades of dedication to advancing leadership in life sciences. 👉 Visit our 50th Anniversary page to explore more about our legacy and impact: https://lnkd.in/eGk4pR73 #Bench50Years #LifeSciencesLeadership #ClientTestimonial #ExecutiveSearch #CelebratingSuccess #LifeSciences #FutureofHealthcare #Healthcare #Leadership #HealthTech #MedTech #Healthcare #Pharmaceuticals

Full disclosure, the first 15 mins of our lunch 🍴 were spent bemoaning 😭 the demise of our once proud football club, Manchester United❗ 🌟🚀 On that note, I'm pleased to introduce Philip Miller as the next professional on the #50lunches50leaders series 🌟🚀 Once we unpacked 🛅 those collective frustrations, it dawned on me that the start of the Red Devils slide, strangely coincided with Phil's own career going into overdrive & the fortunes of both parties have been going in different directions ↔ ever since!    Coming from a family of scientists ⚕, it was no surprise Phil found himself in a laboratory at GSK to start his career. The world 🌍 of molecular pharmacology/DMPK kept him engaged for 5 years (also gaining his Ph.D from the University of Leeds), but a desire to further challenge himself saw him enter the management consulting space. Jumping in the deep end, he entered Deallus as the 8th employee worldwide. Starting as a Research Consultant/Analyst, he exited 7 years later as Head of EMEA & LATAM. This conversion period of academia/science to commercial/business saw him experience dozens of projects with a huge range of 💊 pharma/biotech clients.   Astellas Pharma next secured his services & he remained in their EU business for the next 4 years. First in the UK 🇬🇧 as Senior Director, Corporate Strategy & Planning for EMEA & then Head of Sales & Marketing in Austria 🇦🇹. Clearly impressing the folks at HQ, the next step was bringing him & his family to Japan 🇯🇵 where he continued his work in Corporate & Portfolio Strategy, as Executive Director & then VP for a further 4 years. Wishing to remain in Japan 🌸, an expansion role opened at Novartis, where he has remained since mid 2023. As Head of Strategy & Growth, he oversees NPP, Launch Excellence, Business Development, Strategy & Governance & in this role, he encourages his team to focus on outcome over process. "If you're solving a complex problem 🤔, it's important to keep focussed on the outcome versus sticking with the original plan & unintentionally compromising on quality. It's about working through ambiguity, learning & adapting the process as you go, while keeping leaders close enough to the team & the subject matter to have a view 🔭 on whether initiatives are moving at the right pace & in the right direction.   It is in this environment where I've found teams produce their best work & can operate with confidence that the output is genuinely what matters rather than sticking to arbitrary deadlines.   The Japanese business environment can typically be quite process-minded & hierarchical. However, it's important to have the courage to say we don't know the answer yet & we don't know every step 👣 we will take. In my experience, this openness is usually appreciated, encourages constructive engagement & creates the best conditions for ⚡ success!" Thanks a lot Philip for joining me for a feed & wishing you (& Man U) great success for the year (season ⚽) ahead! 👍👍

Business Development leaders sitting at (or reporting into) the C-Suite within mid-cap and large-cap BioPharma will find that the role offers a multitude of career pathways thereafter.   The vast majority don’t make a subsequent move to a peer BioPharma organisation either in an analogous role or indeed to take a step up the career ladder within the same space (as is sometimes the case for other functions). In fact, the most common next step is transitioning into a CEO position or the VC arena.   Additionally, whilst the majority of current leaders in BD and Corporate Development are internal promotes from within the same organisation, external hires often come from the Financial Services world (notably Investment Banking or Equities Research).   The mandate to BD and Corporate Development leaders to drive inorganic growth in BioPharma shows no signs of slowing down, (little wonder when research indicates that over 60% of marketed assets in the last 15 years across the Top 30 Biopharma companies emanated from BD&L/M&A activity). As such, understanding the C-Suite career trajectory - and choices - available to senior BD leaders, can help CEOs and CPOs optimise their succession plans and hiring strategies to ensure that they have the best BD talent to support their enterprise agenda.

NAVIGATING PARTNERING IN A 'BUYER'S MARKET': LESSONS FROM CBO CONVERSATIONS 💡 As I compile insights for my upcoming report on Chief Business Officer challenges in biopharma—drawing from in-depth conversations with over 30 industry leaders—a critical theme has emerged: operating in today's 'buyer's market.' In one such conversation, a CBO from a US-listed, clinical-stage precision oncology company shared: ➡️ OUTLICENSING CHALLENGES "Right now, the challenge is the long horizon toward clinical data. Big pharma is sitting and waiting—they're hesitant to commit until at least Phase I data or proof of concept is demonstrated. It's a buyer's market." "As a BD professional, managing those peaks and valleys in deal opportunities is a constant challenge. You can't control macroeconomic factors or market evolution, but you can be clear and candid about the environment you're operating in." "It's about setting realistic expectations within your leadership team. It doesn't mean you're not bullish about your pipeline, but you need to be self-aware and plan appropriately." ➡️ INLICENSING CHALLENGES They also highlighted the fierce competition in inlicensing: "Competition is intensifying, especially for companies our size that aren't large. Emerging markets like China have been sources of innovation, but now everyone's looking there. So, what's the next source?" "Evaluating AI platforms adds another layer of difficulty. Many are 'black boxes,' and our ability to do due diligence on these technologies has been really challenging." "Being a smaller company competing with the big guys is hard. You have to be very creative in your deal-making." ➡️ STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME THESE CHALLENGES 🔑 The CBO emphasized two key strategies: 1. Transparent Communication 🗣️ "You can't control the market or the economy, but you can be upfront with your leadership team. It's about being clear about the environment we're operating in and managing internal and external expectations." 2. Leveraging Relationships for Creative Deal-Making 🤝 "Relationships are probably the most important aspect. The last two deals we closed were thanks to strong relationships—we knew someone who introduced us to someone else. That's how we found these opportunities before big pharma did." "In smaller companies, it's not always about the size of the check; it's about who you can work well with. Creative deal-making and leveraging trusted networks have been key to our success." ➡️ Operating in today's biopharma landscape requires agility, trust, and a strategy that relies on strong networks. Whether it's managing extended timelines on outlicensing deals or competing in a crowded inlicensing market, small companies need to be creative and build relationships to stay ahead. 🤔 How are you managing the complexities of outlicensing and inlicensing in today's market? Share your experiences—I believe we can all learn from each other's insights. #Biotech #CBOChallenges

I recently attended an excellent workshop on strategic partnerships with the team from Johnson & Johnson Innovation. The session covered strategic alliance management, valuation concepts, technical diligence, and key communication and negotiation skills. These insights will be incredibly helpful in fostering successful partnerships and driving growth. #BusinessDevelopment #StrategicPartnerships #LifeSciences #ProfessionalGrowth #JohnsonAndJohnsonInnovation https://lnkd.in/gPPQB_hE

For 50 years, Bench International has built a legacy of trusted partnerships and transformative leadership. 🌐 As we celebrate this milestone, we’re honored to continue highlighting the voices of those who have partnered with us along the way—leaders, innovators, and changemakers who share our commitment to excellence. This week, we’re proud to feature a testimonial from Clive Meanwell, Chairman and Managing Partner of Population Health Partners, who reflects on the lasting impact of our partnership: “Celebrating Bench International’s 50 years of excellence, I am reminded of their key role in helping us to shape the leadership and management for the companies and teams we’ve built over 4 decades. Bench’s commitment to shape, and identify our needs — linked to their uncanny ability to attract and present excellent leaders, managers and technical experts — have been among the key drivers for our success. We are proud to congratulate DeeDee and the Bench team as they celebrate this remarkable milestone.” Helping leaders and organizations thrive through trusted partnerships is at the core of what we do. Each week, we’ll continue to share more stories from the incredible individuals and companies who have been part of our journey. 👉 Visit our 50th Anniversary page to learn more about our legacy and the future we’re building together: https://lnkd.in/eGk4pR73 #Bench50Years #ExecutiveSearch #LeadershipExcellence #ClientTestimonial #PopulationHealth #CelebratingSuccess #LifeSciencesLeadership #Innovation #FutureofHealthcare #HealthEquity #DEI #Healthcare #Pharmaceuticals #Biotechnology #HealthTech #MedTech #PatientImpact

At Bench International, relationships have been at the heart of our success for 50 years. As we celebrate this milestone, we’re honored to highlight the voices of those who have partnered with us along the way—leaders, innovators, and changemakers who share our commitment to excellence. This week, we’re proud to feature a testimonial from Samantha Schneider, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AmpersandPeople, who reflects on the impact of our work and the leadership of our founder, Denise (DeeDee) DeMan: “It’s truly been an honor to partner with Bench International over the years, both in addressing client needs and engaging in transformative industry events. The privilege of learning from and being inspired by a true pioneer like DeeDee—who not only gives back but champions other women and fosters meaningful connections—is unmatched. DeeDee’s example fuels my vision for the next 40+ years of AmpersandPeople. Knowing I can confidently recommend and trust Bench as a service provider adds immense value to the relationships we strive to cultivate with our clients. Here’s to celebrating 50 remarkable years of impact, innovation, and leadership, Bench Team—cheers to many more!” Helping leaders and organizations thrive through trusted partnerships is at the core of what we do. Each week, we’ll continue to share more stories from the incredible individuals and companies who have been part of our journey. 👉 Visit our 50th Anniversary page to learn more about our legacy and the future we’re building together: https://lnkd.in/eGk4pR73 #Bench50Years #LifeSciencesLeadership #ClientTestimonial #ExecutiveSearch #CelebratingSuccess #LifeSciences #Innovation #FutureofHealthcare #Leadership #HealthEquity #DiversityinLeadership #Innovation #DEI #Healthcare #Pharmaceuticals #Biotechnology #HealthTech #MedTech #PatientImpact

Do your board meetings look a bit like this? A very senior Biotech industry operator recently asked me to share my thoughts on what makes a great board in preparation for a panel session she was joining on this topic. Thought I would share my 'brain dump' and am starting with what makes a terrible board and working back! Afficiananados of the hit US series 'Succession' will understand the trials and tribulations of the Roy family and the aging CEO and father of the family Logan Roy. It's a wonderfully compelling and toxic culture and an exemplar of how not to constitute boards. So what makes a great board? The Role of the Chair is key. They need to act as both a confidante to the CEO and a conduit between the investors and the board. 'Fingers out brains in' is a much-vaunted mantra. Diversity is critical. Not just gender/race etc but diversity of thought - people who come from different backgrounds and so have different life experiences and expectations. Nasdaq Exchange insists on diversity as a prerequisite to listing. The Board needs to understand its role. Boards do strategy, not operations and so if a CEO is asking the board how to run the company, that is a red flag. Kind of operational, but do the time zones make sense for the board? Teams get you so far but a heavy-hitting board member based in SD is not going to be jumping a plane every 5 weeks for board meetings in London (or Zug) - the same applies to traveling from Europe to the US. Does each board member fill clearly defined capability gaps and inform strategy from a base of deep experience whether that been translation, clinical development, commercial launch, or investor relations - you may need a formalized diagnostic approach to figure out where those gaps lie. The board has to make tough decisions so should not be too cozy with the CEO/Executive Management Team. They will decide if the CEO is the right person to lead the company through its next stage of development. By no means an exhaustive list and be very interested to hear your comments/observations but if you would like a no-obligation view based on years of experience in putting Biotech boards together then I would be delighted to help.

15 Key Insights: #HealthTech and Big #Pharma Partnerships - Part IV - Structures & Incentives (cont'd) 5. Frequently Changing #Stakeholders In my previous post, I discussed the complexity of decision-making in a large pharmaceutical company and the need for you to identify the full network of decision-makers and secure a champion for your product. Let’s assume you’ve done your homework and ticked all the boxes above. Your work isn’t over just yet, and here’s why: In many multinational pharma companies, leaders stay in a role for only 2-3 years on average before they get promoted to a new opportunity. So even if you have a great internal champion, this is the maximum amount of time he or she will be in place to support you. If they move elsewhere in the organization, you will be faced with a new core stakeholder whom you’ll need to educate on your solution. This new stakeholder may have very different ideas on how to best achieve the objectives of the brand, franchise, or activity your health tech solution supports. Additionally, every new leader wants to champion their own new ideas. In some cases, it may not even be your direct champion who moves, but their boss or someone higher up in the hierarchy, and the new person in the role may (or more likely will) question your specific project, as they usually approve the budget for these initiatives. And we are just talking about “natural” changes within the organization. On top of these organic moves, many pharma companies undergo some form of restructuring every 2-3 years, if not more often. The best way to be prepared for this event, which is bound to happen even in very successful pharma/healthtech partnerships, is to track meaningful #KPIs (to be discussed in an upcoming key insight) or, even better, direct #ROI from day one of your partnership. Ideally, you should regularly update a business case for the client that explains why your partnership shouldn’t be on the chopping block when changes occur. Beyond that, the more thoroughly you have done your homework in point no. 3 and created a network of supporters across the organization, the less likely a new person will challenge the status quo. Have you experienced stakeholder changes yourself in your partnerships with big companies, and how have you managed it?

I’m humbled by the number of calls and messages of support I’ve received since announcing my new venture, ELEV8 Fractional Solutions. The most common question I’ve encountered is, “What exactly is a fractional executive?” While I didn’t coin the term, I’m excited to be part of this growing movement that’s reshaping how businesses access leadership. For those still curious about what a Fractional Executive is, this definition from Paul Salvage sums it up perfectly: "A fractional executive works more like a consultant, bringing their extensive experience and expertise to the table without requiring the long-term commitment of a full-time hire. This arrangement can be particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses that may not have the resources to hire a full-time executive, but still need the guidance and leadership of an experienced professional.” Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ga9RY-3x At ELEV8, we empower start-ups and small to medium-sized businesses by providing seasoned VP of Sales, Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), and Chief Sales Officer (CSO) executives. Our clients gain: Experience On-Demand Focused Expertise Flexibility & Scalability Cost-Effective Solutions Risk Mitigation Additionally, we offer Revenue Operations & Strategy, as well as Training & Development solutions. To learn more about how we can support your business, feel free to send me a message or visit www.ELEV8fs.ca. #FractionalLeadership #BusinessGrowth #StartupSupport #LeadershipDevelopment #SalesExcellence #ELEV8FractionalSolutions #RevenueOperations #ExecutiveConsulting