The Emerging Biotech Leader

In this episode of The Emerging Biotech Leader , Kim Kushner sits down with Chris Kennedy, CEO of Pacific Genetech, to examine a different approach to building leadership teams in early-stage biotech: building organizations around program needs rather than fixed leadership structures.  Biotech companies are often built around a familiar assumption: identify the key leadership roles, hire the right...

Rare disease programs force teams to confront operational realities much earlier in development, particularly when advanced modalities, limited patient populations, and complex site requirements intersect.  In this episode of The Emerging Biotech Leader , hosts Kim Kushner and Ramin Farhood are joined by Brendan Slagle, Senior Director, Medical at SSI Strategy to discuss why operational feasibilit...

Rare disease drug development has a design problem. In this episode of The Emerging Biotech Leader, hosts Kim Kushner and Ramin Farhood speak with Marshall Summar, CEO and founder of Uncommon Cures, who has run more than 200 rare disease trials across academic medicine and industry. His core argument: sponsors are still defaulting to trial models built for large, homogeneous populations, in diseas...

In this episode of The Emerging Biotech Leader , Kim Kushner sits down with Nicky Wisener , Vice President, Managed Access Practice at Clinigen Group, to explore how emerging biotechs can think more strategically about patient access well before commercialization.  The discussion shifts the focus from market access to patient access, viewed globally, and across the product lifecycle. Nicky brings...

In this episode of The Emerging Biotech Leader , host Kim Kushner sits down with Matt Trudeau, President of ITF Therapeutics , to discuss what it means to operate within a family-run pharmaceutical company and how that model shapes decision-making differently than a public or venture-backed organization.   With more than 25 years of experience spanning Genzyme, Biogen, Bluebird Bio, and now ITF, M...

In this episode of Emerging Biotech Leaders , host Ramin Farhood speaks with Meaghan Powers , Senior Director of Clinical Operations at SSI Strategy. With deep experience across biotech, pharma, and consulting, she offers a clear view of where clinical operations drives strategic value and how early engagement can set emerging biotechs up for success.  Key Themes and Insights   1. Clinical Operati...

Clinical operations translates scientific research into the studies and data needed to bring new therapies to patients. In this episode of The Emerging Biotech Leader podcast, host Ramin Farhood speaks with Sharon Arnold , a seasoned clinical operations executive with more than two decades of experience in both large pharma and emerging biotechs, about how operational leadership determines whether...

Kim and Ramin celebrate the anniversary of The Emerging Biotech Leader , marking three years, 50 episodes, and listeners across 50 countries. Unlike past episodes with guests, this milestone is a reflective conversation between the two hosts, weaving together the themes and lessons that have emerged across the series.  Lesson 1: Leading Without Certainty   Biotech is defined by ambiguity, and succ...

In this conversation, Kim Kushner and Adriana Valenciano , Head of Client Delivery at SSI Strategy, take a closer look at what truly drives progress in early-stage biotechs. Picking up on themes first raised by Dr. Ed Tucker , they explore how leadership partnership, the structure of a Target Product Profile, and the intentional use of AI all shape how young organizations grow.  In biotech’s earli...

Being a Chief Medical Officer looks very different on the inside than it does from the outside. In this episode, Dr. Ed Tucker talks openly about what he’s learned after serving as CMO in companies big and small. He traces his path from large pharma training grounds to the unpredictable world of startups, and what that shift taught him about adaptability, trust, and resilience.  Along the way, Ed...

Biotech leaders are asked to do a lot; move fast, manage limited resources, and guide teams through very different stages of development. In this episode of The Emerging Biotech Leader , host Kim Kushner talks with Dr. Benit Maru, Senior Vice President at SSI Strategy, about what it really looks like to lead in that environment.  They cover:  The contrasts between early and late development leader...

In this episode of The Emerging Biotech Leader , Kim Kushner speaks with Dr. Michael Goldstein, ophthalmologist and multi-time Chief Medical Officer, about the realities of biotech leadership across modalities and development stages.  Dr. Goldstein reflects on lessons learned from leading clinical programs in small molecules, biologics, gene therapies, cell therapies, and drug-device combinations....

What does it take to bring patient-focused values into the real decisions that shape drug development, especially when you're moving fast, working lean, and under pressure to deliver?  In this episode, host Kim Kushner speaks with Victoria Oswald , Vice President at SSI Strategy, about how biotech teams can start small but think deliberately when embedding patient input and cultural intent into ea...

In this episode, Kim speaks with Jill Milne, Ph. D., CEO of Astria Therapeutics, about what it really takes to build a biotech company around patient needs, not just in mission statements, but in everyday decisions. Drawing on her 25+ years in pharma and biotech, Jill shares how Astria is redefining what it means to be patient-first, why culture is more than a slogan, and how leaders can align boa...

What does it really take to launch a biotech company that lasts? In this episode, host Kim Kushner sits down with Dr. Marcia de Souza Lima , a physician-executive whose journey spans clinical care, global pharma, investment, and startup leadership. Together, they explore the earliest days of company formation—where every decision, from team design to product development, can shape the long-term pa...

In this episode of The Emerging Biotech Leader , host Kim Kushner speaks with Al Beardsley, CEO of Cirius Therapeutics, about the foundational principles that guide sustainable biotech company building. A seasoned operator with experience across early discovery and late-stage development, Al introduces his “Five P’s” framework—a practical, clear-eyed guide for leaders responsible for turning scien...

In this episode, Chief Business Officer Kim Kushner talks with Dr. Carrie Brownstein, SVP Medical at SSI Strategy, about how to think through the fit between a biotech leader and their company’s stage of development.  Carrie shares lessons from her own path from large pharma to biotech and how different kinds of experience shape what a CMO can offer at different points in a company’s growth. They...

In this episode of The Emerging Biotech Leader , Chief Business Officer Kim Kushner and Dr. Carrie Brownstein, SVP Medical at SSI Strategy are joined by Dr. Chrystal Louis, Chief Medical Officer at TScan Therapeutics, to discuss how different professional experiences shape leadership approaches in the biotechnology sector. Dr. Louis brings extensive experience across clinical development and medic...

As biotech innovation accelerates across therapeutic areas organizations face complex strategic decisions about their future. In this episode of The Emerging Biotech Leader, former EMA Director Dr. Thomas Lönngren offers insights into the market dynamics and organizational requirements that will define success in 2025. Several key themes emerged from our discussion that will shape the industry's t...

When does a biotech need a Chief Medical Officer? "If you're asking, you probably needed one yesterday," suggests Dr. Benit Maru in this straight-talking episode of Emerging Biotech Leader.  The SSI Strategy medical lead breaks from convention, arguing that early-stage organizations - particularly those in rare disease or novel modalities - can't afford to postpone medical leadership. His analysis...

Have you ever wondered what makes a great biotech CMO? In this episode of the Emerging Biotech Leader , Dr. Steven Zelenkofske shares the practical, hard-earned insights he’s gained from his five CMO positions and multiple board roles, offering straightforward advice on how CMOs can step in early, build strong executive relationships, and drive clinical programs to successful outcomes. This episod...

The relationship between biotech leadership and their boards is evolving, particularly as private equity takes a larger role in the industry. In this episode of the Emerging Biotech Leader, Nick Amigone from Amulet Capital Partners offers a unique perspective on building effective board relationships from the private equity vantage point.   The conversation explores three distinct board structures...

How can biotech CEOs and their boards foster strong, trusting relationships that drive effective decision-making and long-term success? In this episode of Emerging Biotech Leader , host Kim Kushner explores this critical question together with Don de Bethizy. Don is a seasoned life sciences executive with over 30 years of experience, having served as a founder and CEO as well as board member and a...

In this episode of "The Emerging Biotech Leader" podcast, host Ramin Frahood speaks with Helen Kargaryani, VP Global Head of Quality/Quality Services at SSI Strategy. With over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, Helen shares her expertise on quality and risk management.  Risk management in these industries is a critical process that helps companies identify, prior...

This episode offers critical insights on leveraging risk management as a strategic advantage in medical device development. In a conversation with Ramin Farhood, Bijan Elahi, with over 30 years of experience, provides a roadmap for integrating safety considerations into innovation pipelines, potentially accelerating time-to-market and enhancing competitive positioning.  Key Strategic Takeaways:  ...