Molecule to Market: Inside the outsourcing space

The People-first CEO of FUJIFILM Biotechnologies

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Lars Petersen, President & Chief Executive Officer at FUJIFILM Biotechnologies.

 

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Lars, covering:

• The difficult decision to leave Novo Nordisk and make the jump from one great company to another in Genentech/Roche.
• How leaving a Biogen site led him to step away from big pharma after 25 years and transition to the CDMO side.
• How Fujifilm’s culture of innovation, technology, quality, and people runs through the Biotechnologies division — and why empowerment and culture should never be compromised.
• Why the duplication of its CDMO sites globally, all running on the same kojoX platform, is truly differentiating.
• Why he believes the need to standardise, scale, and globalise drug production in a consistent, efficient, and traceable way is key to the future of the supply chain.

Molecule to Market is also sponsored by Bora Pharma (boracdmo.com) and Charles River (www.criver.com), and supported by Lead Candidate. 

 

Lars Petersen, CEO of FUJIFILM Biotechnologies, is recognized as a visionary leader in the life science sector, commanding a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with nearly 5,000 employees spread across Denmark, UK, USA, and Japan. 

 

Distinguished for his strategic vision and a "people first" philosophy, Lars has profoundly impacted the company and the industry. His leadership journey saw him rise from Chief Operational Officer & Senior Vice President at the Danish site, where he established an empowering culture, to CEO, promoting transparency across all operations. Since his global leadership appointment in June 2023, Lars has been instrumental in cultural transformation, integrating a "people first" approach across FUJIFILM Biotechnologies’ global facilities regardless of geographical differences.

 

Prior to his appointment as CEO, Lars was responsible for the Global Large Scale Commercial operation including full profit and loss accountability as well as the responsibility for over $6.2 Billion global expansions both in Hillerød, Denmark, and Holly Springs, North Carolina, USA.   Previously, Lars has held leadership positions with Biogen, Genentech/Roche, Novo Nordisk, Novozymes and NNE, and he has successfully executed projects in Europe, China and the US.   Lars holds a master’s degree from the Technical University of Denmark.

 

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Driving growth and removing waste for big pharma

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Matt Lowe, CEO at performance.io/

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Matt, covering:

• Seeing a niche in SEO, within the healthcare space... and opting to take a risk and jump our of big pharma.
• Why healthcare agency models are built for agencies, not pharma.
• The mass wastage of big pharma spend when it comes to the commercial launch.
• How you should be thinking about generative search and customer experience... and why Google is still dominating the search landscape.

Founder and CEO at performance-io (PIO), Matt has been the driving force behind bringing search engine optimization (SEO) into pharma. With more than 22 years in the highly regulated industry pharma space, spanning client-side and agency roles, he is responsible for a number of industry firsts, all focused on helping pharma companies to revolutionize their customer engagement.

 

Molecule to Market is also sponsored by Bora Pharma (boracdmo.com) and Charles River (www.criver.com), and supported by Lead Candidate. Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Riding the ups and downs of entrepreneurship

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Michael Scholl, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder at Leukocare.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Michael, covering:

• The influences, and potential for impact that led him down a path of entrepreneurship.
• Chronicling the ups and downs of over 20 years in business at Leukocare.
• Pivoting to be a specialist CRO/CDMO with a differentiation in data-driven, formulation development... leading to a record year in 2024.
• How the delay in decision making in the market is impacting the pharma services space.

Michael Scholl is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Leukocare, a leading CDMO specializing in formulation and drug product development services for sterile injectables. With more than 20 years of leadership experience in the life sciences industry, Michael is responsible for shaping the company’s strategic direction and cultivating partnerships with biopharmaceutical clients around the world.

Under his leadership, Leukocare has established itself as a trusted partner in advancing complex biologics from early development to market-ready drug products. He began his career as a business consultant at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), he holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from the Technical University of Berlin and studied at the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley.

 

Molecule to Market is also sponsored by Bora Pharma (boracdmo.com) and Charles River (www.criver.com), and supported by Lead Candidate.

 

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Unlocking CDMO growth via commercial excellence

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Kaan-Fabian Kekec, Partner in Healthcare and Life Sciences at Simon-Kucher.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Kaan, covering:

• Being on the sunny side of consulting, and helping clients unlock growth.
• What makes a key strategic partnership both from a CDMO, and a sponsor perspective.
• The taboo subject of pricing and how it can be used to help unlock commercial positioning, and excellence.
• Common mistakes in BD teams, and the importance of value positioning.
• The hottest segments in the market right now, and some of the competitive drivers in today's market.

Kaan leads the firm’s Healthcare B2B and Pharma Services business globally, encompassing CDMOs, CROs, bioprocessing solutions, drug delivery, packaging, and more.

He specializes in delivering end-to-end commercial strategies for CDMOs, advising on growth initiatives and supporting clients throughout the entire lead-to-deal process—from marketing and sales to proposal management and deal optimization.

Molecule to Market is also sponsored by Bora Pharma (boracdmo.com) and Charles River (www.criver.com), and supported by Lead Candidate. 

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Pharma services market sentiment at the midpoint of 25

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Adam Siebert, Managing Director and Partner at L.E.K. Consulting.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Adam, covering:

• Adam's journey from academic to commercial, and what helped him transition into 'life science enablers".
• How pandemic demand has left our sector with a huge over capacity issue and market imbalance.
• Some positive signals for the second half of 2025 after a period of geopolitical chaos, and a bumpy rollercoaster.
• Even thought biotech funding has largely returned... how decreasing clinical trials, a shifting of therapeutic focus, and the concentration of investments on fewer, higher value deals is impacting pharma services.
• The value of building a reputation in one in-demand modality area before extending into other modalities. And why the CDMO is at an inflexion point...

Adam is a Managing Director and Partner in L.E.K. Consulting’s New York office and a member of the Life Sciences practice. He has been with L.E.K. for over eight years, and has experience across diagnostics and research tools, bioprocessing and pharma services, and emerging, mid-cap and large pharma. Adam has helped a number of clients in the life sciences industry with growth strategy, life cycle management, portfolio optimization and M&A projects. Adam holds a Bachelor of Science from Boston College and a Ph.D. from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

 

 Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is also sponsored by Bora Pharma (boracdmo.com) and Charles River (www.criver.com), and supported by ramarketing.

Doc to CEO - 40 years of reinvention in biopharma

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Stephen Dilly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer at Codexis.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Stephen, covering:

• His journey of almost 40 years in the industry, including 20 years as a CEO.
• Leading two therapeutic companies to two, successful, $billion+ exits...
• Not making snap judgements and instant opinions early on in your role as a senior leader.
• Why he took on the challenge of leading Codexis at this phase of his career.
• The importance of values as guiding principles, and spending in-person time with your team.

As President & CEO of Codexis since August 2022, Stephen brings more than three decades of executive management experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. Most recently, he served as President and CEO of Sierra Oncology (NASDAQ: SRRA) through its recent sale to GlaxoSmithKline for $1.9 billion. 

Previously, Dr. Dilly served as CEO of Aimmune Therapeutics, acquired by Nestle Health Science for $2.6 billion. Dr. Dilly has served in executive roles at Genentech, Chiron and SmithKline Beecham and has been associated with the development, approval and launch of more than twenty marketed drugs across multiple therapeutic areas. He holds both an MBBS and a PhD in Cardiac Physiology from the University of London.

 

Molecule to Market is also sponsored by Bora Pharma (boracdmo.com) and Charles River (www.criver.com), and supported by ramarketing. 

 

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Meet the new boss of CPHI Europe

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Tara Dougal, Event Director - Pharma (CPHI Europe).

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Tara, covering:

• How CPHI has changed over the last decade of Tara being involved in the show.
• The challenge of dealing with the volume of over 60k people turning up for three days at a major European city.
• Being tasked with running one of Informa Markets' largest global shows.
• How to make the most of this year's CPHI Europe before, during and after the show.
• The hidden gems of opportunity that you might be missing out on at CPHI.

Tara brings over 12 years of extensive event management experience spanning roles in New York, London, and Amsterdam. She previously held the position of Content Director before advancing to her current leadership role.

Her expertise extends beyond event management to content production, where she has demonstrated exceptional skill in creating high-quality content and building strategic relationships with clients and partners.

At CPHI, Tara plays a crucial role in creating connections and inspiring partnerships across the global pharmaceutical community, championing innovation at the heart of pharma through both in-person and online events. Her international experience and industry insight contribute significantly to Informa Markets' position as the world's leading exhibitions organiser, delivering over 550 market-leading events annually.

 

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is also sponsored by Bora Pharma (boracdmo.com) and Charles River (www.criver.com), and supported by ramarketing.

30 years on the rollercoaster of clinical trials

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Claire Riches, Vice President, Clinical Solutions at Citeline.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Claire, covering:

• Being involved in the clinical development and commercial launch of a little mega-blockbuster, called... Viagra.
• Her first exposure to outsourcing at a small biotech, and the importance of partnerships in progressing the pipeline.
• Ignoring the pharma industry snobbery, and opting to move into the fast and varied world of CROs.
• Timeless sponsor and provider partnership tips, including the importance of aligned intentions, especially with biotechs.
• How are the tailwinds for rare diseases, meeting unmet patient needs, AI/data, and personalised medicines driving demand at Citeline?

With over 30 years' experience in the life science sector, Claire is a passionate advocate of bringing drug development to life. Having worked in large pharma, biotech and the CRO space, Claire uses her platform to raise awareness of the challenges the industry is facing, and how as a collective voice, we can solve big, challenging questions. She believes strongly in the need to ask questions of the industry to drive change, which in turn drives innovation and growth.

Claire speaks regularly through various forums on the topics of Women in Science, Impacts of Politics and Economics on Drug Development and Drug Access, and Evolution and Efficiency of Drug Development pathways. She is currently focused on levelling the playing field for the Biotech industry via her podcast Small Biotech, Big Decisions | Citeline

 

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The rain-making, 2X exit founder

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Andrea Wagner, CEO at PharmaPhixx.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Andrea, covering:

• Building a 'not very pretty' business, to an eventual exit after 10 years
• The reluctant founding of Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing (Now Sharp)...making new mistakes on her encore journey of growth and a second exit
• Why company leaders should think of decision-making like trees
• Pro business development tips from a seasoned entrepreneur with growth hard-wired into her
• Her views on the current market and what opportunities lie ahead for the brave

Dr. Andrea N. Wagner is a serial entrepreneur renowned for co-founding and advancing two contract sterile manufacturing companies, with her latest venture acquired by Sharp Services in October 2023. She passionately advocates for women in business, serving on the board of Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global (WEGG), co-founding Herizon Funding to support women-owned businesses, and contributing as an advisory board member at the Boston Museum of Science.

As CEO of PharmaPhixx and founder of the sweater brand LuxLined in 2024, Andrea continues to diversify her business interests. Additionally, she established the Andrea Wagner Scholarship Fund to support young women pursuing STEM degrees. Currently, she is writing a book, focusing on empowering women in STEM to ascend to leadership roles.

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is also sponsored by Bora Pharma (boracdmo.com) and Charles River (www.criver.com), and supported by ramarketing.

The Indian CEO driving change

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Ankit Gupta, CEO at Tenshi Kaizen.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Ankit, covering:

• His accidental journey into pharma, and then pharma manufacturing
• How his exposure to the pharma value chain via consulting led to numerous roles in the sector, including a critical one at Strides Pharma Sciences Limited and other group companies held by the founders
• The honour of being appointed CEO at Tenshi, and building out InstaPill(R) - its proprietary oral drug delivery technology - from incubation to growth
• Why India is poised for growth now that it's leading the 'D' as well as the 'M' of CDMO
• The lay of the land in India's biopharma and pharma ecosystem

Ankit Gupta is a seasoned finance and strategy leader with close to 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. At Tenshi Kaizen, he leads the development and global expansion of innovative pharmaceutical technology platforms, including the flagship InstaPill. He also serves as the Chief Corporate Strategy & Development Officer across all group entities promoted by the founders.

Ankit is known for his expertise in corporate strategy, growth acceleration, and business transformation. In his prior role as Vice President – Strategy and Corporate Development at Gland Pharma Limited and Strides Group, he played a pivotal role in long-range planning, financial forecasting, and strategic initiatives that contributed to the Strides Group turnaround in the financial year 2022-2023.

He brings deep experience in both organic and inorganic growth, asset optimization, and risk management. A gold medalist in MBA (Finance), Ankit also holds global certifications in corporate finance, private equity, valuations, business leadership, and strategy, bringing a rare blend of financial precision and strategic foresight to the group’s leadership.

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. 

We’d also appreciate a positive rating! 

Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.