To become a more effective leader with a holistic business view, deliberately seek experience across various interconnected functions like operations, marketing, and sales. This strategy prevents the narrow perspective that often limits specialized leaders, even if it requires taking lateral or junior roles to learn.

Axonis co-founder Shane Hegarty left a secure tenure-track faculty position to return to a frontline research role in a top Boston lab. This seemingly backward step gave him access to cutting-edge tools and a different research philosophy, which directly led to the discoveries that founded his company.

Contrary to startup culture, the best training for biotech leadership is gaining broad, cross-functional experience in a large, structured pharmaceutical company. This foundation provides the necessary depth and breadth to navigate the complexities of leading a smaller, resource-constrained biotech later on.

Scientists in specialized roles like immunogenicity risk becoming siloed service providers. To maintain impact and growth, they must proactively collaborate with other functions like CMC, safety, and quality. This provides a holistic view of drug development and integrates their expertise into the entire process.

In the early stages, a biotech CEO's role is primarily scientific leadership and storytelling to attract investors. As the company and market mature, the role shifts. Effective CEOs must then become adaptable strategists, staying true to their core vision while responding to the dynamic industry environment.

Starting in business development at a large firm like Genentech provides a holistic understanding of the entire drug lifecycle—from discovery and regulation to clinical trials and marketing. This "full spectrum" view offers invaluable training for a future CEO.

Jade's CEO Tom Frohlich initially aimed to be a PhD biochemist but discovered he wasn't skilled at bench science. Instead of abandoning his passion, he pivoted to the pharmaceutical industry's business side. This allowed him to leverage his love for science while excelling in a commercial environment, demonstrating a successful model for recalibrating a scientific career.

Career advancement isn't always about deepening expertise in one narrow field. It can be driven by a curiosity to understand how different functions connect. This cross-functional perspective reveals process inefficiencies, and solving them leads to recognition, growth, and new opportunities.

The CEO of Peptilogics boils down leadership in the unpredictable, long-haul life sciences industry to three traits. Leaders must adapt to rapid changes, maintain a steady hand for the decade-plus development cycles, and provide a clear, guiding vision throughout.