Coulter Partners at the BIA Life Science Leadership Summit: Fostering Board Excellence and UK Biotech Growth!

The mood music at the summit was upbeat, reflecting optimism in the UK biotech ecosystem. Despite the tough global market conditions, it was good to see colleagues coming together to share stories and exchange ideas on how to navigate the current choppy waters.

Our team hosted a workshop titled "How to build and work effectively with a Board for success." Designed for earlier-stage companies, this session, was delivered by Dr. Justine McIlroy, who has built boards for a range of businesses including global pharma companies and growth businesses. She talked about:

• The evolution of the Board as a business develops and grows in complexity
• What makes an effective biotech Board, and how management should use the Board to “support rather than police” in difficult times
• The value of the CEO/Chair relationship

We had a great Q&A session, highlighting the importance of getting the CEO/Chair fit right and how to ensure the right blend of skills around the table.

The innovation showcase company pitches brought to life some of the exciting new science emerging from the early-stage community and the drive of young entrepreneurs to make a meaningful impact.

The fireside chat with Harpal Kumar was engaging and inspiring, and a great signal of the huge impact personalised medicine will have in the future for patients.

The second day focused on the BIA's continued efforts to collaborate with key stakeholders including the UK government and the British Business Bank to promote the sector. There was also a strong feeling that, given the current uncertainties in the US, the UK and the rest of the world should be capitalizing on opportunities within the life sciences.

Our team, including Dr. Justine McIlroy, Dr. Kay Wardle, Laura Esam, Mark Sharp, and Neha Rajdev, thoroughly enjoyed contributing to the summit and connecting with so many industry leaders.