Life Sciences and Healthcare Services

This is the fifth edition of Egon Zehnder International’s annual biotech survey, based on interviews with a broad selection of senior executives, non-executives and investors in the European sector of the industry.

This year’s survey focuses on what companies can do to help ensure that they have an effective board. Of course this is hardly a topic of exclusive relevance to biotechnology businesses. Every company has a huge amount to gain from leadership by a dynamic team in the boardroom – and much to lose from a malfunctioning board, too – and the role of directors in general is constantly under review as part of the wider debate over corporate governance. But the biotechnology sector has a high quota of younger, smaller companies. The stakes for them are higher, as they set about developing a boardroom culture that will help them achieve their growth goals and perhaps an IPO.