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CEO

Öresund Region, Nordic
BRIEF COMPANY PROFILE
Our client is a Nordic research-driven organization operating as a specialized contract research, development, and manufacturing partner (CRO/CDMO) for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies worldwide. Positioned at the intersection of innovation and collaboration, the company integrates deep scientific expertise, advanced technologies, and highly skilled professionals to deliver exceptional value.
Acting as an extension of its clients’ R&D teams, the company transforms cutting-edge science into tangible health solutions. It supports the discovery, development, and manufacturing of promising early-stage drug candidates while providing critical preclinical insights into mechanisms of action, efficacy, safety, and formulation.
By prioritizing quality, speed, and flexibility in the early phases of drug development, our client accelerates the transition from laboratory discovery to potential therapeutic application.
 
THE POSITION
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of our client holds overall strategic, operational, and financial responsibility for the company. This role requires balancing scientific excellence with commercial performance to ensure sustainable growth in a highly competitive, innovation-driven market.
The CEO defines the organization’s vision, drives its long-term strategy, and secures alignment across research, development, and manufacturing operations. This involves cultivating relationships with biotechnology and pharmaceutical clients, ensuring the company consistently delivers high-quality, timely, and flexible solutions that meet evolving industry needs. The CEO also champions investments in advanced technologies, process optimization, and talent development to maintain the organization’s technical edge.
Externally, the CEO represents the company to clients, partners and owners, positioning the business as a trusted partner capable of translating innovation into scalable health solutions. Internally, the CEO fosters a culture of accountability, collaboration, and scientific rigor while ensuring compliance with global regulatory standards.
Success in this role demands a combination of scientific literacy, business acumen, and leadership agility—guiding the organization through complex projects, market shifts, and growth opportunities while safeguarding financial health and reinforcing its reputation for excellence.
 
POSITION PROFILE
Position title: CEO.
   
Reporting line: Chair of the Board.
   
Reporting to the position: 6 direct reports.
   
Location: Öresund region, Nordics.
   
Traveling: Moderate.
   
Responsibilities & Tasks:
 

Strategic Leadership

  • Defining and articulating the company’s vision, mission, and long-term growth strategy.
  • Collaborating with the BoD on the strategic, operational, business and financial direction for our client.
  • Preparing our client’s strategy including its operationalization to the BoD
  • Identifying emerging market opportunities and guide investment in new service capabilities, technologies, and partnerships.
  • Ensuring alignment of strategic goals across research, development, manufacturing, and corporate functions.

Operational Oversight

  • Overseeing end-to-end delivery of contract research, development, and manufacturing projects to meet client expectations for quality, speed, and flexibility.
  • Optimizing operational efficiency through process improvement, resource allocation, and technology upgrades.
  • Ensuring compliance with global regulatory requirements (GMP, GLP, ISO) while maintaining audit readiness.

Financial Stewardship

  • Driving sustainable revenue growth and profitability while managing budgets, forecasts, and capital expenditures.
  • Securing funding or investment where required to support expansion initiatives.
  • Monitoring financial performance and take corrective actions to achieve corporate targets.

Client & Market Engagement

  • Building and maintaining strategic relationships with biotech and pharmaceutical clients as a trusted partner.
  • Representing the company at industry events, conferences, and trade missions to raise brand visibility.
  • Anticipating client needs and translating them into new service offerings or customized solutions.

Talent & Organizational Development

  • Attracting, developing, and retaining top scientific, technical, and managerial talent.
  • Fostering a high-performance culture built on accountability, innovation, and collaboration.
  • Guiding succession planning for critical leadership and technical roles.

Innovation & Technical Excellence

  • Encouraging adoption of cutting-edge technologies and methodologies in early-stage drug development.
  • Championing investment in scientific research and process innovation to maintain a competitive edge.
  • Aligning internal R&D initiatives with market trends to expand service capabilities.

Risk Management & Governance

  • Identifying, evaluating, and mitigating operational, financial, legal, and reputational risks.
  • Ensuring strong corporate governance practices and ethical business conduct.
  • Maintaining effective communication with the BoD and key stakeholders.
   
Key success criteria:
 
  • Clear Strategic Direction and Growth Delivery
    – Demonstrates ability to define, communicate, and execute a long-term strategy that drives sustainable business expansion.
  • Operational Excellence and Regulatory Compliance
    – Ensures projects are delivered on time, within scope, and at the highest quality standards while maintaining full compliance with global regulations.
  • Financial Performance and Value Creation
    – Achieves revenue, profitability, and investment goals through sound financial management and disciplined capital allocation.
  • Client Trust and Market Reputation
    – Builds strong, enduring relationships with biotech and pharmaceutical clients, positioning the company as a preferred and trusted partner.
  • Organizational Strength and Leadership Impact
    – Attracts and retains top talent, cultivates a collaborative and high-performance culture, and establishes effective leadership succession plans.
  • Innovation and Competitive Differentiation
    – Advances adoption of new technologies, processes, and scientific capabilities to ensure the company stays ahead of market trends and competitors.
 
CANDIDATE PROFILE
Educational background: Min. M.Sc.-level education within Natural Sciences.
   
Language: Fluency in English (verbally and written).
   
Ideal experience:
  • Scientific background with knowledge of/experience in different formats of therapeutic molecules (small molecules, peptides, antibodies).
  • Drug development from app. 15+ years in pharma and/or biotech, or CRO, including experience with outsourcing of discovery programs.
  • Business development incl. hands-on project leadership and knowledge of deal structures (programs/assets).
  • Corporate insight and alliance competencies 
  • Business acumen and familiar with a range of company related operational tasks & challenges.
   
Personal & leadership competencies: Visionary/strategic minded
Defines a clear vision. Looks beyond the immediate difficulties and focuses on the far-reaching consequences; sees things in a broad perspective; takes tendencies in the environment into account when planning and developing strategies.

Communication
Excellent verbal and written English and cross-cultural communication and presentation skills. Able to communicate complex scientific and financial issues in a clear and straightforward way.

Take control/responsibility
Makes sure stakeholders and management have a clear understanding of the direction and time horizon of the tasks and strategy based on an informal and constructive approach; drives projects forward to reach pivotal objectives; makes things happen and follows through.

Judgment
Makes rational, realistic and sound decisions based on the involvement of available facts and possibilities.

Results-oriented problem solver
Focus on action, activities, and results. Can develop and implement innovative solutions based on customer needs. Can continue working on a specific problem, viewpoint, or action plan until a result has been achieved or it is determined that an alternative approach is needed.

Confidently robust
Is naturally self-confident, reliable, and able to take severe decisions, while withstanding adverse conditions. Encourages the achievement of set goals by promoting a sense of purpose and demonstrates strong drive, stamina and natural authority, while prompting a strong wish to support and lead the team to success.

Personal relations
Is able to establish and maintain relations with co-workers, customers, and stakeholders at all levels internally as well as externally, and make people feel at ease. Develops and maintains networks. Achieves agreement by dealing with potential conflicts/ disagreements in a diplomatic and professional manner.

Analytical
Utilizes critical thinking. Maintains overview in situations that requires quick decisions, including a holistic view to quality and delivery. Intelligently divides problems into relevant parts, sensitively integrates analytical output into a given context and differentiates between key areas and irrelevant and less important areas. Applies a logical mind-set and makes sensible decisions based on available information and a strong business understanding.  

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