Successful Women making a difference in Biotech

1. Vol.5/ Issue-1 www.insightssuccess.com

4. FROM EDITOR’S DESK Unbiased Contributions in the Biotech Ecosystem T industry, women have enormously contributed in many of its life sciences' discoveries. Women, by stepping in this unpredictable and vola?le sector, have played a major role in its development and made revolu?onary contribu?ons in biotechnology sphere. he need to bring out new discoveries for the treatments of diseases resulted in the emergence of biotech industry. Moreover, the concept of biotech was introduced to enhance the quality of human life. Since the evolu?on of the modern biotech There was a ?me when women were seen next to nothing in the biotech leadership roles. But now, the door is opening more and more for women to make their mark in biotech. As women have spread their wings in almost every sector and taken them to the new heights, likewise, they have also redefined the biotech ecosystem by crea?ng reforma?ve solu?ons that have the poten?al to drama?cally improve the lives of pa?ents. With the intent of encouraging the contribu?ons put forward by women, who are exploring possibili?es in the biotech sector and driving innova?on in the medicines and pa?ent care, Insights Success brings to you, "Successful Women Making a Difference in Biotech". “It should not be about gender-parity, it should be about how to ?ourish in biotech.” This edi?on features women those who have created some of the most pioneering companies in the industry or are at the coveted posi?ons of them. Amongst those, some of them have built their career in biotech, star?ng out as passionate life science or medical students, while some have taken a slightly different route. These women are serving the global need of be?er health solu?ons, and improved human lives in a disrup?ve way. These women have acquired all the necessary skills, such as vision, perseverance, dedica?on, and the ability to inspire and nurture, that are important to thrive in the biotech sphere. They also bring the exper?se, confidence, and toughness that they have accumulated through their journey. Delve in to some inspiring stories and lessons from many such significant entrepreneurs in this issue and reap the fruits of mo?va?on. Also, make sure to scroll through the ar?cles wri?en by our in-house editorial team and CXO standpoints of some of the leading industry experts to have a brief taste of the sector. Happy reading! Hitesh Dhamani

6. Contents 10 Maestro’s Insight When a Women Steps up 26 Leaders Desk Assertive LeadershipTips for Millennial Women in Business 38 Expert’s Outlook Ways to Sustain the Entrepreneurial Spirit in Women 20 32 Articles Bio tech Graphene A Material Marvel of the Century Women Empower Dynamics of Women Participation in the Ever-changing Modern Workforce

7. 14 18 24 30 36 42 14 18 24 Aoife Brennan Exploring Possibilities in Medicine & Patient Care 30 Dr. Caroline Barelle A Leader in Biotechnology Driving Innovation in Biologics Drug Development 36 Elsa Sotiriadis Turning Science Fiction Into Reality 42 Lorraine Chiroiu Enriching the Future of Australia with Biotech Maria Fardis Evolving with Wisdom and Passion Sandra Rey Creating Illumination for the Future!

9. Editor-in-Chief Pooja M. Bansal Executive Editor Bhushan Kadam Assistant Editors Jenny Fernandes Hitesh Dhamani Managing Editor Anish Miller Co-designer Visualizer David King Art & Design Director Amol Kamble Associate Designer Sanket Zirpe Karan Gaikwad Senior Sales Manager Business Development Manager Peter Collins Kshitij S Sales Executives David, Kevin, Mark, Avadhut Marketing Manager John Matthew Business Development Executives Technical Head Jacob Smile Steve, Joe, Alan, Anup Digital Marketing Manager Marry D'Souza Technical Specialist Aditya Research Analyst Patrick James SME-SMO Executive Prashant Chevale Database Management Stella Andrew Technology Consultant David Stokes Circulation Manager Robert Brown sales@insightssuccess.com May, 2019 Insights Success Media Tech LLC 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100, Dublin, OH 43017, United States Phone - (614)-602-1754 Email: info@insightssuccess.com For Subscription: www.insightssuccess.com Follow us on : www.facebook.com/insightssuccess/ We are also available on : www.twitter.com/insightssuccess Copyright © 2019 Insights Success, All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Insights Success. Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success.

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12. H services from home, and doing work of benevolent societies. But when we focus on the definition of entrepreneurship as the “relentless pursuit of opportunity beyond resources.” we realize there are many more women entrepreneurs that immediately that truly fit the mold and go beyond: Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics or Brownie Wise, the founder of the “Tupperware Party.” Each woman cultivated out a new business space while taking advantage of available and unavailable opportunities just well if not better than the other sex. “supporting roles” and the glass ceiling fades away. According to Harvard Business School, this isn’t a trivial accomplishment. Women owned enterprises are responsible for $4 trillion dollars in sales and employs 27 million workers. istorically, when you think “women entrepreneurs” you think of women working in the cottage industries, doing small time We need to ask, why do so many women have the entrepreneurial spirit despite such a short amount of time in the corporate workforce? The answer is simple: women began to realize their responsibilities of home and office were in need of balance and they began to take advantage of the great equalizer - Technology. Technology removes so many of the social and circumstantial barriers that women previously needed to navigate. The hurdles of business school admission, funding, social bias, choosing family over work became much lower. So what inspired this unstoppable spirit of entrepreneurship in these women to go beyond the traditional boundaries? The challenge now is for today’s women to keep the entrepreneurial spirit alive and use their competitive advantages to navigate the increasingly entrepreneurial world. It’s somewhat historical as well. The 1960s brought women into the workforce in a strong way. Throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and even the 1990s, women were being groomed to take their seat at the C-Suite table yet before this period the subject of women in business was virtually nonexistent. Choices for job hire would include becoming a secretary, nurse, or caretaker. Women were seen as a commodity and a supporting role in all things business. But as women entered business, naturally climbed leadership ladders, and later began to enter professional schools, women’s role in business began to mature. Here we are four decades later and now women are increasingly drawn to entrepreneurship as the veil of Sustaining an entrepreneurial spirit in yourself could mean: Maintaining the sense of empowerment and motivation Ÿ Pushing yourself to be that leader who is capable of taking risk Ÿ 10 | May 2019 www.insightssuccess.com

13. Maestro’s Insight Connie Pheiff CEO Pheiff Group, Inc. May 2019 | 11 www.insightssuccess.com

14. Self-motivation of yourself and of others to want to do more (sometimes with less). Ÿ meaningful besides just punching a clock from 9 to 5. Develop the tough skin at times to actively seek out change, rather than change finding you and needing to adapt quickly. Ÿ 4. Freedom. They don’t like to be labeled and put in a box. They want to be seen as unique individuals able to make a valuable contribution to society. They are very creative and independent and struggle with limits and rules. They value flexibility and spontaneity. Shifting perspective to see the big picture and never resting on your laurels and taking pride in your organization. Ÿ American Express did research recently on GENx Women, the forgotten generation. Their findings are relevant to understanding how women sustain their entrepreneurial spirit. 5. Family. If Xers have children, they don’t want to make the same mistakes their parents did. They will spend time with their kids. Xer parents, especially dads, seem to be incredibly committed to their children. In summary of their findings, what drives women is the desire to have it all: fun, flexibility, and take care of family responsibilities. We’ve long heard “Can women have it all?” Many women are finding the way to realize it all is through entrepreneurship. *Adapted from A Guide to Understanding Generation X Sub-Cultures by Ken Baugh. Sound familiar? Take advantage of your unique place in history and your inherent advantages as a woman entrepreneur or woman in business. We’re at a unique crossroads. Understanding the values of GENx helps us see why their entrepreneurial spirit is first and foremost: 1. Relationships. Relationships are their greatest fear and their greatest need. They have a deep yearning to know and be known, but they are afraid. They are afraid of letting their real self out for fear of being rejected so they maintain the ideal self, the self that others accept—leading to deadly isolation. Here are five ways to sustain the entrepreneurial spirit in you: Build a team that believes in your vision and give them the opportunity to drive. Ÿ Keep an “outrageous ideas” file. Refer to it often. Ÿ 2. Fun. From computer games to bungee jumping, Xers are into fun. One Xer said: "You think money is the basis for our existence when it’s really much simpler: fun is." Most Xers work to live. They are waiting for the weekend. (Note: Most ESPN "Extreme Games" feature Xers.) Strong communication between each of the team member sharing the big goals. Ÿ Be flexible in how you complete your work. Ÿ Be the entrepreneurial example. Sustaining the entrepreneurial spirit comes from the top. Ÿ 3. Experience. Subjective experience validates if something is real and good. They want to enjoy life, make a difference, and do something 12 | May 2019 www.insightssuccess.com

15. About the Author Connie Pheiff, Founder and CEO of the Pheiff Group. Philanthropist and #BeyondMeToo Activist. Most know her as the Unstoppable DIVA with a distinctive voice heard on her syndicated talk show, the Connie Pheiff Show. As a serial entrepreneur, she is the President of CP Creative Agency and the Activate Community. She is provocative, edgy, and brings a genuine humor to the platform. She works with her clients to keep the passion of life activated and for the world's most daring minds that drive results allowing clients to live their dream. When you work with Connie Pheiff you become #UnstoppableTogether. May 2019 | 13 www.insightssuccess.com

16. Aoife Brennan Exploring Possibilities in Medicine & Patient Care I n the field of biotech some women leaders have notably been part of creating solutions that have the potential to dramatically improve the lives of patients. Our aim is to recognize their contributions and with this in mind, Insights Success has compiled its list of Successful Women making a difference in Biotech. program finished and a recruiter called about a position with a biotech company in Cambridge, I went along out of curiosity. I never thought I would take the job and kept apologizing for wasting everyone’s time but after several visits, I found myself getting more and more interested. I immediately took to drug development. I loved the bridge from basic science to patient impact, and the fact that it seemed that there was a new challenge every day. My first job was with a small biotech in Cambridge, MA called Tolerx which no longer exists. Following three great years there, I joined Biogen which was much bigger at the time but still felt very much like a small biotech company. I initially started there in neurology but the company was going through rapid growth and there were more opportunities than there were medical directors so my role changed every six months. I eventually ended up as Vice President and Head of the Rare Disease Innovation Unit where we had programs in neurology and hematology, all focused on treating rare diseases. Rare disease development is both incredibly rewarding but also challenging - each disease requires creativity to meet the regulatory requirements for approval. My time at Biogen was a fantastic learning experience. However, when changes in the structure of that organization began to impact the programs that I was working on, namely the splitting off of Bioverativ, I began to look for another challenge. I met with the CEO of Synlogic who was recruiting a CMO, and, intrigued by the opportunity to build clinical programs from this novel platform, I joined the company in fall 2016. My career took another turn in mid-2018 when I was asked to step up to be interim CEO, and a few months later became permanent CEO of Synlogic. This list is incomplete without the inspiring work of Aoife M. Brennan, M.B., Ch.B., President and CEO of Synlogic, Inc., a Cambridge-based company working at the intersection of biology and engineering, pioneering the application of synthetic biology to design living therapeutics programmed to treat disease in new ways. Below is the interview between Aoife M. Brennan and Insights Success, which highlights her vision for Synlogic and some of the life and leadership lessons she has learned over her career. Can you give us a brief overview of your background and the evolution of your career towards being a recognized industry leader in biotech? I grew up in Ireland and was drawn to medicine at a young age. In school I was interested in science and I saw medicine as a way to help people while challenging myself. I attended Trinity College in Dublin for medical school and then went on to train in internal medicine and endocrinology. I always thought that a career combining clinical care and research would suit me, so after my fellowship training I came to the US for, what I thought at the time, was a one-year program to increase my competitiveness for an academic post back home. I am innately curious and drawn to new things, so once in Boston, there was a lifetime opportunity and the return to Ireland kept getting postponed. One such opportunity was to participate in the Harvard Scholars in Medical Science program where a semester spent at the Business School opened my mind to the business side of medicine. After that Pertaining to your leadership experience, how according to you, do the changes in technology utilization, volatility of the market and talent recognition, affect the overall development of any business/organization? Synlogic is based in Cambridge, MA so we are surrounded 14 | May 2019 www.insightssuccess.com

17. SUCCESSFUL WOMEN making a difference in Biotech “Be part of the solution.” by academic institutions at the cutting edge of science and technology. Having said that, technology does not make a successful business unless it can solve a problem and someone is willing to pay for that solution. For companies in drug development, that requires understanding of patient needs, understanding the external environment and building a great team. The downside of being based in Cambridge is that there is a lot of competition for talent among small and mid-sized companies. At Synlogic, as well as making sure that our pay is competitive, we focus a lot on culture and development of team members. We hope that the team will see the opportunity to do something meaningful but also, to build their careers here. Aoife M. Brennan M.B., Ch.B., President & CEO taking leadership roles through mentorship or sponsorship. The second way we can do better is to understand our biases. We need to understand how our biases influence our decisions and behaviors so that women and other minorities have more opportunity and a level playing field. For women in leadership roles, I think it is important to be visible and authentic so that others thinking about stepping forward can see you and identify. What would be your advice for the aspiring/emerging business leaders? Understand what you don’t know and be humble enough to admit it, keep learning. Surround yourself with a talented team – don’t be afraid to hire people who are smarter than you are. What according to you are the vital attributes that a business leader should possess? I think it is critical, particularly in biotech, for leaders to have vision and focus on patients in need. Drug development is very difficult with a lot of failure. Without the motivation of ultimately making a big impact on the lives of patients, it is difficult to sustain the team through challenging times. I think another attribute is to have the ability and confidence to make critical decisions for the company and to create a safe space for the team to take risks and have big ambitions. How you have envisioned your future with regards to your career as well as your personal growth? I plan to keep learning and growing- that has driven my career decisions for the past 10 years. Considering the necessity of encouraging women to take up leadership positions, in what ways according to you, can this be achieved? I think there are some things that all leaders can do including encouraging and supporting women May 2019 | 15 www.insightssuccess.com

20. Dr. Caroline Barelle: T standards for the industry and its associated technologies are being set higher day by day. For many, these constraints may act as roadblocks to any endeavours of attaining zeniths in this field. But a few who are uncompromisingly wilful to contribute for the welfare of society through their wisdom and knowledge, turn those stumbling blocks into the steps leading to success. Dr Caroline Barelle, Chief Executive Officer, Elasmogen Ltd is one such resolute leader whose unfaltering drive towards developing new medicines has brought her from academia into the world of commercial biotechnology. A Leader in Biotechnology Driving Innovation in Biologics Drug Development Creation through Cohesion As a CEO of an emerging company, Caroline understands the importance of valuing and giving credit to her teammates’ efforts. Transparency, inclusiveness and appreciation are the pillars in the making process of a great leader, she asserts. “We have created a great organisational culture where we work incredibly hard but not a day goes by when we do not laugh and that means a huge amount to me”, she emphasizes on work culture to ensure growth and expansion of the company. oday, the medicine sector is receiving attention much more than it has ever been in human history. With human health taking the centre stage, Sowing Many Seeds Listening to the external environment and responding as best to changing needs, Caroline puts focus on. “Ultimately, our current business model it is to find good quality partners who will work with us to deliver market-ready, market-desirable products.” Change is the norm in therapeutic drug development. Therefore having a number of different discovery and later stage development programs going on with different partners in different fields is the key for survival for a small company like Elasmogen, Caroline elucidates. A PhD student studying fibrinolysis and very much eager to work in applied sciences, Dr Caroline Barelledepicts her path from research scientist to founding a biotech company. A New Dawn in Biologics As Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks once said, “In this ever-changing society, most powerful brands are built from the heart and with strength of the human spirit.” Empathy and team work are the two main attributes Caroline found of prime importance when she founded Elasmogen in 2016 by the shores of port city Aberdeen, Scotland. Elasmogen Ltd is a next generation therapeutic biologics company discovering and developing soloMER™ for the treatment of auto-immune mediated, inflammatory diseases and cancer. Utilising its unique soloMER™ platform, Elasmogen exploits the power of biologics as drugs but in small, simple, and stable formats that are amenable to site- specific delivery. Right People at the Right Place Despite Biologics dominating the market, barriers to entry for any small biotech company are substantial given the cost of taking a product through to clinical trials. The key to success in Caroline’s experience as a small player is multiple fold. She enlists a few of them. 1) Surround yourself with the right kind of support both at a technical and corporate level. A good team is critical to success; 2) have a flexible and nimble business model. Firstly, Elasmogen’s soloMER drug technology is inherently flexible ready to be fit for purpose for multiple disease indications. Secondly, they adopt a partnership model where co-developing products, often combining technologies to address medical challenges; 3) be resource smart by knowing the players who can outsource the job for you. And finally, 4) be aware of external forces. The Biotech industry, as with many, is evolving rapidly and the power has shifted from pharma to the patient. Being aware and embracing change when possible will help your company develop and be relevant in an incredibly competitive sector. A Quest from Knowledge to Application From the start, Caroline had affinity towards applied sciences which she believes is the first step on the road to designing and delivering new, effective drugs to patients. Her career in commercial science began in an antibody discovery company called Haptogen which subsequently got acquired by Wyeth Inc. and Pfizer in 2007 and 2011 respectively. It was during these years that she learnt a lot about drug discovery and finally came full circle to found Elasmogen. 18 | May 2019 www.insightssuccess.com

21. SUCCESSFUL WOMEN making a difference in Biotech Connecting Dormant Aspirations to Opportunities “I personally gained a huge amount from talking to women in leadership roles and gleaning from them shared experiences and advice”, Caroline revisits her moments of inspiration. She overtly points out the imbalance between women at the bench and women in the boardroom, and reiterates the need to instil a ‘can do’ mentality for making more women to step up to leadership positions. “I feel that fostering talent from an early stage, providing insights, inspiration and critical support for them to thrive.” Feed to Blossoming Go-Getters “Surround yourself with the right people. Do not forget the reason you started this venture as that passion will fuel your drive and on occasions remember to take some time for yourself”, Dr. Caroline Barelle shares her words of experience. A Great Cause with Great People During her voyage of creating a new business, Caroline has been thrown into situations, negotiations and decisions which at the time felt overwhelming but made her learn many things and grow against adversities. It gave her abundance of lessons professionally as well as personally from founding this company and making it go from strength to strength ever since. “My objective is to grow the company, to employ and reward great people and ultimately be a small part of the drug that makes to the clinic and helps improve the lives of patients.” ‘ ‘ Do not lose sight of what matters - take some time to remind yourself of how far you have come and what you have achieved. Dr. Caroline Barelle Chief Executive Ofcer ‘ ‘ May 2019 | 19 www.insightssuccess.com

22. A Material Marvel of the Century T he simplest observations are sometimes the greatest discoveries. Watching an apple falling from its branch, Isaac Newton discovered the famous law of universal gravitation. Almost three centuries later, science could take another leap forward with ... a roll of tape. There is a new wonder material in town that might change our future. Imagine a coffee cup that streams the day’s headlines in real time. Or a cooking pot that can detect the presence of E. coli bacteria that could make you sick. Or a television screen that is as flexible and thin as a piece of paper. All of these applications could be a reality if the wonder material, named Graphene, lives up to its hype. feat achieved while peeling layers of graphite using adhesive tapes, and why Andre-Kostya duo won the Nobel Prize in Physics for their pioneering work. This is the beginning of a scientific and engineering renaissance. capacity its true potential can be realised. The vast number of products, processes and industries for which graphene could create a significant impact, all stems from its amazing properties. Ÿ Biomedical Graphene’s unique properties allow for ground-breaking biomedical applications; Targeted drug delivery, improved brain penetration, DIY health-testing kits and ‘smart’ implants can be mentioned out of many possibilities. Ÿ Composite Materials One of the simplest and most effective ways of harnessing the potential of graphene is to combine it with existing products - so called composite materials. By combining with paints, a unique graphene coating can be formed which could signal the end of the deterioration of ships and cars through rust. Additionally, it can do wonders in the field of weather-proofing, packaging, sports equipment and creating lightest, strongest, safest structures. Ÿ Electronics Graphene has the potential to create the next-generation of electronics exploring spheres of Sci-Fi technology, faster transistors, semiconductors, bendable phones, wearable gadgets and other electronics. Ÿ Energy With its influential properties and Unboxing Graphene Graphene is a material that can be perceived as a form of graphite, and therefore a carbon allotrope that is distinguished by its crystalline organization. In simple terms graphene is a sheet of a single layer (monolayer) of carbon atoms, tightly bound in a hexagonal honeycomb lattice. It is the building-block of Graphite but graphene is a remarkable substance on its own - with a multitude of astonishing properties proving the title of ‘wonder material’. Graphene is the thinnest compound known to man having size equal to one atom thick, the lightest material known, the strongest compound discovered surpassing diamond, the best conductor of heat at room temperature and also the best conductor of electricity known to exist. The Material of the Future Graphene is a disruptive phenomenon; one which could open up new markets and even replace existing technologies or materials. It is when graphene is used both to improve an existing material and in a transformational A Complicated Narrative The story begins in 2004 in the laboratories of the University of Manchester. Fascination with this material stems from its remarkable physical properties and the potential applications they offer. Although scientists knew one atom thick, two- dimensional crystal graphene existed, no-one had worked out how to extract it from graphite. That was until it was isolated in 2004 by two researchers at The University of Manchester: Prof. Andre Geim and Prof. Kostya Novoselov. This is the story of how that stunning scientific 20 | May 2019 www.insightssuccess.com

23. Bio tech capabilities, graphene is surely an innovation with distinct future prospects. Bearing this in mind, one might be surprised to know that carbon is the second most abundant mass within the human body and the fourth most abundant element in the universe by mass, after hydrogen, helium and oxygen. This makes carbon the chemical basis for all known life on earth, so therefore graphene could well be an ecologically friendly, sustainable solution for astronomical energy demands. Imagine fully charging a smartphone in seconds or an electric car in minutes. That’s the power of graphene batteries and super-capacitors. Ÿ Filtration Membranes Imagine clean drinking water for millions in developing countries. A global toll of 3.4 million deaths each year is a serious concern which underlines the gravity of clean water requirement. The development of graphene-based membranes has brought that possibility closer like never before. Ÿ Sensors Ultra-sensitive sensors made from graphene could detect minute dangerous particles helping to protect potentially dangerous environments. Its inherently micro-sized structure allows for the creation of hair thin like sensors which can be incorporated to detect biological agents like drugs in our body, stresses and strain levels, atmospheric changes caused by decaying food, and many more. interfacial adhesive energy, it is possible to effectually separate graphene from the metallic board on which it is grown. As the techniques continue to evolve in nearby future, on the account of its high productivity, a sharp decline in price is expected to be achieved. The range of industries where graphene research is making an impact is substantial. And this is only the beginning. These are only the baby steps. Although, it’s important to consider the span within which it is likely to exist in customary life, one simply cannot overlook the inconceivable and endless potential of this supernatural material. With continuously growing necessities and depleting resources of the contemporary world, graphene will certainly turn out to be a panacea of all remedies. Future It must be a wondering question that despite of graphene’s prodigious abilities why it has not hit the ground reality. The problem that prevented it from initially being unavailable for commercial uses was that the creation of high quality graphene was a very expensive and complex process. "Its industrial production is not yet based on reliable methods to obtain large quantities," claims Alberto Bianco, a researcher at the CNRS and the University of Strasbourg. It was estimated in 2008 that the production of a square meter of this miracle material cost a whopping amount of 600 billion euros. However, studies in 2012 found that by analysing its May 2019 | 21 www.insightssuccess.com

26. Elsa Sotiriadis Turning Science Fiction Into Reality A Dr. Elsa Sotiriadis, the Founder & CEO of The Biofuturist,a ‘bio-futures prototyping lab’ is committed to change that:“My mission is to make the future more evenly distributed.” Elsa is on the mission to make breakthrough innovations accessible to the people whose names get underlined in red, (all of humanity), by helping companies re-think how we build the world with the most powerful design language there is - biomimicry: the code of life itself. famous American-Canadian speculative fiction writer, William Gibson, once said- “The future is already here. It’s just not evenly distributed yet.” On the side, she writes speculative fiction and her debut novelette Replicon won an honorable mention at the Writers of The Future competition in LA (her pen name is Elsa Solaris). She likes to run, often fails at CrossFit and lives mostly in London and sometimes in Switzerland. However, life wasn’t always so smooth for her. According to her, science fiction saved her, during the time when she was growing up as a half-orphan. Science fiction turned Elsa into an explorer, who dreamed of science as her real- life magic power. Turning Science Fiction into Reality Elsa believes that we are now living in the extraordinary times, when people can turn science fiction into reality. Elsa is a synthetic biologist, turned biotech venture capitalist, turned futurist, science fiction author and cyborg. She is an experienced, popular keynote speaker and strategic innovation consultant on the disruption between life sciences and technology. She delivers highly tailored keynotes for corporate and public events as well as bespoke workshops and consulting services. Elsa has also helped invest in, build and launch 25 ground-breaking biotech start-ups as a VC investor and helped one of the world’s biggest tech companies to harness digital biology to future- proof their business. Technology goes under her skin - she became a ‘cyborg’ live on stage to tweet just by hand swipe to help push tech into the hands of people, literally. According to her, transforming breakthroughs into real, human-centric products and services requires a lot of expertise, but also imagination, visionary thinking and empathic design to connect the dots and make a real positive impact. So, prototyping these futures helps companies better map and tackle their strategic innovation opportunities, which means creating more value, serving their customers better and future-proofing the business. When it comes to the digital biology disruption, we live in an exponential era, when incremental innovations of 10% improvement are longer enough. Climate change alone is the biggest challenge our species faces in the coming decades. The world is burning. Incremental innovation can’t save us anymore. What we need is 10-fold disruption. Elsa also added, “Biology is becoming an information technology that is re-shaping many industries. In the coming years, the first flagship products will not be manufactured, but grown.” During her early career, her quest to master the operating system of life for a more sustainable world led her from ETH Zurich and a competition for ’genetically engineered machines’ at MIT to an astrobiology meeting at NASA’s Ames Research Centre and to developing bio-robots made from DNA for her Ph.D. at Imperial College London and the University of Hong Kong. 24 | May 2019 www.insightssuccess.com

27. SUCCESSFUL WOMEN making a difference in Biotech Embracing Science Fiction and Abolishing Real Barriers Elsa believes that science fiction has helped her become an explorer and push frontiers. So, she suggests every business leader should read science fiction, because it is the most powerful mind-expanding drug. According to her, embracing science fiction helps us to fire up our imagination, come up with breakthrough ideas and design human- centric technologies responsibly. Why? Because the protagonists of near-future science fiction novels could be your customers in five years. Business leaders don’t just have to solve today’s challenges, but tomorrow’s. Dr. Elsa Sotiriadis Founder & CEO The Biofuturist When asked about encouraging women to take leadership positions, Elsa said, “We have to abolish the real barriers and confront bias, because implicit bias it the main cause of the gender gap.” She further added, “Your privilege is your blind-spot. That allows structural and systemic problems to fester over time and boom, we have a non-inclusive monoculture that lacks diversity and where women aren’t paid fairly. You also can’t make great products. So, we must break this cycle and listen very differently, listen empathetically. We have to ask ourselfs, what does it look like to make space for each other’s experiences?” Mastering the code of life is our superpower to save humanity from climate change and one day, become a multiplanetary species. ‘‘ Suggestions for Aspiring Leaders While asked about few suggestions for aspiring leaders, Elsa suggested, “Comfort will ruin you, because growth only occurs in a state of discomfort. So, to succeed in the age of disruption, we have to disrupt ourselves first. To achieve this, mindful habits are golden because of the compounding effect of time. And above all, be kind.” May 2019 | 25 www.insightssuccess.com

28. Photographer: Nathalie Saruhashi Demi Markogiannaki co-founder WeTeachMe 26 | May 2019 www.insightssuccess.com

29. Leaders Desk W Washington Post CEO back in 1972. Here in Australia, women now comprise 42% of all employees and more than 30% of all business owner-managers. In the large Australian corporations, the story is quite different; women hold the reins at only 10% of today’s companies and 14 of our Top 200 firms. omen in business have come a long way since Katharine Graham, the first female to lead a Fortune 500 company, assumed the role of Has my journey always been easy? Far from it. A lot is expected from an expat like me. Or from any woman in business, for that matter. If we want to get promoted at work, we need to appear assertive, confident, and even dominant. We become chameleons and adjust our behaviour, according to what the situation requires, as we navigate our way from the war room to the board room. How to Be an Assertive Leader Below, I share some lessons I’ve learned along the way, to help other young women navigate the different challenges and demands that a leadership role requires. To be more confident and decisive but also constructive and empowering, incorporate these five habits into your daily conversations and interactions, and learn how to fine-tune your ability to adapt. The data suggest that it’s becoming more difficult for women to make the jump from key executive to chief executive. Macquarie Group founder Mark Johnson believes it might take another 20 years for the scales to tip again in our favour. It’s the story of many of today’s women CEOs. Being Chameleon-in-Chief As a founder of the Australian company WeTeachMe, I can’t say I agree with Mark. After all, today’s world and business climate look nothing like they did 20 or 30 years ago. I hope that my own story will inspire courage and pave the way for others to create businesses that will create value, especially for other women. Listen for cues. To be a good leader, at times, you will need to be a psychologist, a counsellor, an expert, a sister, a mentor, a friend. At WeTeachMe, I have worked in sales and in marketing. Both roles required me to master the art of active listening and hone my ability to quickly read the room. To be aware of what a customer or stakeholder is thinking or feeling is crucial to building trust and rapport, and helps foster the creation of long-term business relationships. Before founding WeTeachMe, I had barely just arrived in Australia from Greece, to complete my masters in global media communications at The University of Melbourne. I had no background in business, and some may say I had no “business” entering into the arena of entrepreneurship. And yet, through sheer grit and desire to pursue our passion for education, my team and I grew WeTeachMe into the largest school in Australia, with thousands of classes available and even more learners enrolling every day. Mind what you say, and also how you say it. Assertiveness doesn’t mean being overbearing or abrasive. Be direct and communicate respectfully so that the other person can focus on what you’re saying, instead of how you’re saying it. Getting the message across is half the battle. May 2019 | 27 www.insightssuccess.com

30. Express ideas from your own point of view. Starting your sentences with “I” can spell a world of difference. Instead of saying “you’re not listening”, put it in your own words: “I think what you’re saying is...” Rather than instructing someone to “work this way” say “I’d like your help with...” Convey your feelings and let your empathy come through. Learn how to say no. In the early years of WeTeachMe, I wore multiple hats. Most days, I took on more responsibility than was physically possible. Because that’s what a founder does; you go above and beyond the call of duty. From cold calling one minute to providing customer support the next, juggling tasks requires flawless execution. As WeTeachMe grew, I had to give up some of my hats. This was not an easy lesson to learn! Today, with a better understanding of the value of focus, I pick three important things to accomplish every day and then, delegate the rest. Photographer: Nathalie Saruhashi Maintain a professional demeanour. If you’re entering into a negotiation, present your case with confidence, without getting argumentative or emotional. Create a win- win situation for everyone, and they will see you, not as an adversary, but as a partner. Leadership That Inspires Being in business is not always about cut- throat competition, winning at everything, and having it all; it’s also, if not more, about creating personal connections and nurturing the relationships that get us to where we are. In and out of the workplace, we need to be effective and diplomatic, not just goal- oriented. Lead through trust and respect, not through fear. Teach, don’t micromanage. And never stop learning. Leadership is about having the ability to influence those around us, to rally everyone around a shared vision, to inspire people, and to get those who follow us excited to come to work day after day. Leadership means celebrating our victories. But it’s also about forgiving ourselves for our failures, because that is how we become wiser and better. Failing is the best way to learn, and a good leader never stops learning. 28 | May 2019 www.insightssuccess.com

32. Lorraine Chiroiu Enriching the Future of Australia with Biotech B powered innovations of this decade have revolutionised healthcare with their capabilities. However, due to the complexity and connectivity involved, people and even governments often remain under-unaware of these vital developments and their value. Committed to the vision of bridging the gap between biotechnology and the benefits it offers, Lorraine Chiroiu, CEO of AusBiotech is advocating for organisations doing business in and with the global life sciences economy to ultimately enable access to technologies. In this way, the lives of Australian citizens are enriched. iotechnology above all, is serving the global need for better health solutions, and improving our lives – at times in a disruptive way. Biotechnology- the Deputy Chief Executive Officer role in 2016 and Chief Executive Officer in 2018. In this role I utilize my strengths and capabilities to advocate on the policy issues facing the sector and to lead the AusBiotech team to support the industry’s delivery of technologies that change people’s future. It involves interpreting between many and varied groups, for example conveying the needs of biotech companies to governments, or the commercialization process for a researcher or the promise of a technology for an investor. Prior to joining AusBiotech, I worked in corporate and public affairs roles for a multinational biopharmaceutical company, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, the University of Melbourne and for SANE Australia, a mental health consumer organization. Below are the highlights of the interview between Insights Success and Lorraine unveiling her remarkable work, and sharing her thoughts on biotech commercialization, leadership and many more. Can you give us a brief overview of your background and the evolution of your career towards being a recognized industry leader in biotech? While initially aspiring to be a journalist, the strongest themes of my career from the beginning and throughout have been advocate, writer and interpreter. Pertaining to your leadership experience, how according to you, do the changes in technology utilization, volatility of the market and talent recognition, affect the overall development of any business/organization? In my experience, working at the juncture of health delivery, cutting edge science and business is a unique and exciting view. We need one eye on the horizon and the other on adapting what we do and how we do it. My first role after graduating from university was improving the portrayal of people with serious mental illness in the media. It involved working with journalists on behalf of the StigmaWatch programme and was both an advocacy role and a way if interpreting and facilitating the experience of people with psychosis for the media and the therefore the broader community. AusBiotech members are developing and commercializing new inventions and technologies. The recognition of new trends in technology development has serious implications for regulation, reimbursement and skills attraction and development in Australia. For example, the development of immunotherapies is challenging the way we treat cancers and regulate therapeutic goods. It means we need new skills to work in the companies commercializing these technologies. Fast forward 20 years and as Chief Executive Officer of AusBiotech, I’m still an advocate and interpreter, but now for the development of new biotechnologies that will save, enhance and progress our lives. What according to you are the vital attributes that a business leader should possess? Ÿ The tenacity to keep on trying and to deal with uncomfortable situations; Ÿ the emotional intelligence to collaborate with people and engender their support; Ÿ Enough humility to know that few achieve success on their own; Ÿ authenticity about your values and what you believe in; Through my ten years of commitment to AusBiotech I have progressed through the organisation, managing many aspects of the business. Joining as the Communication Manager, then Chief Industry Affairs Officer, both focused on policy and communications, before being promoted into 30 | May 2019 www.insightssuccess.com

33. SUCCESSFUL WOMEN making a difference in Biotech “ Focus on doing the best job you can, no matter what job you’ve chosen. “ Lorraine Chiroiu CEO AusBiotech To address this, role models that show us all what is possible is absolutely key. I will always remember the powerful effect of the first time I identified with a female politician, or the first interaction with a female CEO, or when my best friend was appointed to a global role at WHO. The women who work in life sciences are incredibly inspiring, and seeing more on Boards in the coming years, I’m confident will have an exponentially positive effect. the ability to adapt, as challenge and change are inevitable and more prominent than ever; and a sense of perspective about what is (and isn’t) important. Ÿ Ÿ Considering the necessity of encouraging women to take up leadership positions, in what ways according to you, can this be achieved? I believe that ‘calling out’ imbalance is critical. Simply asking the question often changes the outcome; is there a more balanced way we can do this? In the very least, it creates awareness. AusBiotech has recently launched its equity and inclusion statement. We’ve agreed as a team to apply it to our work (conference programmes, committees, etc.) and it’s wonderful to see the way in which it’s becoming ingrained in what we do. How you have envisioned your future with regards to your career as well as your personal growth? My focus is on the delivery of world-class healthcare, via the commercialization of technologies and the growth of the industry. In recent years, health technologies have enabled us to cure Hepatitis C; to seriously reduce deaths from cancer; to almost eradicate cervical cancer from HBV; for the profoundly deaf to hear; and for HIV to move from a death sentence to a chronic disease. I hope that I can play a pivotal role in technologies reaching patents in future, whatever the capacity. AusBiotech’s Life Sciences Snapshot 2017 showed that in terms of gender equity, while female representation is around or above 50 per cent for research institutes, funding bodies, government & regulatory and support services, females are under-represented in industry, with only 30 per cent of the workforce female. While pharmaceutical companies are leading the away on 45 per cent, across the sector, female representation decreases as seniority levels increase. At director level the imbalance is stark and disturbing. May 2019 | 31 www.insightssuccess.com

34. Dynamics of Participation in the Ever-changing Modern Workforce 32 | May 2019 www.insightssuccess.com

35. Women Empower G opportunities. Today, women have announced their arrival in many fields of the business world. Therefore, it seems more important than ever before to recognize female contributions in every profession. possibility can be attained by combining efforts from different resources, channels and departments. Further, collaborating products with consumer experience are enormously important. It leads to crafting the best solutions for customer’s pain points and compelling value propositions that reflect their overall business objectives. one are the days when women were stereotyped to a certain set of skills and professions, restricting them from exploring the world of endless Multiple studies have found that women prefer to work in teams, while men prefer to work alone. An unfaltering affinity towards collaboration primes women to garner success in different fields of business which gives them an edge over others. Fighting through biased work culture in favour of male dominance, women have conquered the unconquered on the account of their distinct calibre and predilections. In the times when the world female participation rate is to the dispiriting levels of around 67% and pay-off rate of about 63%, achievements by women go-getters are praiseworthy. Increased profitability can be a motivating factor for many firms to hire more pool of female talents as many studies support the fact. Statistical research shows that Fortune 500 companies with the highest representation of women on boards financially outperform companies with the lowest representation of women on boards. Moreover, gender- diverse teams have higher sales and profits compared to male-dominated teams, and a recent Gallup study found that gender-diverse business units have higher average revenue than less diverse business units. Listening capabilities is one of the distinguishing aspects of feminine species as compared to their male counterparts. Instilling and pursuing ones thoughts is undoubtedly important for effective working. But being a better listener is something that can make a difference as studies show that the customer values and trusts the firms if they perceive that they are being listened to by the firms. With inherent caring and affectionate traits, women outclass men when it comes to understanding critical demands of the customers. Trust over female leaders is an attribute which needs to be reciprocated while making the choice. More American workers perceive female executives as honest and ethical than male executives. Pew’s “Women and Leadership” surveyed Americans in 2015 and found that 34% say women are better at this, while only 3% say men are better at it (64% say there’s no difference). Emotional Intelligence (EI) - the ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions as well as the emotions of others - is an essential skill when it comes to dealing with a diverse class of consumers. Women are naturally gifted with higher EI making them better suited for pressure situations and avoiding counter-productive decisions while keeping emotions in check. While it’s unclear whether this means women are actually more honest, it’s a subtle reminder of how tangled some business decisions can be. Leaders are often tasked with choosing between options that aren’t black and white, ethically speaking, and the capacity to lead honestly is important to the entire company’s success and job satisfaction. Emotional Intelligence encompasses two major dimensions – awareness of one’s self and awareness of others. Both the attributes are very much significant for the survival and success of any organisation. Self-awareness involves being familiar with trigger points and behavioural traits when put to the test. This, in turn, helps to modulate impulses avoiding conclusions which are harmful for the welfare of business. In addition to self-awareness, an awareness of others is equally critical in business. Analysing and decoding non-verbal communication – that amounts to 93% of the message – eventually benefits in convincing and converting a lead into a client. Not to mention, increased job satisfaction and organizational dedication to cite positive and meaningful business culture are the added advantages feminine employees carry to the organisation. However, the journey is not all merry go round every time. Hindrances – seen, unseen – are there to check the unrelenting zeal of women aspirants to thrive in the industry. These obstructions need to be pointed out and rectified to create an environment that fuels women empowerment. Collaboration, and not the cutthroat competition, is the modern era’s principle virtue to achieve success. Many endeavours which seem to be beyond the bounds of May 2019 | 33 www.insightssuccess.com

36. While proving value, women tend to overcompensate in order to demonstrate that they are adding value. Instead of doing it all alone, change the paradigm and track to encourage others to take on more responsibility, thus enabling them to scale and multiply their own impact. Lack of confidence, according to many experts, is one prime reason women tend to question themselves and doubt their worthiness. In order to advance, they must coach their inner critics. Out-speak and define what women want professionally if they want to get succeeded. Too often they don’t know or rely upon others to define it for them. Not to forget, biased work culture and regional barriers are the crucial obstacles in the road of women work participation. But, today women are breaking these shackles and coming out boldly to be a part of economic processes shouldering their male counterparts. There has been obvious progress in achieving gender equality around the world over the past two decades: more girls are attending school, more women are working and are being elected to public offices, more women hold management positions, and the situation involving women’s legal as well as social rights have also improved. “Building relationships with those in positions of leadership is critical,” Susan Brady, executive vice president of Linkage Inc. says. “Put down the to-do list long enough to connect with decision makers across the organization, and help them understand who you are and what you bring to the table.” Women are generally uneasy about asking for what they want. They must stop thinking about what they need as a self-serving request. They must develop the courage and fortitude to stand up and ask for what they want. However, a great deal still remains to be done to achieve equal outcomes for women and men. Recognizing women’s abilities, the values they bring to the organisation, the transformation they achieve as far as work environment is concerned, and considering monetary benefits associated with the female work participation, corporate sector need to welcome their emergence with open arms. No future is far where male- dominated workplaces will be a tale of extinct, we believe. 34 | May 2019 www.insightssuccess.com

38. Maria Fardis Evolving with Wisdom and Passion I today? If not, how to correct course and if we did, can we do that any faster?’ states MariaFardis, President and CEO of Iovance Biotherapeutics. Both in personal or professional life a resolute desire to evolve drives our actions and defines our future. This desire has helped Maria succeed in the competitive biopharmaceutical industry. “Her passion and persistence has outpaced every obstacle that has come in her way” to potentially improve clarity. In the first full paragraph on page two, I’d try to make sure there’s a period after “well-defined goals”. In this interview with Insights Success Maria sheds light on her journey. acquisition by AstraZeneca. I joined Iovance in the summer of 2016 as its president and CEO. In this role I have transformed the company into a fully operational clinical development and research organization. With the green light from the FDA on our lead program and a strong balance sheet we are now poised to move towards approval and eventually commercialization of the first cell therapy for solid tumors. Gilead I progressed from the research to development side of drug development. With a PhD in Organic Chemistry I learned how to think critically and analyze data. While holding a full time position I worked to earn an MBA. From Gilead I moved to Pharmacyclics where I held the position of chief of oncology operations and alliances. At Pharmacyclics I oversaw the development of IMBRUVICA® (ibrutinib) in multiple indications and was involved in health authority interactions to get the product approved. After Pharmacyclics, I joined Acerta Pharma as the chief operating officer, working on the development of CALQUENCE (acalabrutinib), until the company’s find it helpful to take a minute of peace each day to consider, ‘Did we take a step closer to our goal Doing work that you are passionate about makes a job seem easy even when the long hours and inevitable challenges are involved. ® technologies available. For example at Iovance, the opportunity for our approach to cell therapy in oncology was clear, but the process of getting the product to patients presented a potential bottleneck to successful commercialization. We were able to utilize technological advances in cell therapy manufacturing to reduce the original manufacturing process from 6 weeks to 22 days. Can you give us a brief overview of your background and the evolution of your career towards being a recognized industry leader in biotech? Over the course of my career in the biopharmaceutical industry, I have been fortunate to work across a broad range of functions in product development and across a diverse range of disease indications. Although my scientific education focused on medicinal chemistry and my more recent roles have centered on development efforts in oncology, the ability to draw upon a broad background has been extremely helpful in choosing efficient paths for bringing products to the patient. In each role, I have made it my personal mission to do my absolute best and learn every detail along the way. In my decade at The volatility of the market is a challenge in our never-ending quest to recruit the best talent. As an early stage biopharmaceutical company, a large amount of employees’ compensation is derived from equity. As a leader, my job is to help the team see the importance of the long objective of getting our products approved and to patients that need them the most. Assembling the best talent is critical to our success. In the Bay Area, recruiting Pertaining to your leadership experience, how according to you, do the changes in technology utilization, volatility of the market and talent recognition, affect the overall development of any business/organization? Biopharmaceutical development is a dynamic industry and requires continual education and engagement to remain current with the most advanced 36 | May 2019 www.insightssuccess.com

39. SUCCESSFUL WOMEN making a difference in Biotech Maria Fardis President & CEO Iovance Biotherapeutics according to you, can this be achieved? I encourage my colleagues, male and female, to make education a priority because I feel one learns how to think critically in the process. Beyond that, values including integrity, sincerity, hard work, and positive attitude go a long way. For executives, it’s important that we create opportunities for the younger generation of emerging leaders. Career opportunities don’t have to be gender-specific, and it’s important that we pay attention to others’ careers along the way. is highly competitive. I personally meet every candidate during the interview process to the degree that schedules allow. be easy to become distracted with other issues that arise in the process of product development. It is important that every step we take is a step toward a goal and does not deviate from the overall vision, which in our case is bringing a new treatment to the patient. What according to you are the vital attributes that a business leader should possess? I believe that a leader should maintain a positive outlook, be willing to dive into projects and the industry to learn about every detail possible. It is also critical to consistently support your team and provide them the resources they need to be successful, particularly in supporting opportunities for education about their work. I see my job as a leader to help ensure we are consistently tracking toward realization of specific, well-defined goals How you have envisioned your future with regard to your career as well as your personal growth? Bringing products to patients who have very limited options is exactly what I want to be doing with my day. As long as I can continue to experience the reward of seeing the label of an approved product that makes a meaningful difference in patients’ lives, I expect to find satisfaction in my career path. I sincerely value the personal feedback from patients and patients’ families about how their lives have been affected by our clinical development efforts. What would be your advice for the aspiring/emerging business leaders? The vision for how organization needs to execute to progress from the current time to a specific endpoint needs to be very clear. It’s important to have a well-defined goal and act consistently to maintain focus of that goal, as it can Considering the necessity of encouraging women to take up leadership positions, in what ways May 2019 | 37 www.insightssuccess.com

40. Martine Niermans Owner Q10 Consultancy About the Author Martine Niermans is the Owner at Q10 Consultancy, a company that focuses on helping companies to create the best customer experience and journey. She founded Q10 Consultancy because of her passion for Customer Success and the growing Saas industry. Due to her international upbringing she came in contact with different cultures from an early age. She took the best of all worlds in terms of service and this is how she takes customer success to the next level. 38 | May 2019 www.insightssuccess.com

41. Expert’s Outlook Ways to Sustain the in Women Women Entrepreneurial Spirit I terms. I had the classic struggle of finding a balance between my personal life and my passion for my team and my customers. Before that, even when I worked at large corporates like Apple, I always felt I was in control of making my own choices and I wanted that feeling back. been lucky enough to have been brought up by my parents who made me believe that I can be anything I want, without any limitations. My father even made sure I was able to maintain my own car, cause he always said, you do not need to rely on anyone unless you choose to. I lived and travelled all over the world which gave me a different and amazing perspective to life which helped me grow in my confidence and independence at a young age. That is a wonderful start in life and a luxury to be raised this way I found out later in life. n 2016 I left my job as the CCO of a very successful tech scale up. I wanted to start a journey by myself in this great big world and on my own Many around me including some of the people closest to me said I was crazy starting my own business. But I had nothing to prove to them. I’ve never been someone who stays on the path of traditional expectations. I had to follow my gut. I wanted to help tech companies become customer centric and contribute to the world by evangelizing my obsession for customers. I feel we (women) are our own worst enemy. You are only limited to what you think you are. Not, what anyone else thinks. So be confident. Believe in yourself and your business. Trusting your Gut You are given this beautiful thing called soft skills which entails your gut. In the past I have tried to ignore it but it always proved me right. So be in touch with your inner self and trust your gut. It is always right. Even if it makes the path you travel on for a moment more difficult. Now 2 years later, I am still in the middle of the journey, but loving every minute of it. I am the proud co-owner of 2 other tech companies that I co-founded along the way, next to my first love Q10 Consultancy. For the like-minded women, I would love to share how I sustain my entrepreneurial spirit. Create a team around you with expertise on things you are not as good at. I’ve learned very early on you cannot do it all. No one can. So make sure you hire people with the right mindset and a skillset different from yours which is complementary. Be Confident I truly believe confidence is the most important aspect in any entrepreneur. Ever since I was a young girl I have May 2019 | 39 www.insightssuccess.com

42. Stay positive. Positivity is lifesaving. Learn from failure and take the best of it and grow. Positivity is an important trade of any leader, it equals that you have problem solving skills, something everyone needs. This in combination with confidence (note this is not arrogance) is a killer combination for a female entrepreneur. or a group you can connect to, that you admire and make it a win-win situation. Advice and mentorship needs to work both ways and once you find that safe space to unwind and share experiences you will find quickly you will be learning from each other. Work/Life Balance Embrace Your Soft Skills It’s been said enough time, but it’s important, make sure you have time for yourself. Don’t lose sight of your priorities. We don’t need to become men. It is important we embrace our soft skills. Female entrepreneurs spend more time in business on things like empathy, relating to their customers and actually bringing that vision to the market. As a single mom of a 4, 5 year old with my own businesses, time management, a great backup network, and making priorities is of the essence. Luckily nowadays we can all work flexible. If I need to be home I choose to be home. But sometimes it does not work, then don’t sweat it. Give yourself a break and think ’I do the best that I can’. Meditation is great and what I always try to do is go outside a lot, for fresh air and moving. So after lunch I always take a walk when I can, to clear my head and prioritize my afternoon. I like to talk to people while walking. You create better high quality conversations when you take people out of the business environment. Today in Tech, where we are living in the ’age of the customer’; meaning the customer has (almost) all the power and the vendors need to listen to them, it is of most importance to have a customer centric company. This is what women are so amazing at. This will distinguish your company from most competitors and eventually it will grow your business tremendously over the longer term if you take care of your customers. They will come back every year and grow their business and tell other potential customers. Recurring revenue is essential nowadays, so use this strength! Women are natural entrepreneurs and leaders because of their attention to detail and their ability to multitask. It’s very easy for us to look at the little things, and that’s what matters to being an entrepreneur. All we have to do is believe in ourselves. Find a Mentor & Network As an entrepreneur in Tech but also as just someone in the working world I always love to have a mentor. Someone I can bounce ideas off. This can be an expert in your field or other female entrepreneurs or both. And think outside the box on this. I have a mentor who has nothing to do with my line of expertise, but is a great business woman and does not even live here in Holland. With the internet the world is your playground. I mentor as well. Find someone 40 | May 2019 www.insightssuccess.com

44. Sandra Rey Sandra Rey Creating Illumination for the Future! “Enlightened by the sea” “Enlightened by the sea” Sandra Rey Founder & CEO 42 | May 2019 www.insightssuccess.com

45. SUCCESSFUL WOMEN making a difference in Biotech I key insights over her organization’s journey and its specialized solutions and services. She has also broadly discussed about company’s core competencies and how the company is establishing its foothold in the global market. Considering these influential and inspirational aspects, Insights Success recognizes Sandra Rey as one of the influential marketing leaders to watch in 2019. n an interview with Insights Success, the Founder and CEO of Glowee, Sandra Rey shares the believe in our ability to change the world. afraid of what you don’t know. Passion, determination and motivation will be enough to achieve what you are looking for. When you have that, you can convince talented people to do what you cannot do, and you can convince clients to follow you. Then, my advice would be to not be afraid of talking about your project, to anybody, as more as possible, don’t keep it for yourself. It will bring you feedbacks and make you evolve way quicker and further that you would have imagined. What according to you are the vital attributes that a business leader should possess? As the leader of a team, your only role is to inspire the team and give them this power to act. This is where being passionate about what we do is absolutely crucial. In terms of market competency, how do you strive to sustain your organization’s leading position? As Glowee is a unique offer on the market, our strategy to maintain our position relies on 3 mains things; first R&D, to stay ahead of potential newcomers. Second, educate people on the way we can use bioluminescence and become solution prescribers for all the stakeholders. Third, I spend most of my time listening to clients and getting feedbacks on our product, trying to find what would be the most valuable innovation that we can bring them. Not keeping what we do and accept to evolve and grow is also key in this process. How you have envisioned your future with regards to your career as well as your personal growth? For now I am entirely focused on the growth of Glowee, we want our light solution to revolutionize the way we think about light, to be a sustainable answer to huge environmental issues. As my project is really something that makes me wake up in the morning, the energy provided by this exiting project, helps me create this perfect personal/professional balance. Below are the highlights of the interview conducted between Sandra and Insights Success: Can you give us a brief overview of your background and the evolution of your career towards being a recognized industry leader in biotech? I came up with the idea for Glowee when I was a design student. I pursued my studies with a Social Entrepreneurship degree. When I graduated in 2014, I decided to enter the lab and see what bioluminescence could bring. I created the company in December 2014, and have been growing my business since then, through constant R&D, building a great team of talented people and successful partnerships, with the objective to revolutionize the lighting industry thanks to nature. About the Leader Sandra Rey is the Founder and CEO of Glowee, who revolutionary makes biological lighting systems using bioluminescent marine bacteria to produce their own light. Today, Glowee offers inspiring and relaxing experiences of bioluminescence for the well-being industry. Rey’s radical light sources could reduce a major cause of energy and natural resources consumption in the future. Sandra holds a master’s degree from the French Design School of Strate and took social entrepreneurship courses at the business school ESCP Europe. During her designed studies, she has imagined an alternative to traditional lighting using biology and living micro-organisms. As the founder and CEO of Glowee, a Paris-based startup, she’s betting on a future powered by bioluminescence. She has been recognized as an Innovator under 25 by the great MIT technology Review. Considering the necessity of encouraging women to take up leadership positions, in what ways according to you, can this be achieved? In my opinion, the more role-model women will have, the more being a women will not even be a question. Education plays also an important role as women tends to have less self- confidence, and thus sometimes, taking a position that does not allow them to stand up and be a leader. In my opinion, working on women’s self- confidence from a young age so that there is no question to be asked later is more important than educating on gender equality. Pertaining to your leadership experience, how according to you, do the changes in technology utilization, volatility of the market and talent recognition, affect the overall development of any business/organization? As the leader of a young company, I try to include people that are bringing skills I may not have to the team. Hiring talent can be stressful, but I believe in judging people on their accomplishments before anything else. What we need before everything in a little startup like mine is people who What would be your advice for the aspiring/emerging business leaders? The best advice I can give is don’t be May 2019 | 43 www.insightssuccess.com