Chief Executive Officer

The organisation

This organisation is a fast-growing startup within the instrumentation diagnostics industry backed by both academia and investors. Their label-free analysis technology is unique and is based on over ten years of intensive leading-edge research.

The position

To strengthen the current executive team and to ensure that this organisation further develops their technology and commercialise their products, we are looking for an experienced business development executive to serve as their CEO.

Tasks & responsibilities

In this position, you will be the essential driver to start up and successfully grow the business. You will do this by setting strategy and direction, building and leading a small entrepreneurial team, and working on corporate development in the broadest sense of the word (interacting with customers, capital allocation, expanding the technology, etc.). In cooperation with the other executives and investors, you will work in a wide range of related strategy projects.

What are your key responsibilities?

• Overseeing the company in the broadest sense of the word
• Build up the organisation together with the founder (HR/Communication/Financial Strategy)
• Make appropriate recommendations on company strategy and generate buy-in from other stakeholders
• Lead negotiations to any agreements, as well as presenting proposed agreements to the executive team/board
• Identifying the above opportunities for this technology and execute deals
• Creating and participating actively in the relevant networks, conferences, etc.
• Evaluate alliance and partnership trends and provide analysis and recommendations
• Expected very much to be a “hands on function” i.e. able to work independently but with the ability to lead a matrix group and to proactively and meaningfully participate in other group led discussions
• Actively participating in fundraising, or working on other methods to generate funds (IPO, Exit Strategy, Non-dilutive financing etc.)

Candidate profile

We are looking for someone who has:

• A technical or scientific degree in life sciences, such as a MSc or PhD. Ideally, you have completed a Business Degree as well, such as an MBA or MSc in Management
• 10 years of experience in business development/corporate development/commercial positions
• A strong network with research labs and the biotech and pharmaceutical industry
• A strong and proven track record in concluding partnership deals and developing new business lines
• The ability to motivate and work with others in a highly collaborative environment and to establish common ground and forge partnerships
• Skills to manage competing priorities and the ability to prioritise workload as needs evolve across projects
• Previous experience in a startup/scale up company is a preference
• A fluent proficiency of the English language
• The ability to be based in Belgium

The ideal candidate has the following personality traits:

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Entrepreneurial mentality
• Strong influencing and management skills while simultaneously demonstrating the attributes of collaboration, team building and participative decision making
• Resilient; remains calm and deliberate under any circumstance
• Enthusiastic and energetic

The offer

• You will play a significant role in setting up the foundation for an organisation that is going to change the instrumentation diagnostics landscape. Furthermore:
• You will work with a strong technical and operational team with an extensive knowledge of the technology and the environment in the industry
• You will play a key role in the future success of the company; it is small enough to allow fast decision making, but it has a solid pipeline and the financial resources to do things right
• It is your task as CEO to create a flexible organisation, so you get the opportunity to build up from scratch which leads to interesting opportunities
• The ability to work within an organisation with high-end, complex instrumentation
• A competitive package

Interested?

You can apply to this position by using the link below. For more information please contact Mark Breed, Consultant Sales & Marketing | Medical Devices, +31(0)6-30287204, +31(0)23-7548660.