CEO

The Company

Our client is a Swedish clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class treatments in one of the world’s largest unmet medical needs.

The company’s lead asset has successfully completed a randomized Phase II Proof-of-Concept clinical trial demonstrating statistically significant efficacy, excellent safety and tolerability, and clinically meaningful result.

The clinical results have recently been published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, providing strong external validation of the program.

The company is now preparing for Phase IIb development while actively pursuing strategic partnerships and international financing to maximize shareholder value.

About the Role

As CEO, you will have the opportunity to lead a research-driven pharmaceutical company through a pivotal and value-creating phase of development.

Following the successful completion of the Phase II Proof-of-Concept clinical trial, the company is now preparing to advance the asset  into a Phase IIb clinical trial. The next phase will require strong strategic and operational leadership, capital markets experience, and commercial business acumen to advance the program toward its next major value inflection point.

The CEO will play a pivotal role in transforming a clinically validated asset into a Phase III-ready partnering opportunity. This will involve engaging with international investors, pharmaceutical companies, regulators, and key opinion leaders across Europe and the US, while building the organizational capabilities required to execute the company’s strategy.

Key Responsibilities

The CEO will be responsible for:

• Leading the company’s overall strategic and operational development
• Advancing the company through its next clinical, regulatory, financing, and commercial milestones
• Developing and executing the company’s financing and capital-raising strategy
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with investors, pharmaceutical partners, potential licensees, and other key stakeholders
• Developing and executing a strategy to position the company for potential strategic alternatives, including:
  • Licensing and partnering transactions
  • M&A transactions
  • Strategic transactions and potential exit opportunities
• Working closely with the Board of Directors and scientific advisors
• Building the organizational capabilities, resources, and culture required for the next stage of development
• Representing the company externally toward investors, industry stakeholders, regulators, partners, and media

Experience and Background

We are seeking an entrepreneurial and commercially minded leader with a proven track record of building and developing companies within life sciences, biotechnology, or pharmaceuticals, preferably in smaller, growth-oriented or venture-backed environments.

Key Qualifications and Experience

• Previous experience as CEO, COO, CBO, or in a comparable senior leadership role within biotech or pharma
• Proven experience in clinical development, preferably across Phase II–III
• Demonstrated track record in fundraising, capital markets, and investor relations
• Strong experience in business development, licensing, partnering, or strategic transactions
• Experience leading companies toward a major strategic transaction, partnership, licensing deal, sale, or exit is highly meritorious
• Strong understanding of regulatory processes and pharmaceutical drug development
• Experience from smaller growth companies, entrepreneurial environments, or venture-backed businesses is highly important
• Ability to operate effectively across scientific, clinical, commercial, financial, and strategic disciplines

Personal Profile

We are looking for an entrepreneurial and commercially driven leader with a demonstrated ability to create value through strategic financing, partnering, and business development, and a strong track record of advancing companies through critical clinical, financing, and commercial milestones

We believe you are

• Entrepreneurial, results-oriented, and commercially driven
• Experienced in leading cross-functional product development organizations
• Comfortable navigating uncertainty and rapidly changing environments
• Relationship-oriented, with high credibility among investors, boards, and key stakeholders
• Strategic in perspective, yet pragmatic and hands-on in execution
• Driven, resilient, and motivated by creating long-term value

Critical Success Factors

To succeed in this role, you will need to be able to:

• Successfully position the company and the asset for a potential Phase III partnering transaction
• Build trust and credibility with investors and the international capital markets
• Develop and communicate a compelling equity story around the company’s clinical and commercial potential
• Prioritize effectively across clinical development, financing, business development, and organizational needs
• Drive strategic processes with a clear focus on value creation and future strategic alternatives
• Identify, attract, and secure the right partners, investors, and competencies for the company’s next phase of growth

Education

• Academic degree in medicine, pharmacy, biotechnology, business, or equivalent
• MBA or other business-oriented postgraduate education is considered an advantage

Additional Requirements

• Fluent in Swedish and English, both spoken and written
• Experience working in international environments
• Strong understanding of the investor perspective in venture-backed and growth companies
• Strong understanding of pharmaceutical product development and the clinical development pathway
• Willingness and ability to engage extensively with international investors, pharmaceutical companies, and other strategic stakeholders

Welcome with Your Application!

In this recruitment the company is collaborating with Moveup Consulting.

For questions regarding the position, please contact recruitment consultant Richard Etz at +46 733 872721.

Please submit your application in the form of a CV and cover letter to richard.etz@moveup.se.

By submitting your application, you also consent to us storing your personal data, including your CV and cover letter, and acknowledge that we have the right to share this information with third parties (our client). You may withdraw your consent at any time.