CEO Biotech Industry

In June 2024 it was announced that two preeminent leaders in industry, Danone and Michelin, along with the American start-up DMC Biotechnologies and Crédit Agricole Centre France are to enter into a joint venture. Bringing together their collective expertise, networks and investments, this joint venture (JV) will increase capacity (to an industrial level) in precision fermentation through the creation of a Biotech Open Platform thus further enabling the production of bio-based materials and ingredients.

The multi million Euro investment located in Clermont-Ferrand will apply the existing expertise and ecosystem of Parc Cataroux a Center for Sustainable Materials, an innovation accelerator supported by Michelin.

The Biotech Open Platform Will Produce Specific Materials And Differentiated Services Supporting Pre-industrial Development And Prototyping With The Key Objectives Of:

• Scaling up capacity in line with envisaged demand operated in a modular format to address as many needs as possible applying the entire chain available or parts of process as needed in Downstream Processing (DSP).
• Delivering against the ambitions of the JV to build capability and against the innovation agenda of the Founding Partners, while ensuring access to the platform for the Founding Partners is within the limit of the allocated capacity.

To deliver against these objectives the CEO will be required to run the CDMO (Contract Development Manufacturing Organization) across key steps in the conversion process including the fermentation assets as well as downstream processing (centrifugation, filtration, evaporation, crystallization, decanting, and drying operations).

Success Will Be Measured Across:

• Production and refining of materials across multiple steps in the operations (as listed above).
• Work in collaboration with existing clients (Founding Partners) to manufacture and supply products as per their needs.
• Identify, attract and acquire new customers and revenue streams to enable efficient capacity utilization in line with scale up and overall ambition.
• In time lead capacity/allocation according to the needs of interested parties, satisfying the requirements of the Founding Partners yet not limiting future growth with potential commercial opportunities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Execution Strategy: Craft the execution strategy by developing a comprehensive business plan that outlines the go-to-market strategy, fuels competitive advantage, and meets commercial & financial projections.
• Funding: Secure funding from investors, loans or subsidies. Ensuring return on investment of capital deployed in the facility (20MM Euro) and building long term plans for further utilization of assets to develop revenue.
• Team Building: Recruit, hire, and retain top talent across all functions. Foster a collaborative company culture.
• Ecosystem Development: Engage with the biotech ecosystem and foster the company’s development/cross-fertilization with start-ups, science incubators/accelerators, academic institutions and local authorities. Establish key partnerships and build strong relationships with shareholders, customers, and other key partners who can support in achieving our goals.
• Operational Oversight: Coordinate and ensure proper management of all aspects of the business, including but not limited to marketing, sales, finance and operations.
• Board Coordination: Coordinate board meeting agendas and decision-making. Contribute to strategy shaping and ensure open/constructive relationships across shareholders.

Main Activities:

Interactions with the Board of Directors:

• Report to the Board of Directors currently composed of Danone, Michelin, DMC, and Credit Agricole.
• Develop the company’s activities and be responsible for its economic results and investment plan.
• Ensure the independence of the company while delivering on both shareholders’ expectations and the societal role of the company. The platform will be open to the external market.

Team Management:

• Lead the recruiting and staffing needed to deliver against the Business Plan.

Economic Development:

• Ensure effective financial health of the company, in addition to business development and relationship management to ensure profitability, customer retention and expansion in line with capacity scale-up.

Evolution of the Company and Strategy:

• Lead the execution of the multi-year strategy in line with the market plan and as determined by the Board of Directors (construction of 2- 3 fermenters +3 associated DPS lines).
• Address the possible evolution of the business model, potentially extending the current CDMO model to include additional revenue generation opportunities.

Leadership & Functional Skills Required:

This leader will have multi-faceted skills, enabling them to successfully work within a science/engineering led operation while at the same time collaborate with the strategic Board of Directors. The CEO will offer a combination of technical “know how’’ to scale a complex manufacturing process while possessing strong business savviness to create a commercially viable and sustainable model for the benefit of the Founding Partners and other potential customers.

• Education/Experience: Master’s Degree or PhD in Microbiology/Biology or Engineering/ Technology.
• Previous confirmed experience with accountability across both commercial and operations.
• Industry expertise gained working within fermentation/biotech.
• Validated capability of working within/leading a CDMO.
• International experience and global mindset.

Desired Business Skills:

• Reference expertise in propagation/fermentation or microbiology.
• Reference expertise in biological engineering.
• Mastery in downstream processes such as (separation/concentration/drying).
• Mastery of working within Quality & Food Safety systems.
• Mastery in market segmentation, customer profiling and contract management.
• Practical awareness of corporate law, accounting/finance.

Behavioral Competencies:

• Strong and inclusive leader able to inspire at times of uncertainty.
• Ability to be customer-oriented.
• Results and delivery focused.
• Agile leader with ability to be transformational and strategic yet pragmatic.
• Sophisticated communicator across multiple partner groups and comfortable dealing with diplomacy and tact yet driving to conclusions.
• Uses initiative, pre-emptive in thinking and action.
• Humility.
• Resilient and adaptable.
• Navigates complexity with enthusiasm to be a problem solver.
• Driver of impact and influence.
• Becomes the “go to point” inside and outside of the organization.
• Advocate of collective team work.