Program

The Biotech CEO Summit is designed to fully engage participants in thoughtful discussions around decisions and inflection points that many CEOs will encounter as they navigate through the challenges facing a biotech company in today’s environment. The topics are drawn from the participants themselves and from known events in the biotech community. The program begins with fictitious “stalking horse” case studies amalgamated from real situations and with options a CEO may find useful to evaluate. This is unlike any other meeting for biotech CEOs.

Tuesday July 21, 2015
2:00 – 9:00 pm	Arrival & Registration
6:00 – 9:30 pm	Biotech CEO Summit Opening Events Carneros Courtyard & FARM Restaurant
6:20 – 6:30 pm	Opening Remarks Sara Jane Demy, Demy-Colton Life Science Advisors
6:30 – 7:30 pm	Fireside Chat: The Purposeful CEO Driving Innovation While Reaping The Rewards Of Biotech’s New Golden Age – A candid discussion of the lessons learned during the journey through the evolution of the biotech industry and successive leadership positions. Discussion Leader – Barbara Ryan, Clermont Partners Paul J. Hastings, OncoMed Pharmaceuticals
7:30 – 9:30 pm	Networking Reception & Buffet Dinner

Wednesday July 22, 2015
6:30 – 8:10 am	Breakfast Of Champions FARM Restaurant
8:15 – 8:30 am	Welcoming Remarks, Overview, Rules Of Engagement, Introductions Sara Jane Demy, Demy-Colton Life Science Advisors
8:30 – 9:45 am	Strategy – Selecting the Right Projects to Drive Value: One of the most important strategic decisions for a biotech CEO is judiciously directing available funds and resources to those projects that will maximize the organization’s value. The selection of projects is influenced by multiple factors including the capacity of the executive team to manage programs, the strengths and capabilities of the organization, and the timing within which the value growth must be achieved. There are multiple ‘right’ choices for resource allocation but in the end, the CEO must determine which projects to pursue and what resources will be allocated to those projects. Discussion Leader- Ben Bonifant, Triangle Insights Group Jack Anthony, BioMentorz Chris Ehrlich, Locust Walk Partners Julia Gregory, ContraFect Bill Newell, Sutro Biopharma
9:45 – 10:15 am	Morning Break
10:15–11:15 am	For A Biotech CEO, It Is Always About Money: A Biotech CEO is always raising money whether through an IPO, a follow-on, collaboration, another private round, or debt. A fund-raising strategy is influenced by a number of factors including development needs, investor’s tolerance for dilution, potential partnerships, and the state of the market. In today’s bull market, there are many funding avenues to consider. The challenge is determining which tool is right now and matching that tool to the corporate strategy. Discussion Leader – Geoff Meyerson, Locust Walk Partners Doug Fisher, InterWest Partners Jennifer Friel Goldstein, Silicon Valley Bank Scott Karchmer, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius Donna LaVoie, LaVoieHealthScience Veet Misra, Cantor Fitzgerald
11:15–12:15 pm	Organizational Challenges of a New Reality – As a biotech company grows, the variability and complexity of challenges expands dramatically. When it decides to go public, they expand exponentially. Informal decision making and unstructured governance processes must give way to formal procedures — the successful organization adapts. CEOs must identify approaches that are aligned to the new reality and they must choose the right time to make changes. Discussion Leader – Chris Ehrlich, Locust Walk Partners Jeff Cleland, GrayBug Joe Gulfo, Fairleigh Dickinson University Ben Pensak, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius Christos Richards, Catalyst Advisors Kathy Ryan, RoseRyan
12:15 – 1:30 pm	Refuel & Refresh Networking Lunch FARM Restaurant
1:30 – 2:30 pm	Strategic Questions: Back-up Plans for Back-up Plans – ‘Stuff’ happens. And when it does, a leader learns the value of having back-up plans —and back-up plans for the back-up plans. Every biotech CEO knows there will be unanticipated ‘events’ driven on by uncontrollable external factors. Successful biotech CEOs, and their teams, have plans for such events. Discussion Leader – Joe Gulfo, Fairleigh Dickinson University Jack Anthony, BioMentorz Ken Moch, (formerly of) Chimerix Susan Molineaux, Calithera Biosciences Bill Newell, Sutro Biopharma Barbara Ryan, Clermont Partners
2:30 – 3:00 pm	Afternoon Break
3:00 – 3:15 pm	Introduction of the CEO Confidence Index James Forte, Kineticos
3:15 – 4:30 pm	An Unguarded Conversation Among Friends: Is Your Board Ready, Willing, And Able To Grow With Your Company? – Dealing with and developing a board of directors is often complicated. While well-organized and well-managed boards can dramatically increase a CEO’s effectiveness, a board that is not well aligned can have a detrimental effect on the CEO’s ability to drive value. Biotech CEOs in particular, need board members who are aligned with the CEO’s vision, who understand the risks and development challenges, and who can help the CEO with the hurdles he or she will invariably face. As a company evolves, the CEO has to recognize that the make-up of the board will need to evolve as well. Discussion Leader – Christos Richards, Catalyst Advisors Jeff Cleland, GrayBug Julia Gregory, ContraFect Scott Karchmer, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius Susan Molineaux, Calithera Biosciences
4:30 – 4:45 pm	End of Day Wrap-up
6:00 – 9:00 pm	Artisanal Wine Tasting Reception & Networking Dinner Hilltop Dining Room, The Carneros Inn

Thursday July 23, 2015
6:30 – 8:10 am	Breakfast of Champions FARM Restaurant
8:15 – 8:30 am	Day 1 Recap
8:30 – 9:45 am	Strategy Discussion: Operating In A Competitive Environment Means You Have To Differentiate or Capitulate – Payers have been bringing increasing pressure on the biopharma industry regarding price and pushing back on adding what they perceive as yet another ‘me too’ drug to their formularies. Being the third, fourth or fifth entry into a crowded field may have once been justified because even a small share of a large market is economically compelling. In today’s environment, however, a non-differentiated asset is just not good enough. When a lead asset has lost its advantage, a biotech CEO needs to rethink her/his strategy. Let’s consider the problem and an altered reality. Discussion Leader – Ben Bonifant, Triangle Insights Group Julia Gregory, Contrafect Joe Gulfo, Fairleigh Dickinson University Claudia Hirawat, EURORDIS Roger Longman, Real Endpoints
9:45 – 10:15 am	Morning Break
10:15–11:15 am	Relationships Matter –Building solid relationships with a regulatory agency such as the FDA as well as other stakeholders, such as patient advocacy groups and the financial community, takes time and effort but is key to helping a CEO lead his/her company through the challenges every biotech company will face. Discussion Leader – Joe Gulfo, Fairleigh Dickinson University Claudia Hirawat, EURORDIS Roger Longman, Real Endpoints Geoff Meyerson, Locust Walk Partners Barbara Ryan, Clermont Partners
11:15–12:15 pm	Communications: Building Your Story – Every biotech CEO is responsible for communicating the company’s vision through good times and bad. This leadership role involves managing challenges both internal – getting everyone on the same page – and external – managing perception among the financial community, the trade media, stakeholders, etc. The CEO needs to build consensus not only within his or her company, but, also must deliver the right message to the right constituency consistently. Discussion Leader – Donna LaVoie, LaVoieHealthScience Jeff Cleland, GrayBug Chris Ehrlich, Locust Walk Partners Jennifer Friel Goldstein, Silicon Valley Bank Claudia Hirawat, EURORDIS Kathy Ryan, RoseRyan
12:15 – 1:30 pm	Refuel & Refresh Networking Lunch FARM Restaurant
1:00 – 1:30 pm	A Brief Conversation with a Former Tech CEO Discussion leader – Jack Anthony, BioMentorz EJ Neil, North Sonoma County Hospital District
1:30 – 2:30 pm	When Bad Things Happen To Good Companies – Twenty years ago, the pharmaceutical industry ranked among the most respected of all industries; today they rank among the least admired – just above tobacco and financial companies. In the interim, while pharma became known for me-too statins and ED therapies, the biotechnology industry inherited the aura of the innovator of life saving therapies. Today, this aura is fading. It is no longer easy for a development stage company to stay beyond reproach. Even before a company enters the market, it may face recalcitrant regulators, issues about access or pricing, and stakeholders who are literally facing life or death outcomes. How can individual companies prepare themselves for maelstrom that may emerge when patients believe it is putting profits before patients? Discussion Leader – Ken Moch, (formerly of) Chimerix Joseph Gulfo, Fairleigh Dickinson University Claudia Hirawat, EURORDIS Barbara Ryan, Clermont Partners Robin Silva, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
2:30 – 3:00 pm	Afternoon Break
3:00 – 4:30 pm	An Unguarded Conversation Among Friends: The Characteristics Of Next Gen Outstanding Biotech CEOs Discussion Leader – Christos Richards, Catalyst Advisors Jack Anthony, BioMentorz Doug Fisher, InterWest Partners Jennifer Friel Goldstein, Silicon Valley Bank Julia Gregory, Contrafect Donna LaVoie, LaVoieHealthScience Geoff Meyerson, Locust Walk Partners
4:30 – 4:45 pm	Wrap-up
4:45 pm	Closing Reception Carneros Courtyard

Program

Tuesday July 21, 2015

Wednesday July 22, 2015

Thursday July 23, 2015