Women Leaders in Life Sciences Law

Grab a coffee and breakfast and kick-start your day by leveraging the shared experiences and collective knowledge of your industry peers during these facilitated roundtable discussions. Attendees will pre-select the roundtable discussion topic they would like to participate in for the duration of the session.

• Hybrid/Remote Work Attitudes – 5 Years On
• Evolving Leadership Paradigm: What is Expected of a Leader Today
• The Family Dimension of Leadership: Balancing Personal and Professional Life
• Strategic Influence for Women: Personal Brand, Storytelling and Buy-In
• Is Feedback Really a Gift?

Competition authorities in the EU and UK are increasingly incorporating innovation-based theories of harm into antitrust reviews and merger assessments—shifting the focus from traditional market share metrics to the potential impact on future competition and R&D pipelines. Other renewed points of focus include lifecycle management as well as marketing and price negotiation policies in the life sciences industry. This session will examine the implications for life sciences companies of this evolving approach, where innovation is both a key differentiator and a regulatory flashpoint.

Key discussion areas include:

• Determining how innovation-based theories of harm are influencing case outcomes and shaping the regulatory landscape.
• Leveraging economic analysis as a strategic tool to assess innovation potential, quantify competitive effects, and engage constructively with regulators.
• Building a defensible innovation narrative – practical guidance for documenting R&D strategy, collaboration models, and long-term market contributions to withstand regulatory scrutiny.
• Implications for transactions and partnerships – considerations for deal structures, joint ventures, or licensing arrangements in light of this evolving enforcement approach.
• Lifecycle management issues and challenges concerning optical marketing and pricing of pharmaceutical products within a competition law framework.

As the expectations placed on senior legal leaders continue to evolve, success increasingly depends on the ability to influence beyond traditional legal expertise. This interactive session explores how legal leaders can position themselves as trusted strategic partners to the C-suite, driving value in an environment shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, regulatory complexity, and AI. Through practical insights and guided discussion, participants will gain insight into the skills, mindset, and personal positioning required to lead with influence at the highest levels of their organisation.

Key discussion areas include:

• Building influence across the C-suite by understanding power dynamics and the importance of commercial fluency
• Developing trust with CEOs, CFOs, Boards, and cross-functional leaders
• Strategically positioning yourself as a business partner through visibility, credibility, and personal brand
• Translating insights into action through leadership commitments that strengthen long-term impact and presence

In a competitive and highly regulated industry, life sciences commercial teams are increasingly looking beyond internal pipelines to fuel growth—investing in start-ups, securing licensing deals, and partnering with innovators. This session will explore how companies are structuring investments, from small equity stakes to strategic licensing agreements, to diversify risk and accelerate innovation.

Key discussion areas include:

• Addressing the challenges of relying on external R&D pipelines, including intellectual property considerations, cross-border regulatory compliance, and coordination complexities.
• Real-world approaches to evaluating targets, managing long-term IP rights, aligning timelines and priorities with external partners.
• Navigating the regulatory landscape to ensure growth strategies deliver lasting value.

Life sciences teams are increasingly global, cross-functional, and multi-generational—bringing together diverse perspectives, skills, and communication styles. This interactive session will provide practical tools to bridge cultural and generational gaps, address unconscious bias, boost collaboration, and unlock the full potential of your team.

Key discussion areas include:

• Understanding how generational identities shape values, communication styles and career expectations.
• Identifying the distinct preferences for how different generations and cultures receive and process information and what influences their decision-making.
• Recognizing and mitigating unconscious bias to create a more inclusive, equitable, and high-performing team environment.
• Building bridges across differences with proven techniques to foster collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and mutual respect in culturally and generationally diverse teams.
• Applying emotional intelligence to influence and motivate teams.

To close the 2nd annual Summit, we bring together an accomplished panel of women who have navigated the complex world of life sciences law and emerged as influential leaders. In this candid conversation, they’ll share defining moments, lessons learned, and the realities—both rewarding and challenging—of leadership. This session will be as much about practical wisdom as it is about inspiration, offering tangible takeaways for those seeking to lead and those already in the arena.

Key discussion areas include:

• Breaking barriers and challenging bias in traditionally male-dominated spaces.
• Leadership approaches that inspire trust, resilience, and results.
• Balancing ambition and wellbeing in a demanding sector.
• Turning career pivots into growth opportunities.
• Mentorship and paving the way for the next gen.eration of life sciences women leaders.