“I fully expect that the industry will have multiple female CEOs in the years to come,” predicts Elizabeth Hickman, Chief Executive of Austin Pharmaceuticals. However, the current state of the pharma industry is that while gender mix starts fairly even, by the time you get to the C-suite, the top table is still overwhelmingly male.
In our most recent Women in BioPharma meetup Elizabeth Hickman was joined by Nikki Whitfield, CEO of Upperton; and Henny Zijlstra, Chief Commercial Officer at Adragos to share their perspective. Their combined experience spans research and development, commercial operations, and executive leadership, offering a comprehensive view of how women can succeed in this traditionally male-dominated industry.
Listen to the full live recording here:
Diverse Pathways to Leadership
Elizabeth Hickman’s journey exemplifies how non-traditional career paths can lead to executive roles. “I like the term that not all who wander are lost when it comes to my career path,” she reflects. “I studied microbiology in my undergraduate studies but I realised very quickly during summer internships that working in a lab just wasn’t a thing for me.”
Her progression from Chief Business Officer to CEO challenges traditional assumptions about leadership trajectories. “The industry is seeing the benefits of diversity and backgrounds and experience that different roles can bring to the role of CEO,” Elizabeth explains.
“Having a background in sales and marketing has been very beneficial in preparing me for the role of CEO. We’re a service based company, and having a very strong connection to the customer is important for our long term success.”
Don’t miss our next Women in BioPharma Meetup for an enlightening conversation with a pioneering female health startup founder, Valentina Milanova, Founder and CEO/CPO of Daye. Valentina will discuss the hidden gender biases she has encountered that are ingrained in the pharmaceutical industry, from research and testing, to investment, manufacturing and marketing. Sign up here
Building Confidence and Self-Development
Each leader emphasised the importance of self-belief and continuous growth.
Nikki Whitfield shares a powerful moment of vulnerability: “When I became CEO of Upperton and did my opening speech to the team, I can honestly say I was sick before I went and gave that presentation. I really thought ‘What if everyone in this room thinks ‘what is she doing here?”
She received crucial advice from a mentor: “Your only job today is to make those people feel really confident in what you’re doing. What you do behind closed doors, with advisors or consultants you bring in to help you deliver it, is between you and your office.”
The leaders shared practical strategies for building confidence. Nikki emphasises the power of self-coaching:
“I talk to myself a lot. Especially in the car, I have conversations with myself and that really helps because the brain doesn’t know the difference if you’re saying it or someone else is saying it.”
For personal development, Henny recommends specific practices: “Journaling is one of the things that I started doing five years ago, or quick meditation sessions during the day.”
The Power of Mentorship
Mentorship has been crucial to their success, though it takes different forms. “I’m lucky to have multiple mentors and supervisors throughout my career that recognised my potential and encouraged and challenged me to stretch myself,” Elizabeth reflects.
Nikki notes that valuable mentorship isn’t always gentle: “The people that have had the most influence on my career have probably been bosses that have been really tough on me. It hasn’t always been a sit down and a nice friendly coaching session.”
Creating Inclusive Workplaces
The leaders outlined three key areas for supporting women’s advancement in the workplace:
1. Flexible Working Arrangements
Elizabeth emphasises that “offering flexible work options, like remote work and flexible hours can really help a woman better manage their work life balance, especially during the time that they have school age kids.”
Henny implements this through clear boundaries: “I block my calendar in the mornings and I’m very strong on that. You cannot touch these hours. I will work later, I will work earlier, but not on these hours.”
2. Leadership Development
“You have to have programs designed to empower people and women to reach their full potential,” Elizabeth notes. At Austin Pharmaceuticals, they’ve “invested a lot to make sure that people have the skill set to grow into leadership positions.”
3. Workplace Inclusivity
Create an team-based culture, founded on psychological safety “where everybody is involved in solving really hard problems,” Elizabeth shares.
Nikki adds that effective leadership requires reading the room: “It’s about managing how you’re interacting with everyone and making sure that everyone feels comfortable with the style that you’re adopting. I’d hate someone with the best idea in the room not want to voice it.”
Building Authentic Relationships
The leaders emphasised how relationship-building strengthens leadership effectiveness. “I really like to do an agreement and then have a nice drink or dinner with that person and connect personally,” Henny explains. “We women are good at that. If we start a board meeting, I’m always the one who starts saying hello, how was everybody’s weekend?”
In negotiations, both leaders highlight the need for authenticity. Nikki advises “learning to speak up and speak assertively without being seen as emotional,” while Henny adds: “I like to have a fair agreement… I really truly believe that is the way that you can do more business.”
Don’t miss our next Women in BioPharma Meetup with Valentina Milanova, Founder and CEO/CPO of Daye. Sign up here
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