Life Science Leader Magazine Supplements

CMO 2016

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LIFESCIENCELEADER.COM THE CMO LEADERSHIP AWARDS 2016 29 and selection of project managers: We're not clamoring for new kinds of PMs; we just need more of what we have, we seem to be saying. "For a well-defined and understood project a CMO has done before or involves a routine or proven platform," Hoffmann explains, "a 'regular' project manager does a great job of keeping track of tasks and resourcing appropriately, while also keeping communication lines open when things aren't going according to plan. "For a new project or something that's more outside of the normal paradigm, I find it works best to consider the role of a project team leader more than a project manager . These managers have a solid grasp of the science related to their project. They're not as subject to, let's say, manipulation by the external partner. I've found that 'professional' project manag- ers, often with less science background, don't know when to say, 'Wait a minute, that doesn't sound right. I'd better check on that.'" THE ELUSIVE PM UNICORN Hoffmann's points may sound familiar to readers, and her thoughts lead us back to the well-worn discussion of the ideal makeup of the individual project manager. Like some Socratic dialogue, the discussion turns on a fundamental question: "Should PMs be more technical or business savvy, more scientist or man- ager?" Although Socrates might not have approved, a lot of us are prone to answer, "Yes to all the above." Unfortunately, while that ideal sounds good in discourse, in reality this superior being is in fact still unicorn rare. Since these advanced scientists- project managers are hard to come by, we expect the industry will focus on structured training and development of PMs within the current promotional system. If there are formal and rigorous programs at spon- sors and service providers, it seems they are being kept secret. Joe Guiles, head of development at Agilent Technologies' Nucleic Acid Solutions Division, has heard this sci- entist-project manager dialogue before. Guiles, like Hoffmann, is a 20-plus-year veteran of the biopharma industry, including positions at biotech Medivation, service-provider Cedarburg Hauser, and

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