Abigail Jenkins, CEO and Board Member – From Government Scientist to CEO, Launching a Stem Cell Therapy During Crisis, and Lessons in Commercial Strategy

In this episode, I talked with Abigail (Abbey) Jenkins, a pharmaceutical executive with 25+ years of experience, who shares her career journey, highlighting her entry into the industry, proud achievements, and the challenges she faced along the way. She emphasizes the importance of resilience, community, and learning from both successes and failures. Abbey also discusses common mistakes companies make in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly regarding commercial potential and leadership culture. Our conversation concludes with insights on the significance of networking and support systems for women in leadership roles.Here's what you're in:How did she secure her first job in the industry? What were some of the highest and lowest moments of her career? About Biotech CEO Sisterhood.Timestamps:01:04 Early Career and Entry into Pharmaceuticals02:42 Proud Moments and Achievements in the Industry06:07 Challenges and Learnings from Difficult Time14:23 Industry Insights: Common Mistakes Companies Make19:43 Leadership Challenges: People and Culture Mistakes23:49 Quickfire Round: Personal Insights and Preferences26:31The Importance of Community: CEO SisterhoodAbout AbigailAbigail Jenkins is a pharmaceutical executive with 25+ years of experience, most recently as CEO of Gamida Cell, where she led the FDA approval and launch of the first "pharmaceutical-grade" stem cell transplant. Previously, she was Chief Commercial and Business Officer at Lyndra Therapeutics, developing an ultra long-acting oral drug delivery platform, and SVP, Vaccines Business Unit Head at Emergent BioSolutions, leading a global team of 600 employees. She currently serves on the boards of A-questive Therapeutics and (ZOR-TEX) XORTX Therapeutics.She began her career on the commercial side of the business, working in roles across all domains of sales, marketing, market access, operations, before expanding into business development, corporate strategy, and general management roles.Connect with AbigailLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abigail-jenkins-a713147/ About Biotech CEO SisterhoodThe Biotech CEO Sisterhood is a vibrant community dedicated to championing the success of women leaders in the biopharma industry. Rooted in a culture of mutual support and authenticity, the Sisterhood aims to inspire and uplift women while driving meaningful conversations and impact across the industry. As part of our commitment to nurturing the current and future generations of biotech leaders, the Sisterhood hosts summits, local events, and educational sessions. These programs encourage dialogue about the challenges facing women in biotech, share best practices, and enhance leadership effectiveness.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/biotech-ceo-sisterhood/ About meMy name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.Connect with me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-spence-clinical/Website: https://www.discera-search.com/Opinions and comments expressed by the guest do not represent the company and are fully their own.