Christian Mueller, CDO at Immutep on Career Crossroads, Culture Missteps, and the Recruitment Disconnect in Biotech

In this episode, I talked with Christian Mueller, Chief Development Officer at Immutep. Christian’s path into biotech wasn’t exactly planned—from summarizing VC business plans during his studies to becoming a driving force behind the world’s first Claudin 18.2-directed antibody.We talked about the wins and the setbacks: from finally securing Pembrolizumab supply after years of rejections, to those painful moments when you give your all to a project, and still feel unseen. Christian also opened up about hiring, leadership, and what makes a biotech team truly work (or fall apart). He shared why Immutep has gone all-in on LAG-3, what makes their international culture different from most, and why knowing your weaknesses might just be the most underrated leadership skill.And to wrap things up, we threw in a few quickfire questions, from the book he’s reading (featuring octopuses!) to what he tries to do every single day to stay sharp.Here’s what you’re in for:The red flag that made Christian walk away from a companyWhy great hiring is about cultural fit, not just perfect CVsWhat small biotechs misunderstand most about recruitmentTimestamps:01:54 – From Economics to Biotech: How VC Summaries Led to Drug Development07:41 – Career Lows: Feeling Undervalued and Facing a Regulatory Near-Shutdown13:48 – Why LAG-3? The Science and Conviction Behind Immutep’s Strategy14:34 – Inside Immutep: Low-Ego Culture, Fast Decisions, and Argument-Driven Thinking17:00 – Hiring With Humility: The Culture Fit That Matters Most22:47 – Cultural Fit Over Credentials: What Hiring Managers Really Want33:44 – Quickfire Questions: Books, Octopuses, and Trying New ThingsAbout ChristianChristian Mueller currently serves as the Chief Development Officer at Immutep, where he has been instrumental in advancing the company's lead compound, Efti, from Phase I through to Phase III clinical trials. ​Prior to his tenure at Immutep, Christian led the clinical development of Zolbetuximab, the first-ever CLDN18.2-directed antibody. Christian brings a unique multidisciplinary mindset to his work, describing himself as a “translator” between different scientific and operational domains. Outside of work, he is a lifelong basketball fan and enjoys spending time in natureConnect with ChristianLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-mueller-05199481/ Immutep: https://www.immutep.com/ 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.