Board Dynamics & Effectiveness
The human and organizational dimensions of board governance
Governance During Crisis: Data Fraud, Safety Signals, and Scandal
The board's playbook when things go catastrophically wrong — the first 48 hours, the communication architecture, and the work of recovery. With reference cases from torcetrapib, Cassava Sciences, and Insys Therapeutics.
Building a Culture of Constructive Dissent in the Boardroom
Groupthink is the silent killer of biopharma boards. Building a culture where honest disagreement is normal is one of the most consequential governance investments a board can make.
Founder-CEO Dynamics on Venture-Backed Boards
When the scientific founder is also the chief executive, the board faces a distinctive set of governance challenges. The standard playbook does not quite fit.
When the Board Needs to Replace the CEO Mid-Trial
The governance process for the hardest leadership decision a biopharma board will ever make — and how to execute it without destroying the company in the process.
Managing Conflicts of Interest on Biopharma Boards
Disclosure, recusal, and the gray areas that governance policies don't cover — a practical guide for directors navigating competing interests.
The Politics of Small Boards
When interpersonal dynamics have outsized impact — navigating alliances, grudges, and power in a five-person room.
CEO Succession Planning for Clinical-Stage Companies
Why biopharma companies need succession plans earlier than most boards think — and how to build one that actually works.
Board Self-Assessment That Actually Improves Performance
Why most board evaluations are theater — and what an honest self-assessment process looks like in a clinical-stage biopharma company.
Handling an Underperforming Board Member
The difficult conversation most biopharma boards avoid — and the governance framework for actually addressing it.
CEO Evaluation in a Clinical-Stage Company
Evaluating a CEO against quarterly revenue targets is straightforward. Evaluating one who is managing clinical risk, investor relationships, and a science-driven team — without any product on the market — is something else entirely.
Managing the Tension Between Investor and Independent Directors
The structural conflict between investor directors and independent directors is the defining governance challenge of venture-backed biopharma boards. Here is how it manifests and how to manage it.