1.    Tell me in 5 words who is Bernd Boidol?
Improvement junkie, biotech executive, dad (in ascending order of importance).

2.    What made you join CeMM?
CeMM has likely the best mix of a vigorous and continuous emphasis on clinical and industrial applicability of its science, an incredibly pervasive respect for the academic, scientific, and corporate vision ingrained in everybody who works at CeMM, and an intransigent and comprehensive commitment to excellence.

3.    What is it about science that interests you the most?
The creative problem-solving aspect of science has always fascinated me. It is the foundation of all progress, in all disciplines.

4.    What is the best career advice you ever received, or you can give to the CeMM community?
Repeatedly, and from multiple, independent sources: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

5.    Tell us what happened to you after you left CeMM?
I started working at a global management consulting firm and helped build up its life science practice. In 2020, I had the opportunity to join one of the most exciting biotech companies in the world and haven’t regretted a single day ever since.

6.    What book do you have on your night table at the moment?
Right now, there are two: Bob Iger’s “The ride of a lifetime” and Andre Agassi’s “Open”. The sincerest autobiographies I have ever come across.

7.    What is the last song you heard?
Likely some Christmas carol.

8.    Any message you would like to give to the CeMMies or a former colleague?
Everything that happens at CeMM is the result of a long, hard, and thorough thought process involving many people’s time and inputs: operational processes, strategic decisions, interpersonal conflict management, collaborative spirit, administrative support, networking, retreats, lecture series, etc. It never hurts to reflect on this and appreciate that so many people at CeMM help enable science although they might not be scientists themselves. 

Bernd Boidol studied business administration and molecular biology in Vienna and Boston. He completed a PhD in Stefan Kubicek’s group and moved on to Porsche Consulting, a global management consulting firm. Since 2020, Bernd is Chief Executive Officer at Proxygen, a biotech company focused on the discovery and development of molecular glue degraders.