Empowering leaders to make science work smarter: story behind the Expert Leader Programme
Matt Evans, Consultant & Executive Coach at Fired-up Talent, and Liz Mercer, Owner and Principal at Perla Development Ltd, are the duo behind the Expert Leader Programme — a purpose-led joint venture dedicated to building leadership excellence in the UK life sciences sector. Their tailored programme is helping leaders grow with confidence, strengthen resilience, and make science work smarter for business success.
In this member spotlight, they share more about their new venture and how they aim to create the life science leaders of the future.
Tell us about your company and ambitions
Matt: We are proud to be a purpose-led joint venture – our aim is to save and improve more lives across the world by fostering leadership excellence in the UK Life Science sector.
Liz: The keyword in that is ‘more’ - leadership plays such an important role in aiding the science to work more efficiently and make a business even more successful. It’s a differentiating capability for investors because leadership is what shapes the resilience, adaptability and optimism of everyone in an organisation.
What is your company’s biggest achievement so far?
Liz: I think it is hearing from BIA members that we’ve got The Expert Leader Programme right and had really listened to the unique problems leaders face in small-to-medium sized organisations.
What are some of the priorities that you’re currently working on?
Matt: Subject matter experts can be less confident in their leadership ability than they are in their area of expertise. Right now, our goal is to make it possible for leaders to feel as confident and capable in the leadership path ahead of them as in the expertise that got them there.
What was your motivation behind joining the BIA?
Liz: We were blown away with the generosity and time members gave us to develop the programme and so we have now joined the BIA to make sure we stay connected to the needs of the community as we refine and develop our offerings and deepen our relationships with our audience.
What excites you about the UK life sciences sector?
Liz: Investors like to see proven management teams. I’d like to give investors more of what they want and help the UK industry thrive.
Matt: I just love working with bright, fun and motivated people who just want to do the right thing by themselves, their teams and their businesses and are looking for the best ways to do this.
If you could invite any scientist or entrepreneur to dinner, who would it be and why?
Matt: If I could have met the team responsible for making sure my big toe no longer throbs when I enjoy some red wine, I would gladly have bought them dinner! (Thank you, Roland and Gertrude, for my other health benefits too!).
Liz: That’s an easy one - anyone who was part of the phenomenal research, development and manufacture of COVID vaccines across the country, busting a gut to get vaccines to us as soon as possible. The sight of my (clinically vulnerable) husband finally walking out, all jabbed up after months of shielding, was one of the most humbling and best things ever!