‘She Steers’: changing the face of biotech boards

Today marks an important milestone in our ongoing commitment to diversity and leadership within the UK life sciences sector. I am incredibly proud to announce the launch of She Steers: NEDs in Biotech, a specialist programme designed to address some of the persistent challenges that the sector faces in terms of board representation.

For years, the BIA has championed the role of women in our industry through our Women in Biotech (WIB) community. However, as we look at the data, it is clear that inspiration alone isn’t enough; we need visible change at the highest levels of company governance.

Jane Wall
Managing Director, BIA

The challenge: stubborn barriers and a slowing rate of progress

The impetus for She Steers comes from a sobering reality. Our recent Women in biotech leadership report revealed that for female CEOs, external stakeholder bias, specifically from investors, funders, and boards, remains the most prevalent challenge they face.  Whilst progress has been made over time, the data laid clear that the rate of that progress is slowing.

In parallel, sector data from PIR and others show a worrying trend: female representation in non-executive director (NED) positions is actually declining. This is a red flag for our industry. If we do not address the specific challenges women face as companies mature, we are in danger of losing an incredible swathe of female talent to conscious or unconscious bias. Ultimately, a lack of diverse perspectives at the board level is to the detriment of the entire sector’s innovation and success.

What is She Steers?

She Steers is our direct response to these findings and a commitment to move the dial. Designed and delivered in partnership with Murray Edwards College (University of Cambridge), AstraZeneca, and Deloitte, this is a specialist board programme for women in life sciences who are ready to step into their first NED role or strengthen their impact in an existing one.

The programme is built around four comprehensive modules:

• Module 1: Governance & Risk: Navigating the legal and fiduciary duties specific to the biotech sector, where clinical and regulatory risks are paramount.
• Module 2: Strategic Impact: Learning how to operate with authority and influence the long-term strategic decisions that shape innovation.
• Module 3: Finance & Commercialisation: Practical guidance on board-level financial oversight and the commercial realities of scaling life sciences firms.
• Module 4: Leadership & Board Dynamics: Mastering the "soft power" and effective communication required to navigate complex boardroom dynamics.

Participants will gain first-hand insight from experienced NEDs and build a powerful cohort of peers across the life sciences ecosystem.

Key dates

• Application deadline: 13 February 2026
• Programme dates (mix of in-person and online): 26 March-4 June 2026

Join us at Big WiB in Cambridge, 5 March

This launch is perfectly timed as we look forward to our "Big WIB" event in Cambridge on Thursday 5 March. This full day of networking and discussion at the Hinxton Hall Conference Centre will be the ideal forum to discuss these leadership challenges in person.

So pleased to confirm that, amongst others, you will hear from Melanie Ivarsson OBE, the newly confirmed Chief Executive Officer at the Health Data Research Service (previously Chief Development Officer at Moderna in Boston), and Jane Rhodes, the CEO of AstronauTx, who was recently named one of the Times’ "Eight Future Stars" for her leadership in neurodegenerative science.