EVP Global Head of Drug Discovery Platforms

About Evotec

Evotec is a life science company driving the discovery and development of highly effective therapeutics through world-class science and technology platforms. By combining cutting-edge research capabilities with deep expertise across multiple therapeutic areas, Evotec partners with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and academic organizations worldwide to accelerate the development of innovative medicines for patients.

The EVP Global Head of Drug Discovery Platforms is a strategic and operational executive leadership role responsible for defining and executing Evotec’s global platform strategy across Hit Identification, QPS, Sample Management, Discovery Biopharmaceutics, OMICs, and ADMETox/Cyprotex capabilities. The role leads a global organisation of approximately 900 FTE across five countries and is accountable for scientific excellence, operational performance, commercial growth, innovation, and financial results. As a key member of the Drug Discovery leadership team, the incumbent drives industrial-scale platform delivery, technology advancement, automation, digitalisation, AI-enabled innovation, and strategic partnerships while ensuring seamless integration across the drug discovery and development continuum.

Responsibilities

• Set the strategic and scientific direction for Evotec’s global Drug Discovery Platforms function, with a clear technology roadmap across all platform domains.
• Lead a highly efficient global Hit Identification platform, covering assay development, ultra-high-throughput screening (uHTS), high-content imaging (HCI), automated patch clamp (APC) and other medium-throughput screening, hit triaging, validation and expansion, screening collection development, in silico hit identification, and genome-wide screening approaches (wet and virtual).
• Lead QPS, covering recombinant reagent design and production, cell line compliance, development and banking, biophysics method development and analysis across all modalities (centralised for efficiency, co-located for turnaround), structural biology to focus drug design across all modalities, and RNA production and hit finding.
• Lead end-to-end Sample Management for small molecules and biosamples, with large and scalable capacity for long-term sample storage, focused on pharma, biotech and other industrial partners.
• Lead Discovery Biopharmaceutics, covering formulation, PhysChem, solid-state, quantitative bioanalysis and metabolite identification, and in vivo rodent and higher-species PK, with growing experience across an expanding range of modalities and efficiency improvements such as centralisation of rodent PK.
• Lead OMICs data generation platforms, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics, covering sample preparation through to the processing of raw data, targeted proteomics by mass spectrometry, non-targeted proteomics by non-MS readouts (affinity-based, protein sequencing and similar), and human sample management and OMICs data generation to support Evotec’s Molecular Patient Database (E.MPD).
• Lead the integrated Cyprotex ADMETox capability, formed from the combination of Discovery DMPK, Discovery Safety and Cyprotex, as both an enabler of integrated projects and an entry point for bespoke standalone projects and high-volume, highly automated screening.
• Deliver a best-in-class CRO experience for high-volume routine ADMETox screening through industrialised automation.
• Develop a world-leading in vitro predictive safety product line as a NAMs (New Approach Methodologies) Centre of Excellence, complementing NAMs with in silico, AI and ML tools to enhance the predictability of clinical outcomes.
• Provide scientific leadership in Discovery Safety through Target Safety Assessment (TSA) generation, provision of project representatives and cascade design, with an integrated mix of wet-lab data, dry-lab modelling and drug-hunting input.
• Expand partnerships through collaborative development of bespoke and novel solutions, with applications across multiple industry sectors.
• Deliver platform programmes reliably and at industrial scale for partners, with critical mass, delivery focus, and scientific, operational and process excellence across the function.
• Lead functional large-scale outsourcing engagements with a focus on cycle-time reduction, cost and process efficiency, while maintaining the highest quality standards.
• Drive capacity utilisation above 95%, with disciplined management of non-productive time and rapid proposal turnaround for both standalone and integrated business.
• Maintain a robust quality posture across the function, partnering with Quality Management to drive zero critical findings in internal and external audits.
• Build seamless interfaces with Global Biology and Global Discovery Chemistry within Drug Discovery, and a clean hand-off to Drug Development, ensuring partners experience one integrated team and a continuous progression of work powered by the Platforms backbone.
• Own the financial performance of the Platforms segment, including revenue and gross margin (regionally and globally), revenue per FTE across functions and locations, and capacity and asset utilisation, with clear P&L accountability.
• Partner with Commercial, Business Development and Strategic Marketing to grow Platforms’ commercial pipeline, win rate and market share, contributing to proposal development, technical scoping, resource planning and deal execution.
• Apply a variety of business models (standalone services, integrated services, functional large-scale outsourcing and strategic large-scale partnerships) and actively manage the ratio of standalone versus integrated business to optimise commercial reach and partner value.
• Sharpen Evotec’s Platforms value proposition, differentiating through industrial-scale technology, automation, scale, quality, predictive translational strategies and integrated capabilities.
• Track and act on partner satisfaction, repeat business and customer feedback as primary indicators of commercial health.
• Act as a senior scientific and technical ambassador for Evotec externally with clients, KOLs, industry bodies, at conferences and through publications, supporting business development and the recruitment of top talent.
• Drive the industrialisation, automation and digitalisation agenda across the function in close partnership with Operational Excellence, Research Informatics and In Silico R&D.
• Lead an active innovation and new product pipeline, with explicit targets for annual product launches that strengthen the function’s commercial offering and competitive position.
• Expand AI and ML capabilities across in silico hit identification, predictive safety (NAMs), DMPK, biopharmaceutics and OMICs platforms to enhance throughput, predictivity and translational value.
• Sponsor in-flight transformation initiatives across QPS, Sample Management, DMPK and OMICs, balancing scope, location and resourcing decisions with continuity of delivery.
• Design and implement a fit-for-purpose global Platforms operating model and Centre of Excellence structure across the five-country footprint, balancing scale, specialisation and local strengths.
• Lead, develop and engage senior scientific and technical leaders, and Platforms teams of approximately 900 FTE across five countries, building a high-performance, collaborative and inclusive culture that attracts and retains top scientific, technical and operational talent.
• Build capability, leadership pipelines and succession plans across the global function, including Cyprotex and other major sub-functions.
• Partner across Global Biology, Global Discovery Chemistry, R&D/Innovation, Therapeutic Areas, iPSC, Research Informatics, In Silico R&D, Just-Evotec Biologics, Global Tox & Safety, Quality Management, Operational Excellence, Business Development and Marketing, Global Portfolio Management, and the wider enabling functions (Finance, HR, EHS and Legal).
• Establish Platforms governance, KPIs and reporting, with clear accountability and decision rights within the function and across its interfaces; contribute to Evotec’s segment reviews, pipeline meetings and resourcing forums with a performance-oriented mindset.

Qualifications

• PhD in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, pharmaceutical sciences, bioengineering or a closely related discipline; equivalent industry experience may be considered.
• Significant industry experience commensurate with a senior global leadership role.
• Strong record of external recognition through publications, patents and conference participation.
• Additional business or leadership qualifications (e.g., MBA or executive education) are advantageous.
• Fluency in English; additional European languages are an asset given the multi-country footprint.
• Extensive senior leadership experience in drug discovery and/or early development platforms within a CRO, CDMO, biotech or pharmaceutical environment. CRO and/or CDMO service-based experience is strongly preferred given the commercial and industrial nature of the role.
• Strong technical credibility across one or more platform domains, including hit identification, biophysics and structural biology, sample management, DMPK and bioanalysis, biopharmaceutics, in vivo PK, ADME, predictive safety and OMICs.
• Demonstrated success leading industrial-scale, automated technology platforms with high throughput, cost efficiency and quality at scale.
• Experience leading or overseeing a standalone CRO-type business or sub-unit with its own commercial identity, client base and brand alongside integrated capabilities.
• Proven commercial impact in a service environment, including contribution to client wins, account growth, pipeline development and partnership expansion across both integrated engagements and standalone services.
• Track record of business unit ownership with full P&L accountability, including revenue, gross margin, revenue per FTE, capacity utilisation and cost management.
• Strong track record in transformation, automation, digitalisation and AI/ML adoption within technology-led organisations, including new product introduction.
• Experience leading large-scale, multicultural teams across multiple countries and sites.
• Established external scientific and technical reputation, including publications, conference visibility and active relationships with industry and academic KOLs.
  

FR : Dans le cadre de sa politique Diversité, Evotec étudie, à compétences égales, toutes les candidatures dont celles des personnes en situation de handicap.

EN: In the frame of our Diversity policy, Evotec considers, with equal competences, all applications including people with disabilities.

IT: In compliance with fundamental ethical and professional principles and with Legislative Decree 198/2006, Evotec is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering a safe, diverse, and inclusive workplace built on mutual respect. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates and employees based on their skills, experience, and professional qualifications. In line with our ethical and professional principles, all employment-related decisions, including recruitment and selection processes, are made fairly and without any form of discrimination. All qualified candidates will be considered for employment regardless of race, color, sex, age, disability, genetic information, gender expression, gender identity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.