Leadership Lab 🔪- Dissecting life science success stories

Maurice Thornton

Join Maurice Thornton, founder and managing director of headcount AG, as he hosts top leaders and innovators in pharma, biotech, medtech, and digital health. Each episode delves deep into the personal journeys behind groundbreaking achievements in life sciences. From unexpected challenges to pivotal breakthroughs, Maurice uncovers the hidden ingredients of success, asking the questions others don’t. Curious how they made it? So are we 😉 Tune in every month for candid conversations that reveal the untold stories behind some of the industry’s most transformative leaders.

  1. Mar 5

    AI is helping candidates… so why does hiring feel harder? Jana Herrmann, Roche's Global Head Integrated Workforce Strategies, answers

    AI is making CVs look better than ever — but is it actually making hiring easier? In this episode of leadership lab, Maurice sits down with Jana Herman, Chapter Lead for Integrated Workforce Strategies at Roche (Basel), to break down what’s changing in recruitment right now — and what isn’t. Jana shares why candidates are currently the biggest winners from AI, how hiring teams handle huge application volumes, and why human experts are still doing the screening in many organisations. They also unpack video interviews, internal talent marketplaces, and the long-promised shift to skills-based hiring. Along the way, Jana walks us through her career journey — from growing up in Brazil to studying in Geneva, working as a flight attendant, moving into HR and executive search, and ultimately shaping a global workforce strategy function inside Roche. In this episode: AI, CV screening, and why “perfect” applications can slow hiring down How recruiters manage high volumes without losing candidate experience Video interviews: when they help, when they frustrate Culture fit vs the “perfect CV” Internal gigs and talent marketplaces (and the guard rails they need) Skills-based hiring: big promise, hard execution Career advice: impact, networks, comfort zones, and why “the right time” is a myth If you enjoyed this conversation, follow leadership lab and share the episode with someone hiring — or job hunting — right now.

    1h 7m
  2. 11/12/2025

    Armend Håti’s Founder journey — From IP to ClexBio and the future of cell therapy

    Meet Armend Håti — Kosovo-born, Norway-raised bioengineer who turned an early patent into ClexBio. We talk about being a “young” biotech founder, the US spark that flipped his mindset, why his first industry role was (surprise) in krill, paying patent bills out of pocket, fundraising nerves, and the big move from Oslo to Zurich to surround the science with the right talent. We finish with a compact masterclass for PhDs and first-time founders on validating ideas and actually asking for the money. ClexBio in one line | Enabling cells as therapy — first with delivery systems for stem-cell assets, then toward engineered, vascularised tissues. www.clexbio.com Mentorship Minute | Validate the need with uncomfortable conversations, filter the feedback, refine or kill fast. And if you can, co-found with legal firepower. Chapters00:00 Meet Armend — origin & identity02:10 From Kosovo to Norway — values & education06:40 Nerd energy → bioengineering (dyslexia as edge)10:50 US spark — Santa Barbara & Boston shift to building24:55 Why krill? First industry role & learning to pitch31:40 From IP to startup — buying the patent & fundraising52:10 Landing in Zurich — talent, scale, next chapter56:50 ClexBio in one line — enabling cells as therapy1:02:50 Mentorship Minute — advice for PhDs & founders 👍 Follow the show on Spotify, and subscribe on YouTube for new episodes. ➡️ For the latest life sciences roles, follow us on LinkedIn or visit our website!

    1h 5m

About

Join Maurice Thornton, founder and managing director of headcount AG, as he hosts top leaders and innovators in pharma, biotech, medtech, and digital health. Each episode delves deep into the personal journeys behind groundbreaking achievements in life sciences. From unexpected challenges to pivotal breakthroughs, Maurice uncovers the hidden ingredients of success, asking the questions others don’t. Curious how they made it? So are we 😉 Tune in every month for candid conversations that reveal the untold stories behind some of the industry’s most transformative leaders.