Can you share your first impressions of Biotage?

My first impressions of Biotage have been extremely positive. The company has had a remarkable success story, especially since 2006 when the management team initiated a turnaround. Biotage has a highly competent and engaged team that is determined to take the company to new heights. Currently, my focus is on getting to know the people, teams, sites, customers, and partners. I aim to listen and learn so that I can assess what is in the company’s best interest. Biotage has established a platform for continuous growth and scaling, and I was attracted to this position because of its high aspirations.

With your background in working for global companies like Abbott, J&J, and Roche, what specific knowledge do you bring to your new role at Biotage?

Throughout my career, I have gained international experience, successfully built companies with talented individuals, and had the privilege of working with some of the best professionals in the industry. Managing manufacturing companies with complete functional structures has provided me with a comprehensive understanding of the entire business. My focus has been on commercial excellence, finance optimization, value expansion programs, organizational and people development, as well as developing purpose-driven cultures within the life science industry. These experiences will be instrumental in leading Biotage.

Biotage serves diverse customers, including government agencies, academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and the food industry. How do you plan to manage these different customer relationships?

Having such a diverse customer base and partners is a luxury for Biotage. As the company expands into different end markets, customer segments, and application areas, we must develop specific skillsets and capabilities in each of these areas. Biotage focuses on four main areas: organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, industrial-scale process chemistry, and biomolecules. The acquisition of PhyNexus has allowed us to enter the biomolecules space. Building expertise in these areas will enable us to serve and support our customers effectively.

What are the main strengths of Biotage’s products and solutions?

One of Biotage’s strengths is its agility and close collaboration with customers. We pay attention to market trends and actively listen to our customers’ needs in order to address their pain points effectively. This approach allows us to develop robust and advanced quality portfolios encompassing hardware, software, and services. Additionally, Biotage is proud to be a “green chemistry” company, focusing on reducing solvents and offering a wide range of products for medicinal chemists working with small molecules.

In the evolving landscape of personalized medicines and biologicals, how do you see Biotage increasing its partnerships with pharma and biopharma companies?

Biotage aims to be a significant player in the pharma and biopharmaceutical market. Sweden’s focus on life sciences, environment, and digitalization aligns well with Biotage’s presence in those fields. For example, our research on lipids positions us as a key player in individualized medicine. We have analytical systems that will benefit from advanced diagnostics and pharmaceuticals. With the shift from chemical to biological products, Biotage is well-positioned to succeed in this area. We are the niche market leader in flash chromatography and, with the PhyNexus acquisition, have become a technology leader in automated high-throughput protein, monoclonal antibody, and plasmid purification. This growth offers significant opportunities for Biotage.

As a company that has recently made acquisitions, how do you approach successful post-acquisition integration?

Integration is a crucial aspect of any acquisition. Biotage has acquired two companies in the past 22 months: Horizon Technology and PhyNexus. These acquisitions have expanded our presence in the environmental space and increased our focus on sustainability. While our current focus is on organic growth, we continue to explore potential acquisitions. We have companies on our radar, and I am learning about the business and potential partners. Biotage’s high ambitions as a company require us to explore both organic growth and acquisitions.

How important is sustainability to Biotage, and what measures are being taken in this regard?

Sustainability and corporate responsibility are high priorities for Biotage and will continue to be emphasized. Biotage believes that sustainability, growth, business development, and innovation are interconnected. We are working on reducing solvents, a critical component of early-stage pharmaceutical manufacturing. Our goal is to gradually eliminate solvents to minimize waste. Additionally, through the acquisition of Horizon Technology, we now offer purification solutions for water, soil, and plant extracts, benefiting environmental, food safety, beverage, and agriculture applications. Taking care of our people is also crucial to sustainability, and we are committed to equality, diversity, and development. Biotage has implemented various policies and programs to ensure ethical practices and reduce environmental impact.

With your experience in international operations, how do you expect Biotage’s international footprint to grow in the coming years?

Biotage already has a strong foundation with a global presence in the United States, China, India, Japan, Korea, the UK, and Sweden, including manufacturing and R&D sites. We also have commercial representatives across Europe and dedicated team members supporting our indirect channel business in global regions. Our vision and ambition are to continue expanding our international footprint by entering attractive new market segments, customer groups, and application areas. We will explore new areas that can benefit from our technology, services, and solutions, and we are open to further internationalization and acquisitions.

Biotage invests a significant portion of its sales in research and development. What is your approach to supporting R&D operations?

Biotage’s success has been built on separation and software innovations. As CEO, I will prioritize and accelerate research and development efforts. The board and management team have the ambition to increase the expenditure ratio into double-digit ranges. We aim to make strategic investments in the right directions to ensure that Biotage stays at the forefront of innovation. This requires close collaboration with our talented hardware and software R&D team, leveraging technology, digitalization, data analytics, AI, and big data in our business model.

Automation and AI are becoming increasingly important in the field of chemistry. How does Biotage approach the opportunities presented by these technologies?

Automation and AI are fundamental elements of our research and development efforts. Biotage recognizes the global demand for higher quality, increased automation, and streamlined processes for chemists. We are actively exploring how to leverage technology, digitalization, data analytics, AI, and big data in our product portfolio and solutions. We have a strong R&D team dedicated to hardware and software innovations, which gives us an advantage in these innovative areas.

What advantages does being part of the Swedish ecosystem bring to Biotage?

The Swedish ecosystem provides several advantages to Biotage. Firstly, Sweden has easy access to healthcare and a population that readily adopts new technologies. Secondly, the cultural elements, such as non-hierarchical team structures and emphasis on collaboration, foster the best decision-making processes. Sweden has a long-standing tradition of excellence in life sciences, with prestigious academic centers like the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm School of Economics, Royal Institute of Technology, Uppsala University, and Lund University. The country’s biobanks, well-educated workforce, and a culture of innovation have resulted in successful Swedish companies. Biotage intends to become more involved in the life science ecosystem, not only in Sweden and the Nordics but also internationally. We have strong connections to Uppsala, Medicon Valley, SciLifeLab, as well as incubators and start-ups. Additionally, our global presence in various life science hubs, such as Cardiff, Shanghai, Delhi, Seoul, Tokyo, the Boston area, Charlotte, and the Bay Area in California, allows us to play a significant role in all the regions where we operate.

What are the main goals you aim to achieve during your time leading Biotage?

My primary goal is to deliver superior and sustainable results for Biotage’s personnel, customers, partners, environment, and shareholders. Alongside achieving our aspirational organic growth and EBIT targets, I want to maximize the potential of our exciting product portfolio and expand into high-growth and profitable segments. This requires strategic resource allocation and the development of capabilities in a smart and prioritized manner. Biotage aims to be a purpose and people-driven organization that attracts, retains, and trains the best talent in the life science industry. We are committed to strengthening the Swedish and international life science ecosystem, delivering world-leading separation science solutions, and putting Swedish life science prominently on the global map. Additionally, I believe Sweden should establish a Minister for Life Sciences, given the export importance of the life science industry in the country.