The value of women in pharmaceutical and biotech leadership roles is no longer widely debated, but the gender leadership gap within the industry persists. According to a BIO survey, in 2022, women held only 34% of biotech executive positions and only 20% of CEO roles.

A decade ago, women were encouraged to "lean in" and pursue their ambitions. However, this individual-focused, go-it-alone strategy overlooked structural and institutional barriers, such as the lack of inclusive parental leave policies and significant underinvestment in women-founded businesses.

"Especially in the pharmaceutical industry, diversity doesn't happen automatically—it's reflected in our employees, patients, and science, and it must have clear goals," said Lori Lebson, Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs for North America at EMD Serono. "Creating a supportive work environment, promoting diversity in leadership positions, and providing opportunities to share knowledge and professional experience are crucial."

Since joining EMD Serono in 2018, Lebson has been actively involved in the company's efforts to advance women in leadership, both internally and within the broader community. She is the co-lead of EMD Serono's North America Women's Leadership Employee Resource Group and is deeply involved in the company's partnership with the Science Club for Girls in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

"As someone whose career has been strongly fostered within the company, I am a strong advocate for advancing women's careers within EMD," she said. "One of our goals is to create an inclusive workplace that recognizes, cultivates, and promotes capable women."

The company also regularly hosts mentoring circles, coaching programs, employee engagement activities, unconscious bias training, and community outreach events.

"My advice to women is: be yourself, stay true to who you are. We women don't need to conform to any societal roles."

—Lori Lebson, Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs for North America at EMD Serono

Here, Lebson discusses how EMD Serono advances women in leadership—its parent company, Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany, is itself led by a woman, and the company won the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association ACE Award in 2019—and her views on how the industry as a whole can achieve gender parity in the C-suite.

This interview has been edited for length and style.

PHARMAVOICE: In what areas is the industry still falling short when it comes to advancing women leaders?

LORI LEBSON:When you look at women-led companies, or women-founded startups in the pharmaceutical space, the percentage that receive funding is in the single digits. From that perspective, if we can establish accelerators or mentorship programs to help build networks... we will continue to provide talented women with the support they need.

Another issue is that there are only a few in the C-suite. As you advance within an organization, it becomes challenging in terms of building networks or identifying mentors.

Women also face many challenges, such as a lack of role models who balance work and life, especially as mothers and those with caregiving responsibilities. These still place a heavy burden on women, often leading to trade-offs between advancing to higher positions and making the right choices for their families or loved ones. I believe there is still room for improvement regarding the imbalances and expectations placed on women.

Where do you see improvements in women's leadership? Why?

I think the improvement is because organizations continue to invest in programs within companies in the industry. We see that this topic hasn't disappeared. Although market conditions in the industry have changed... we see that the impact of investments in diversity, equity, and inclusion in the industry has not diminished. I think seeing the results and impact that diverse teams bring, as well as the impact on the business, speaks for itself.

We can also continue to improve benefits, such as maternity leave policies and equal pay. I also think we are building stronger support networks. Having such networks helps people feel confident as they climb the career ladder. Knowing that someone supports you from behind and above creates space for women to continue doing more remarkable things in the industry.

What have you learned about cultivating and supporting women's leadership? What advice do you have?

Science is an excellent career choice for both men and women. Creating a supportive work environment, promoting diversity in leadership positions, and providing opportunities to share knowledge and professional experience are crucial.

Balancing motherhood with a steep career path can be challenging, but I haven't felt it has negatively impacted my development. Having a family while managing a career has made me more empathetic and understanding, and able to make clear, forward-looking decisions. Being decisive while also being people-oriented is very helpful.

My advice to women is: be yourself, stay true to who you are. We women don't need to conform to any societal roles. We don't have to be more assertive or less assertive than men. We just need to be ourselves. I also want to say to women leaders... be confident and unapologetic. You are setting an example and demonstrating leadership skills for the next generation of leaders in science and technology. That's how we represent, how we show up, and how we support each other.