The CGT Circle

Just a little bit exciting - we have our first ever company page at a virtual event! Join Nicola, Kate and Lindsey tomorrow afternoon (4.30pm UK) or morning depending on your geography at the #WIATglobal event to about our progress and insights into women's experiences in the #cellandgenetherapyindustry

Thanks, Mital Jethwa, MSc for your insights and a bit of data 😉 Intention was one of the big takeaways of the day!

If you missed yesterday's CGT Circle+ event at Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, here's a recap of Melissa Sabella's brilliant presentation! We'll share the panel highlights soon too, watch this space... Let us know your thoughts and big takeaways if you were there!

Last chance to get your ticket! Our latest CGT Circle is OPEN TO ALL. Yes, it's a daytime event, which we know can be tricky to juggle/justify, but it's an incredible opportunity to invest in your commitment to diversity and inclusion. We'd love to see you there 👋🏼

So how do we support women on the pathway to positions of leadership? It’s a question I regularly get posed these days…..What with a) being a woman b)having had a few big roles over the years and c) having had a ton of conversations on this through the work of The CGT Circle In short it’s rather complex. But being able to bring a bit more of my full self to work has been key to me, not having to pretend that I don’t have a family at home or work in a way that isn’t authentic to me. Which is why I’m super excited that next week’s The CGT Circle workshop in Stevenage is exploring this very topic. How do we create inclusive cultures where this is possible? A huge thanks to Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst and MFX for hosting and The Honeycomb Works for organising the session. Still a few spaces left, so if you want to be a good ally or pick up a few pointers around actions to take to be more inclusive in daily work. Join us - everyone’s welcome (yep even boys!!!) 🗓️ When: Wednesday June 26th, from 1pm 📍Where: Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst 🎟️ How: https://lnkd.in/eEPC2Huc

We're going to try and start sharing more insights and info from these brilliant panels, so here's a round-up of what went down last night!! Thank you to the panellists - Charlotte Smerdon, Jacqueline Abbas PhD, Ming Ewe, and Jyothi Kumaran - who were open, authentic and shared real experiences and insights from their diverse experiences in the biotech industry. Also, a massive thanks to Christina Giakou for putting it all together! They discussed strategies for promoting career resilience and solidarity among women, tactics for attracting investment to early-stage cell and gene therapy companies, factors to consider when joining startups, and advice for coping with redundancy. Here's a bit of a summary, but please get in touch with the panellists if you want to discuss further! 💪 Promoting Career Resilience for Women Strategies discussed included being vulnerable to ask for help, building support networks with peers/mentors, seeking coaching, and understanding that perfection is impossible when juggling career and personal life. Having open conversations with managers about goals and getting realistic guidance on promotion pathways was advised. 💸 Attracting Investment to Early-Stage Companies The discussion centred on having a clear long-term vision, regulatory strategy, market access plan, and considering potential risks/mitigations. Involving regulatory expertise early can validate your approach for investors. VCs now conduct extensive due diligence and want visibility into decision-making. ⚖️ Evaluating Startup Opportunities Factors like funding sources, partnerships, transparency in decision-making, leadership team, and cultural fit were highlighted as important to assess. Having a backup financial plan, expanding one's skills portfolio, and going with gut instincts were some of the other tips. 🏔️Managing Expectations and Development Setting realistic expectations around promotions, identifying stretch opportunities to gain experience, and managers providing honest feedback are crucial here. Sometimes a move to a new company may be advisable for career growth over and above financial gains. 🧭 Navigating Redundancy Redundancy is often a business decision, not personal. Maintaining mental health, patience, and leveraging networks are crucial. Support through coaching, realistic perspectives, and sharing experiences can help cope with redundancy's emotional challenges. If you're interested in hosting, get in touch!

STEVENAGE - we're back - and this Pride month we are encouraging all allies that support under-represented groups to join us as we debate, challenge and celebrate inclusivity! It's time for something a little different... Join our first ever workshop as The Honeycomb Works facilitates an interactive event, supporting us as we explore how to build and sustain a truly inclusive organisational culture. This two hour session will start with a lightning talk examining the science of belonging, with a particular focus on the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community 💙 💚 💛 💜 A panel of founders and start-up pioneers will also provide insight into how they are prioritising diversity and inclusion, all whilst navigating the challenges that come with obtaining funding and, you know, changing the world for the better...! Snap up your spot at the link below - with everyone welcome we expect a fast uptake and look forward to assembling a rich mix of CGT-ers up for some healthy debate! O, and there will be cake! When: Wednesday June 26th, from 1pm Where: Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst What to expect: An interactive group workshop focused on how we can be allies to each other and build inclusive culture into our organisations! https://lnkd.in/eBsR69HJ

The CGT Circle is extremely excited to be returning to Boston next month! Don't miss this incredible opportunity to hear from 3 amazing female leaders in Cell and Gene therapy - Hilary Eaton, PhD, CBO at Profluent, Susan Abu-Absi, CTO at 2seventy bio, and Tess Kitchener, VP of BD at ElevateBio moderated by our wonderful event host Elisaveta Todorova and supported by ScaleReady How to get a ticket? Join the CGT Circle Linkedin community and you'll get first access to registration! ➡ https://lnkd.in/ecBy2z7n But be quick! This one is sure to fill up fast!

A final reminder for tonight's CGT Circle in Philly... 👏🏼 Hosted by a consortium of Philly's finest: Hillary Kaplan, Audrey Greenberg, Janka LaBrecque, Tiffany Smith and Heather White 🍸 Join 65 other amazing women in CGT for a fun and relaxed happy hour, making new connections, and an industry-themed trivia contest 📸 Klein Hersh are also providing complimentary professional headshots - don't miss this one! Here's the all-important info: 🗓️When: TODAY! (Tuesday, May 14th) at 5:30pm 📍Where: Workhorse Brewing Company, King Of Prussia, PA 🎟️How: join for registration details - https://lnkd.in/ecBy2z7n