January/February 2022 • PharmaTimes Magazine • 21

// BUSINESS INSIGHT //

PharmaTimes catches up with
Ipsen’s John Chaddock

What is your role?
Within Ipsen my career has progressed to be Head of Operations within the Research, External Innovation and Early Development (REED) group within R&D, site head for the UK R&D Hub at Milton Park near Oxford, UK and a Director of several Ipsen UK entities.

What does your work involve?
My work is varied and I love that! Having come from biotech, where there is a mindset of drive, decision-making and ‘rolling your sleeves up’ to get the job done, my work patterns continue to embrace that philosophy. Within REED I work closely with the SVP to establish the group strategy, bring my experience of team management to the development of the new group and work with stakeholders within the group and outside to deliver an effective result. Recently, my mission has been focused on expanding awareness of Ipsen within the UK and seeking new drug candidates for our preclinical and clinical portfolio.

Why the interest in research and innovation?
It’s exciting! It’s through innovative research that Ipsen has been able to discover and bring to patients life-changing medicines. Although my career has been delivered through the skills of leadership, curiosity, analysis and strategy, the broad topic area has always been within the research and early development phase of drug sourcing, and seeking collaborations.

What has been your greatest professional achievement?
Being adaptable, resilient and focused on the end goal of new solutions to help patients, but also seeing colleagues flourish. Investing time in people is vital for the long-term growth of the sector and I’m happy to have played a part in this throughout my career. At Ipsen we recognise that young people are the future of the thriving life sciences industry. That’s why we conducted a nationwide survey to explore young people’s attitudes to science and discover how we can better support and nurture young people’s aspirations for a career in science.

What do you think are the key challenges for UK pharma?
UK science has a strong worldwide reputation, and we should be taking every step we can to maximise the impact of our talented colleagues, our infrastructure and our world leading academic base. The response of our academic, industrial and public sector scientific community within the COVID-19 pandemic has been outstanding and we should be seeking to build on the success of the COVID-19 response to make the UK a global life sciences superpower.

What are your passions outside work?
I enjoy being outdoors; walking the fields and fells, or coming up with new ideas for the garden. I also want to protect the environment so that future generations can enjoy what I have enjoyed. Therefore, I was pleased to see Ipsen’s commitment to Net Zero Climate Impact by 2030.

If you could invite anyone (dead or alive) for dinner, who would it be?
My mother. She died 15 years ago after battling cancer for 14 years. A lot has happened in 15 years, both professionally and in my family – it would be great to discuss it with her. 

John Chaddock