Women In Biotech Mentoring Programme: Alex's and Claire's experience

Claire Thompson, Founder and CEO  of Agility Life Sciences, an award-winning formulation development CDMO and Alex Gajdosova, an Investment Analyst at 4BIO Capital, an international venture capital firm focused solely on the advanced therapies sector, reflect on their mentoring relationship.

In this interview, Claire and Alex reflect on their mentor-mentee relationship and how participating in the BIA's Women In Biotech Mentoring Programme has been of benefit. Alex shares the invaluable insights she gained from her mentor, which has helped her to hone her confidence, communication skills, and clarity in tackling challenges.

Introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your background.

Claire: I'm Claire Thompson, Founder and CEO of Agility Life Sciences which is an award-winning formulation development CDMO. I've spent 20 years in the Pharma industry spanning large multinationals to virtual biotech. I'm also a NED, philanthropist, and former footballer.

Alex: My name is Alex and I currently work as an Investment Analyst at 4BIO Capital, which is a venture capital firm focused on investing in early-stage companies within the advanced therapies space. I have a scientific background, completing both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in London with a focus on cell and gene therapies.

What was your motivation for joining the Women In Biotech Mentoring Programme?

Claire: I've had fabulous mentors throughout my career who have been a sounding board for all my major decisions. I want to ensure that women in the industry can access the same level of support, maximise their potential, and create diverse working environments with exceptional cultures.

Alex: I was drawn to this opportunity to connect with a female leader in the industry and gain advice and perspective on my career and personal development.

What do you consider the main benefits have been to you personally?

Claire: I think I learned as much as a mentor as Alex did as a mentee! By talking through challenges in the working environment, and how to overcome them, I got an insight into the pace and pressures of early-stage investment decisions.

Alex: I’ve had the opportunity to build a good relationship with Claire over the past few months, which has helped me to navigate my career steps. This was especially beneficial to me as I experienced some challenges. I’ve always been able to ask questions openly and have constructive discussions. Claire’s insights and advice come from a deep experience, and ability to communicate clearly and be empathetic, which is invaluable.

What impact did it have on your career?

It helped me to improve my confidence, communication skills, and ability to approach challenges with a clear path forward.

Would you recommend the Women In Biotech Mentoring Programme to others and why?

Claire: Oh absolutely! It is an extremely rewarding programme.

Alex: I’d definitely recommend participating in the mentoring scheme. I believe having a good mentor is an invaluable experience and an opportunity to ask questions and navigate career development.

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