Clinical-Stage Biotechnology | Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy
The Opportunity
A rapidly growing U.S.-based clinical-stage biotechnology company is seeking a VP & General Manager, Asia to build and lead its operations across Asia, initially focused on China and Hong Kong, with Singapore and the broader region forming part of the longer-term strategy.
The company is developing personalized mRNA cancer therapeutics, with an ambition to create a scalable operating model for delivering individualized cancer immunotherapies to patients.
This is not a traditional commercial, BD or country-management role. The successful candidate will effectively act as the founder of the company's Asia operation, with the autonomy and responsibility to establish the regional operating model, build critical relationships and create the infrastructure required for clinical development and patient programs.
The role reports directly to the Founder & CEO and will work closely with the company's existing U.S.-based clinical, regulatory, scientific and manufacturing teams.
Key Responsibilities
Build the Asia Operation
- Develop and execute the company's Asia operating strategy, initially focused on China and Hong Kong.
- Establish the appropriate regional corporate, operational and organizational structure.
- Determine where local capabilities are required and where the existing U.S. organization and external partners can be leveraged.
- Build the regional team and infrastructure as the business scales.
Clinical Development & Regulatory
- Establish clinical-development pathways across Asia, with an initial focus on China.
- Develop and manage investigator-initiated clinical pathways and programs.
- Build relationships with leading investigators, hospitals, academic medical centers and clinical networks.
- Navigate institutional, ethical and regulatory requirements necessary to move programs toward clinical use.
- Work closely with the U.S. clinical, regulatory, scientific and CMC teams to ensure effective execution across jurisdictions.
Strategic Partnerships & JVs
- Identify, evaluate and develop strategic partnerships across the region.
- Lead discussions with potential institutional, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, manufacturing and clinical partners.
- Structure and manage potential joint ventures and other strategic arrangements.
- Translate relationships and opportunities into executable programs rather than simply facilitating introductions.
Patient Programs & Regional Execution
- Establish a repeatable operating pathway for patient programs and clinical development across Asia.
- Coordinate investigators, hospitals, regulatory stakeholders, manufacturing partners and internal teams.
- Develop budgets, milestones, governance structures and operating plans.
- Ensure the Asia operation remains tightly integrated with the U.S. organization.
Long-Term Growth
- Establish Asia as a meaningful part of the company's overall business.
- Build the organization and regional capabilities required to support increasing clinical and patient activity.
- Take increasing ownership of the regional strategy, operations and performance as the business develops.
The Ideal Candidate
We are looking for a builder and general manager first — someone who has demonstrated the ability to create and operate a clinical-stage biotechnology business, new geography, subsidiary or strategic venture.
The ideal candidate will bring:
- Significant leadership experience within clinical-stage biotechnology or therapeutics.
- Demonstrated experience building an organization, business or regional operation from the ground up.
- Sufficient clinical and regulatory understanding to work credibly with investigators, hospitals and regulators.
- Experience operating across multiple functions rather than within a single specialist discipline.
- Strong strategic and commercial judgment, including partnerships, JVs, contracts, budgets and governance.
- Significant experience across China and/or Asia, with direct mainland China experience strongly preferred.
- Experience working across U.S. and Asian organizations and cultures.
- The ability to identify, recruit and lead the right functional experts rather than needing to personally be the deepest technical expert in every area.
- An entrepreneurial, low-ego and highly execution-oriented approach.
Experience in oncology, immunotherapy, mRNA/RNA therapeutics, cell & gene therapy, precision medicine or other complex therapeutic modalities would be particularly relevant.
Mandarin is advantageous but not an absolute requirement for an exceptional candidate with deep Asia operating experience.
What This Role Is - And Isn't
This is not primarily:
- An Asia sales or commercial leadership position.
- A licensing/BD role focused primarily on deal sourcing.
- A government-affairs position.
- A market-access position.
- A traditional Big Pharma country-manager role.
The company is looking for someone who can take an opportunity and turn it into a functioning regional clinical and business operation.
Location & Travel
The preferred location is Asia, with Hong Kong or mainland China particularly relevant. Singapore is also considered.
An exceptional U.S.-based candidate with deep Asia experience may be considered where there is a credible ability to spend substantial time in the region.
Significant travel across Asia and periodic travel to the United States will be expected.
Why This Role
This is an opportunity to join a highly ambitious clinical-stage biotechnology company at an early stage of its Asian expansion and have genuine ownership over building the regional business.
The successful candidate will have direct access to the Founder & CEO, substantial autonomy and the opportunity to shape how the company operates across Asia.
Over time, the role has the potential to become a major leadership position within the company's global organization, as Asia develops into a significant part of the business.
For the right individual, this is an opportunity to build something - not simply inherit something.