Eva McLellan › Country President & General Manager, Roche
Bio
A purpose-driven transformational leader with a mission of being of service to and empowering others and their communities to unlock breakthroughs.
Eva McLellan is a global healthcare executive, known as a forward-thinking strategist and purpose-driven leader. She brings a track record of helping individuals and organizations transform to meet the complex challenges facing healthcare systems and patients today.
She has held senior global strategy and affiliate leadership roles in Canada, Switzerland, and BeLux, since joining the biotech industry more than 17 years ago. Over the course of her career, Eva has built and led teams to drive innovation aimed at reshaping access to and delivery of care. Her experience is diverse, spanning early pipeline, Infectious Disease, Oncology, Hematology, Rare Diseases, and Digital Health.
Eva is presently serving as General Manager & President at Roche Slovenia. Her main focus externally is on building strong external partnerships and scaling new approaches that shape health systems, improve care, and drive equitable, sustainable access to innovation.She has been a long-time advocate of gender balanced leadership and health equity. She served as a regional council board member of the Healthcare Business Women's Association (HBA) in Europe (2019), and in 2021 co-founded the Unlocking Eve Foundation.
Eva holds an Honours Bachelor of Science and Masters of Biotechnology from the University of Toronto and is a graduate from INSEAD Business School’s Executive Management Program.
How did your experience in the MBiotech program contribute to your career success?
The MBiotech program allowed me to bring together my passion for science and my interest in industry. It equipped me with practical skills that I have used to excel as a healthcare executive. Through the program, I learned how to work effectively as part of a team, grow my network, nurture relationships, and deliver results under pressure. These were really important lessons that have served me extremely well throughout my career.
What are some of the key skills and knowledge you acquired during the MBiotech program that are still valuable to you today?
I feel very fortunate to have been part of such a pioneering program and to have had the chance study in the area as scientists were completing the Human Genome Sequence. This was a watershed moment in science. It has had a profound impact on our understanding of human biology and the ways in which we can treat and manage a number of diseases.
This experience deepened my understanding of the revolutionary impact of recombinant technology, akin to the influence AI holds today, and its implications on healthcare. The program equipped me with essential knowledge and leadership skills to lead through such transformations..
In addition, the program fostered the development of vital skills, particularly in leadership and true ecosystem collaboration and value creation. It emphasized the need for leaders who could navigate the evolving landscape navigating the tri-fecta of science, business, and leadership.
Thanks to this understanding, I learnt about my values, and how to deeply collaborate with other stakeholders and work with them to create value together. In my opinion, this is what being a leader is all about.
What advice would you give to current MBiotech students or recent graduates who are entering the job market?
Your journey as a leader is a tapestry woven with purpose, trust, collaboration, and unwavering dedication to creating a better world.
Have a vision and start to work out what it is that really drives you. Every career has its ups and downs. The people who succeed are those who have an unwavering desire and determination to turn their ideas into a reality. It’s this passion that helps us through the marathon, and keeps us on course.
It’s also vital that you find your tribe and learn to work as an integral part of the team. I have found that a cohesive and skilled team can accomplish far more than individuals working in isolation. And make sure you build genuine relationships that are based on trust – this is the cornerstone of successful collaboration.
Everywhere you go, be a good listener and act on those insights to make this better for those around you, and society at large.
Are there any memorable or transformative experiences from your time in the MBiotech program that you would like to share?
My time in the MBiotech program was marked by numerous memorable and transformative personal experiences. The external transformation that stands out for me though - is the completion of the Human Genome Project and the emergence of recombidnant technlogy as powerful new platform transforming medicines stand out as watershed moments in biotechnology history. I will never forget the announcement in 2003 and the inspiration it provided for me to step into this field – it was transformative and decisive moment for me as a graduate.
Any major accomplishment/achievement/award you would like to share with us?
In 2021, alongside Kaye Vitug, I co-founded the Unlocking Eve Foundation.
Together with our global community, we are on a mission to unlock the power of integrated leadership in all people and contribute to a world that's more balanced in every sense, with the goal of achieving healthier people and a healthier planet.
Our work directly aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals #3, #5, and #17 which focus on health and well-being, gender equity, leadership through partnership. They are the cornerstone of our purpose. What excites me the most about our vision is that it's both audacious and inspiring. Our aim is to empower 100 million integrated leaders by 2030. You can learn more and get involved here: www.unlockingeve.org.
