Chief Executive Officer (CEO) — Orphan Drug Biotech Startup ANKIAL Pharma

We are an emerging biopharmaceutical company developing a first-in-class orphan drug targeting a rare, severe disease with high unmet medical need: pediatric hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Our mission is to bring life-changing therapies to patients often overlooked by traditional pharma. The company is currently in the preclinical-IND-enabling stage and is preparing for its first major financing round to accelerate development.

The CEO will drive fundraising, provide strategic leadership, and oversee company growth from early development through clinical proof-of-concept and licensing.
We seek an experienced biotech executive or entrepreneur who combines scientific-Pharma understanding and investor credibility with active network

Key Responsibilities

• Fundraising and Partnerships`vities (seed, Series A/B, grants, and non-dilutive funding).

• Develop and maintain relationships with venture capital firms, strategic pharma investors, and government funding bodies.

• Drive strategic partnerships, licensing, and collaborations to maximize company value.

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute the company’s short- and long-term strategy, from R&D milestones to licensing.

• Work closely with the Board, scientific founders, and advisors to refine the development roadmap including regulatory milestones with FDA and EMA.

• Build and manage a startup pharma company with a culture of innovation, excellent science and accountability.

Operational Leadership

• Oversee all company operations, including preclinical and clinical development, finance, legal, and regulatory activities.

• Ensure efficient resource allocation and compliance with quality and ethical standards.

• Recruit and motivate a talented core team and scientific collaborators.

External Representation

• Serve as the primary spokesperson to investors, partners, regulators, and the rare disease community.

• Build company visibility within the biotech ecosystem, at investor meetings, conferences, and media outlets.

Qualifications

Required

• Minimum 10+ years of experience in the biopharma industry, including leadership in a startup or small biotech.

• Proven track record of raising institutional or venture funding (ideally $10M+ total).

• Experience in orphan drug development, regulatory strategy, and clinical trial design.

• Strong understanding of drug development processes, from discovery through early clinical stages.

• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, capable of inspiring investors, partners, and employees.

• Entrepreneurial mindset, resilience, and hands-on leadership style.

Preferred

• Advanced degree (PhD, MD, MBA, or equivalent) in a relevant field.

• Prior experience as a CEO, COO, or CBO in a biotech startup.

• Regulatory experience with FDA and EMA.

• Network of relationships across VCs, pharma BD teams, and rare disease KOLs.

• Experience in public funding mechanisms (EU/US grants, NIH, Horizon Europe, etc.)

Personal Qualities

• Passion for rare diseases and patient impact.

• Strategic thinker with operational pragmatism.

• Persuasive, credible, and transparent communicator.

• Collaborative and respectful toward scientific founders and the board.

• Motivated to build long-term value, not just short-term gains.

Compensation

Competitive equity-based compensation package commensurate with experience, including founder-level equity and performance-based incentives.