Most people in life sciences understand the value of a strong network. Fewer act on it in ways that advance careers, theirs or anyone else’s.

To mark International Women’s Day, I hosted a Lift Up: Women in Life Sciences broadcast on the theme of Give to Gain: Stronger Together. I was joined by three senior leaders with a combined 75+ years of experience spanning pharmaceutical quality, biotech operations, human resources (HR), and executive leadership.

Ayşe Çam is Head of Quality Management System & Digital at Arcera Life Sciences. Paula Soteropoulos is a Strategic Advisor and Board Member with a 35-year biotech career that includes founding and leading companies as CEO. Jessica Wagner Keliher, SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources), is a Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive Leadership Coach with 15 years in life sciences.

What they shared was practical, honest, and backed by real experience. Here are three strategies from my conversation with Ayşe, Paula, and Jessica that can help you navigate your own leadership journey in life sciences.

Strategy #1: Give Without Keeping Score

In an industry built on evidence and outcomes, it can be tempting to treat professional relationships the same way: invest time, expect a return. But the leaders who build the most durable networks in pharma and biotech tend to work from the opposite logic.

Jessica Wagner Keliher described giving as “the real flex,” something she pursues not because of what it might bring back, but because of what it means in the moment. “Seeing someone step into their potential, watching a culture shift, knowing that something that I did made someone’s working life better, that’s the reward,” she said. For Jessica, giving is not a strategy with a target attached. It is simply how she leads.

Paula Soteropoulos echoed this, reflecting on what has made her career feel most meaningful. “Investing in others, building those trust-based relationships, those compound over time… I don’t give my time, my effort into helping people because I’m going to get something back. It really gives me purpose,” she explained. Paula was clear that purpose, not reciprocity, is what drives her.

Ayşe Çam brought a different angle: taking a chance on people that others would overlook. Throughout her career, she has hired candidates with no direct experience in a role because she saw potential that a CV could not capture. “I’m going to bet on this person,” she said, describing moments where she stepped forward to take responsibility when colleagues pushed back.

In life sciences, where technical expertise is prized, and credentials often dominate hiring decisions, this willingness to back potential over experience is both rare and powerful. It also builds the kind of loyalty that formal processes rarely create.

Strategy #2: Know the Difference Between a Mentor and a Sponsor

Mentorship and sponsorship are often used interchangeably. They aren’t, though, and the gap between them has real consequences for how quickly women progress into senior leadership.

Jessica Wagner Keliher put the distinction plainly: “A mentor gives you their time, their wisdom, their guidance. A sponsor does something more than that. They put their name and their reputation behind you. They’re advocating for you in rooms that you’re not in.” She also noted that research shows women tend to accumulate mentors but not sponsors, and suggested this comes down to self-advocacy. “Women are generally very open to seeking help and committed to growth, but asking for things and advocating for themselves is maybe historically something that’s not been a welcomed behaviour.”

Jessica’s most powerful example of sponsorship came from the former Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at Novavax. As that leader was preparing to retire, she worked to position Jessica for strong future outcomes, with nothing personal to gain. “She had nothing to gain from doing that. But she did it purely because she believed in me, and that is true sponsorship.”

Jessica’s most powerful example of sponsorship came from the former Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at Novavax. As that leader was preparing to retire, she worked to position Jessica for strong future outcomes, with nothing personal to gain. “She had nothing to gain from doing that. But she did it purely because she believed in me, and that is true sponsorship.”

Paula Soteropoulos described a similar moment at Genzyme, where a VP she put her name forward for a operations role she would never have considered herself. “I wouldn’t even raise my hand if it came up,” Paula said. “It was really him putting my name in.” That single act of sponsorship set her on the path to becoming a CEO.

The takeaway? If you are a senior leader, consider who you are actively advocating for, not just advising. If you are building your career, make your ambitions visible to the people who have the influence to act on them.

Strategy #3: Be Seen Before You Need to Be Sponsored

Sponsorship does not come from being quietly excellent. It comes from being visible to the right people. Ahead of time. Both Paula and Ayşe described how they created that visibility, often without realising at the time.

Paula Soteropoulos was deliberate about taking on projects at Genzyme that stretched beyond her direct responsibilities. “I would take on extra projects that would be a little outside of my realm of responsibility,” she explained. “It gave me exposure to doing different things, but also showed that I had capabilities beyond my responsibility.” It was through this exposure that Henry Termeer, the late CEO of Genzyme, began actively mentoring and later sponsoring her career progression.

Ayşe Çam’s career shift came from a similar moment of visibility. Just three years into her career, a female leader who had hired her into the pharmaceutical industry gave her responsibility for a team of ten, all of whom were older and more experienced. It was a high-pressure situation in a pharmaceutical manufacturing environment, and Ayşe was candid about the difficulty. But she leaned into it, including admitting when she did not have the answers. “It’s okay that I don’t have everything figured out,” she said. That trust, and her willingness to be seen in a stretch role, led directly to an international talent development programme that shaped the rest of her career.

For women in life sciences, the message is consistent: put your hand up for projects that take you beyond your current brief, share your professional goals with people who have influence, and do not wait to be invited. As Jessica noted when describing her decision to approach a CEO directly about a culture transformation project: “Sometimes you have to create your own opportunities. Don’t wait for it to be handed to you.”

Building a Culture That Lifts People Up

Across our conversation, the same idea kept coming up from different angles: giving, advocating, and making yourself visible are not separate activities. They reinforce each other. Leaders who give freely attract the trust that makes sponsorship possible. Professionals who take risks and build visibility create the conditions for others to advocate for them.

For life sciences organisations serious about closing the gender gap at senior level, these are not soft principles. They are practical levers for retaining and advancing the talent already in the room.

Want to hear more from Ayşe Çam, Paula Soteropoulos, and Jessica Wagner Keliher? Watch the full Lift Up broadcast.