Achim Güttner

Executive Director Biostatistics | Strategic Drug Developer | Passionate About Communication, Mentorship & Collaboration

Basel, Basel, Switzerland

About

Having worked 25+ years across multiple disease areas and stages of drug development, I discovered my favorite niche: supporting radioligand therapies in oncology—a field that demands agility, innovative thinking, continuous learning, and above all, clear communication and teamwork. My passion for communication started early. Already in childhood, I noticed how conversations often failed because people lacked context or did not set the right frame. At Novartis, I had the opportunity to grow and to put my curiosity into impact: • Leading a soft-skills workstream within the Analytics (Statistics and Pharmacometrics) department • Teaching quantitative scientists on communication and collaboration skills ("Do you speak statistics" course) • Coaching peers to deliver impactful and confident presentations • Mentoring colleagues—both statisticians and non-statisticians—internally and externally I believe that effective communication is the bridge between ideas and solutions—and yes, I truly enjoy listening to a well-delivered presentation. Outside of work, my creativity takes a different form: cooking. Unlike the regulated world of clinical trials and prespecified statistical analyses, my kitchen is a playground where recipes are suggestions, not rules. I love experimenting, exploring flavors, and building on taste experiences—because innovation isn’t limited to science. If you’re passionate about biostatistics, oncology innovation, clinical trial strategy, or leadership through communication, let’s connect and share ideas.

Experience

  • Executive Director at Novartis Pharma AG
    Jun 2004 - Present · 22 yrs 1 mo

  • Statistiker at M.A.R.C.O. Institut
    Jun 1998 - May 2004 · 6 yrs