Post by Danielle Charissa (.

Reflecting on an incredible week at the emlyon business school; the world simultaneously feels much smaller and less distant, and yet so vast and filled with opportunities. As 1 of 100 LoTs from across the globe, our cohort was immersed in all that ONLYLYON Invest and the Biodistrict has to offer, as the region with the largest biotech footprint in France. Bruno Versaevel and Florent Gerbaud showed us where generations of life-changing science have taken place, and where we stand today. 10 key takeaways from #Excellentium2026: 1) Andrew Singleton shared how gp2 is working to make Parkinson's disease genomics research inclusive, accessible, and sustainable across the globe. 2) Alexandre Merieux, Executive Chairman of bioMérieux, spoke about the importance of surrounding yourself with a good team and understanding the field beyond just the science. 3) "Don't seek discomfort. Leadership is about NOT avoiding the discomfort that comes with growth." Powerful words from Thermo Fisher Scientific VP of R&D, Immunodiagnostics, Henrik Björkman. 4) Our IARC - International Agency for Research on Cancer / World Health Organization tour with Clement Chauvet highlighted that the historical approach to research of "first, fastest, and individualistic" isn't enough. International and cross-sector collaboration are essential to ensure health for all. 5) CEO of QIAGEN, Thierry Bernard, shared how he took the challenge of the pandemic as an opportunity to grow and deliver at-scale. His key learnings: 1) Broaden your scope by being as international as possible. 2) Fail and fail often. 3) Someone's title doesn't define them. Practice empathy. 6) Shreeram Aradhye, President of Drug Development & CMO of Novartis shared that the commitment to improving lives never goes away. Our purpose is to innovate and find new avenues to pursue it. 7) Herve Hoppenot, Advisor and Chairman of Incyte shared that sometimes rules are meant to be broken when chasing a breakthrough. Don't be afraid to go where others haven't. 8) Sujuan Ba, President & CEO of the National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) and AIM-HI Accelerator Fund Co-Founder candidly shared the complexities of leading as a woman. While constantly subject to criticism, we must stay true to ourselves. 9) Cesar Sanz Rodriguez, VP of Medical Affairs ELMAC, Amgen shared: "Leading for impact isn't about having all the answers, it's about choosing to make a difference each day." 10) Jack O'Meara, CEO of Aerska and #GapSummit alum left us with an inspirational mental framework for approaching the reality we face in an industry practically designed to fail: "We make drugs that make a change. It's hard, but we have the potential to fundamentally change human history." Many thanks to the #GBR team, the experts who took time to share their insights, and sponsors Sanofi Thermo Fisher Scientific MaaT Pharma INSTITUT MÉRIEUX Syngenta Lundbeck. Thank you all for making Lyon an experience of a lifetime!