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testimonials
Søren Anker Nielsen
Managing Partner, Alpine-Bio
Søren Anker Nielsen is Managing Partner at Alpine-Bio, a niche company within the pharmaceutical industry. He has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical sector, having previously worked for major international companies such as Johnson Johnson and Merck Sharp Dohme. For the past approximately 13 years, he has been involved in a range of startups within the pharmaceutical industry and medical technology sector.
Søren Anker Nielsen is Managing Partner at Alpine-Bio, a niche company within the pharmaceutical industry. He has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical sector, having previously worked with major international companies such as Johnson Johnson and Merck Sharp Dohme. For the past approximately 13 years, he has been involved in numerous startups within the pharmaceutical industry and medical technology sector. Concurrently, he has served as a mentor for entrepreneurial ventures and startup ecosystems in the industry, and for several years, he has been a member of the steering committee for NOME – Nordic Mentoring for Entrepreneurship, sponsored by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
“The new company, Alpine-Bio, which is the latest venture, focuses on repurposing existing drugs for new uses—for example, using a depression medication to also address pain. The advantage is that these products are already thoroughly tested, which enables very efficient product development and a faster path to patients. We utilize a lot of data and generative AI for this purpose, which involves leveraging artificial intelligence technology to search through extensive historical data to identify new applications for medications,” explains Søren Anker Nielsen, and continues:
“It is clear that building a new organization, securing capital, and generally navigating the complex field of the pharmaceutical industry is a challenging task. There can be many pitfalls in starting a new company,” says Søren Anker Nielsen.
Developing Yourself to Develop Others
He emphasizes that development and education are very important to him, which motivated his desire to upgrade his professional knowledge through the Executive Management Programme offered by Scandinavian Executive Institute in collaboration with the renowned business school, INSEAD.
“To develop those around you—such as employees, mentoring companies, and other relationships—it is essential to be able to develop yourself. That was the primary reason I chose to participate in the executive program. Overall, I found Scandinavian Executive Institute to be a provider that is well-organized, responsive, and good at following up. Their long-standing partnership with INSEAD supports this professionalism,” he says.
Søren Anker Nielsen describes the educational program as rewarding and beneficial.
“I gained significant value from the academic content, and the level was world-class. It was highly inspiring to work with such skilled people within such professional and motivating frameworks. The other participants came from various industries, which fostered open debate and good discussions across topics. It was also a diverse group in terms of age, gender, and experiences. Additionally, the intensive three-week format suited my needs and preferences very well.”
Sustainability and Blue Ocean
He highlights several learnings that he expects will be significant moving forward.
“I gained a valuable perspective on sustainability challenges and also a good understanding of tools related to Blue Ocean strategies. I have strengthened my skills in leadership and market communication, and I am returning with new and valuable inspiration from the professors that I will apply in my daily work,” he says and adds:
“Especially Blue Ocean strategies are relevant. I have acquired new techniques for defining markets, competitors, and decision-making processes, and these will undoubtedly be used in my new journey with Alpine-Bio. Generative AI is rapidly evolving and offers opportunities to think in new Blue Ocean strategies. However, one must think and implement quickly, as the window can close very fast. It is an exciting business time—full of new opportunities, and it aligns perfectly with my interests,” he smiles.
He also expects the program to have a positive effect in terms of networking.
“I stay in touch with my team, try to help those who reach out, and we are also planning a soon reunion. I hope and believe that we can continue as an alumni team in the future, where we, as a non-competing group, can greatly benefit from each other.”
