Biopharma organizations are simplifying. But fewer layers do not necessarily mean less need for leadership.
They may change what leadership looks like.
As organizations reduce management layers and work to accelerate decision making, senior leaders may find themselves operating across a broader range of responsibilities. Functional expertise still matters, but so does the ability to move between strategy and execution, work effectively across functions, make decisions with limited infrastructure, and stay close to the work.
That creates an interesting question for hiring teams: are we evaluating leaders for the role as it has traditionally existed, or for the way the organization needs them to lead now?
As structures evolve, the strongest fit may come down to more than what someone has led. It may be how they lead when there are fewer layers around them.
Source: McKinsey, Simplification for Success: Rewiring the Biopharma Operating Model, 2025
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