The Surging Growth of Life Sciences in BC

The Science of Talent by BioTalent Canada

Life Sciences BC CEO Wendy Hurlburt remembers the surge started with a spirit of collaboration just as COVID was beginning to impact the world. Then came the talent crunch that forced many members in BC to find creative ways to keep their operations open.

The Metro-Vancouver bio economy has some 1,300 organizations which collectively employ about 16,000 people. Three quarters of those companies have fewer than 20 full-time staff with the largest sub sector being bio-health (50%).

The bigger companies are growing exponentially and scrambling to find talent. The smaller companies, still growing, are looking for very specific, niche skills.

Wendy is seeing companies react by deepening their value propositions for employees, beyond scientific pursuits to include talking about their culture and what it means to join their organization. And she’s recognized a trend that might shock… the idea that for some positions one doesn’t need a PhD to work in biotech.

Guest: Wendy Hurlburt, President and CEO Life Sciences BC

Wendy holds a critical leadership role in BC's dynamic life sciences ecosystem. She takes a collaborative approach to cultivate relationships between local subject matter experts, global partners, educational institutions and government to support the thriving sector. Before joining Life Sciences BC, Wendy held multiple leadership roles with Johnson & Johnson in strategic and business planning, finance, partnerships and business development, operational

transformation, and quality and regulatory compliance. Prior to J & J, she held Chief Financial Officer roles for both the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and Lexmark International in its Canadian and South Asian divisions.

LSBC Website - https://lifesciencesbc.ca/

Publications - https://lifesciencesbc.ca/news/publications/

LinkedIn account - @Life Sciences BC https://www.linkedin.com/company/lifesciences-bc

Twitter account - @lifesciences_bc https://twitter.com/lifesciences_bc

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