About
Daphné Truan, PhD
EPFL (Ing. Phys. Dipl. / MSc) · ETHZ (PhD) · IMD (Executive MBA)
I am a biopharma executive with twenty years of experience building and leading programs across the full pipeline, from first concept to NME declaration. I trained as a physicist at EPFL, earned a PhD in structural biology at ETH Zurich, and spent the following two decades in increasingly senior roles across Janssen, Lonza, and GSK. I pursued an Executive MBA at IMD to strengthen the executive side of work I was already doing. biodesyn is how I engage on a consulting basis alongside my next executive or board transition.
Science
At GSK, I led the intercontinental Protein Design and Informatics team across four countries, integrating target tractability, developability, and AI/ML insights into portfolio stage-gate discussions, and acting as program lead for an infectious disease biologic developed with an external partner. At Janssen Vaccines, I designed stabilised antigens for HIV, RSV, influenza, and Zika programs, and helped establish the emerging diseases effort supported by the Gates Foundation. A large part of both roles was deciding which science was worth advancing to the next gate, and which programs to stop.
Strategy
At Lonza, I reorganised and expanded the Bioinformatics team within Early Development Services, improving delivery reliability, doubling annual sales targets, and acting as the primary scientific interface for more than 120 pharma and biotech clients. I learned a lot in that role about how companies choose partners, and where strong science shows up in a contract. At GSK, I ran programmes to bring generative AI and Disciplined Agile into R&D workflows. I have built teams, reshaped them when the work required it, and led several reorganisations along the way.
Business Acumen
I am completing an Executive MBA at IMD alongside my industry work. I also sit on the board of SCCH Domus, a private cooperative, with responsibility for financial reporting, balance sheet oversight, loan management, investments, and day-to-day governance. I am interested in independent board directorships and scientific advisory board roles where pipeline depth and financial literacy both matter.
Selected recognition
GSK Silver Award
Exceptional leadership, de novo mAb design initiative · 2024
JnJ Gold Encore ×3
HIV Env, ZIKV NME, RSV NME · 2015–2017
Swiss NSF Fellowship
Prospective researchers · University of Cambridge · 2012
Future collaborations
When a project needs more bandwidth than I can cover alone, I bring in trusted specialists in protein engineering, bioinformatics, and regulatory strategy. They work with me on a project basis, under the same confidentiality standards.
Open to consulting, senior executive roles, and board or SAB mandates.
If your organisation is navigating a difficult point between science, strategy, and execution, I would welcome a conversation.