The need for leadership that connects and acts forcefully in healthcare is more urgent than ever
In the Netherlands, all university medical centres (UMCs) and top clinical hospitals are simultaneously working on numerous innovations in cancer care. Oncode Accelerator combines these efforts by forging collaborations and breaking with the status quo. This is achieved by integrating, scaling up and innovating the pre-clinical infrastructure in the Netherlands, using existing expertise. This public-private collaboration aims to accelerate the development and application of (targeted) cancer research and treatment.
Oncode Accelerator: an integrated approach to make oncology research more rapidly applicable
With an ambitious 10-year plan and a budget of 700 million euros, partly made possible by the Dutch Growth Fund, a foundation has been laid to realise Oncode Accelerator's highly ambitious goals. This requires strong and connecting leadership to accelerate innovation and applicability. Boer & Croon supports Oncode Accelerator in finding the right leaders in the right positions. With its expertise as quartermaster in healthcare collaborations, Boer & Croon sees it as a challenge to create leadership
that accelerates the development and applicability of cancer research and treatment.
Decisiveness, inspiration, connection, and the ability to make decisions are central to the search for a new chairman of the Executive Board and members of the Supervisory Board who will lead the acceleration initiative.
Rene de Backker, partner Healthcare & Life Sciences Transformations at Boer & Croon, clarifies: 'Innovations in healthcare often focus on medical content and better patient care. However, implementing changes within one's organisation requires different knowledge. Questions about process innovation and optimal partnerships with other healthcare parties are crucial. In addition, the digitisation issue in healthcare remains urgent. And, of course, interests, lack of capacity and the question of who will finance it often play a role. But no results without action! That is why we help organisations achieve successful transitions. Oncode Accelerator is an excellent example of how we help establish an effective organisation to achieve integral acceleration and connection in global Dutch cancer care.
Innovative and connecting leadership
This requires a focus on organisational change, knowledge of scientific research and innovation, as well as an understanding of leadership of the future. 'When setting up the Oncode Accelerator organisation, we do not only look at experience and CV,' stresses Anne van Herwijnen, partner Healthcare & Life Sciences Executive Search at Boer & Croon. 'Drives and leadership style are key principles Boer & Croon looks at when helping an organisation move forward.' Anne adds: 'Building trust, creating clarity about the common goal and keep steering towards it, and getting the right people in the right place at the right time, are essential pillars for making a partnership a success. This requires connecting leadership, daring to make real choices, and maintaining focus. This is exactly what we look for in the candidates we use to provide Oncode Accelerator with strong and connecting leadership so that acceleration and innovation are embraced by all collaborating parties within the programme to which Oncode Accelerator belongs. That way, we contribute to acceleration in integrated research and innovative treatment of various forms of cancer.'
