Dr. Paul Faulder, the CEO Behind Pharma R&D’s Digital Transformation | Elixir Software

Pharma Now: Hello, everyone. Welcome to Pharma Now. Today’s episode is going to be one of the most exciting ones because we are going to learn about something very innovative and close to my heart: software. In drug discovery, speed isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about lives. Yet most research teams still juggle hundreds of experiments using spreadsheets, email chains, and siloed databases. Imagine trying to manage incredibly complex scientific workflows across global research teams with such disconnected systems. It’s terrible, right? That’s how R&D has operated for decades, and I think it still continues that way.

But one leader, after years inside pharma giants like AstraZeneca, GSK, and Amgen, decided there had to be a better way. Many of us think about that, but very few take action. He left the comfort of big pharma to reimagine how science collaborates. The result was a platform called iTraX, built by scientists for scientists.

I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Paul, CEO and Co-founder of Elixir Software, on today’s episode of Pharma Now. 

Dr. Paul: I’m really excited to share the journey.

Pharma Now: Paul, you’ve had an incredible career with over a decade of research experience in some of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies. I’d love to understand more about that journey, how it all began.

Dr. Paul: I worked as a research scientist at AstraZeneca, GSK, Amgen, and several smaller biotechs, which I’ll mention later. I had the privilege of working alongside some of the world's greatest scientists—it was an amazing opportunity.

What struck me, wherever I worked, was how much of the scientific brilliance was being wasted. The reason for that was simple: as research teams, we spent hours using spreadsheets and PowerPoints, updating each other through emails, and preparing for meetings. All of that time wasn’t being spent on actual science—the kind that could eventually help patients. It was a real pain point and a source of frustration.

There’s one story that always sticks with me. I was working on a cancer project. We had designed some compounds and sent them to a CRO in China for synthesis. However, after sending those compounds, more data became available. When we analyzed it, the results showed that the designs we had just sent were no longer relevant, they weren’t going to work.

I thought, “We’ve got finite resources on this project; we need to make the most of them.” So, I went to see the medicinal chemist in charge and asked if we could request the CRO to stop the work. His reply was, “It’s too much effort. Let’s just let them finish, and we’ll put the compounds in the inventory for the next screen.”

I remember thinking, “Wow, this is tens of thousands of dollars and months of work, and we’re knowingly making something that isn’t needed,” simply because our systems didn’t allow us to adapt quickly enough. That was one of the breaking points for me.

I realized it wasn’t the science that was failing—it was the tools. And I thought, if we could fix the way teams work together, imagine how much faster we could get therapies to patients. Ultimately, that’s what this is all about.

Pharma Now: That’s where you and Dr. Martin co-founded Elixir together. What inspired you to take that leap and build a software solution, ultimately starting your own business? It’s quite a change from your previous roles.

Dr. Paul: Yes, it is. First of all, Martin is not only the co-founder of Elixir, but also a very good friend. Martin and I go way back. He actually trained me in my first job at a small biotech company in Macclesfield, in northwest England, which later became part of Amgen. When I joined, we very quickly became friends. Even back then, we both had a strong entrepreneurial streak.

The way we worked together was simple. I was a computational chemist, and I would often come up with ideas to simplify or make things more efficient. For instance, if you were doing a virtual screen analysis, you’d be looking through hundreds of thousands of randomly selected compounds; it was a very time-consuming job. Martin, who was a developer, coder, and scientist, would take my ideas and say, “What if we do it like this?” We’d collaborate, agree on a good solution, and then he’d go away and code it. A week later, he’d bring it back, we’d test it, and before long, the entire computational chemistry team would be using it.

That was twenty years ago, but it planted the seed for how we continued to work together, constantly identifying problems and creating solutions. Over time, we developed a deep problem-solution dynamic.

Fast forward to our time in big pharma, both Martin and I eventually left that company. I went to GSK, and Martin went to AstraZeneca. The same frustrations kept cropping up, but on a much larger scale. There were more people, more departments, and the science was being slowed down because individuals spent a significant amount of time preparing slides for meetings rather than conducting actual experiments.

The situation worsened due to the hierarchical structure in large pharmaceutical companies. Communication between scientists at the bench and project leaders or departmental heads was fragmented. Leaders couldn’t see what was happening in real time, and scientists couldn’t adapt quickly when new data came in, just like in the CRO story I mentioned earlier.

The real opportunity came when I eventually joined Martin at AstraZeneca. We were reunited, which was great. By then, Martin had already built a sophisticated chemistry tracking system that solved internal issues and brought teams together. Around four to five hundred people were using it by the time he finished, and it made a real impact.

However, that system only solved an internal tracking problem,it showed where things were in real time but didn’t address collaboration challenges beyond the organization. I was working in partnerships, one of which was with Cancer Research UK. We met every couple of months to review progress, what they had done, what we had done, and how the project was advancing. More often than not, we discovered that both sides had designed and made the same compounds without realizing it. That lack of real-time communication and collaboration led to duplication of effort, which was incredibly frustrating.

At that point, I began thinking back to our earlier conversations, even twenty years ago, when Martin and I had discussed starting our own business. I realized it’s all about finding the right opportunity. In the UK, we have a show called Dragon’s Den—I’m not sure if you have it in India—where people pitch ideas to a panel of entrepreneurs in the hopes of securing an investment. Many people think that’s how businesses are started, but it’s not. Every business leader I know, unless they’re exceptionally lucky, discovers opportunities while working for someone else, opportunities where no good solutions exist.

So, coming back to why we did it: we wanted to run a business together, and I noticed something critical. If wealthy pharmaceutical companies were still relying on spreadsheets, emails, and PowerPoint presentations to manage multimillion-dollar projects, and they could afford any software on the market, it meant one thing: the right software simply didn’t exist. That told me there was a gap in the market.

However, as a scientist by training, I needed to validate that assumption. I conducted market research by visiting various laboratories within AstraZeneca. I asked, “How do you track your work? How do you manage your data?” And the answers were always the same—spreadsheets, emails, PowerPoints.

We then developed a proof of concept and showed it to them, asking if it would help. The reaction was immediate: “Can we have it now?” That was extremely encouraging. I knew then we were onto something potentially groundbreaking, but we had to be cautious—it was just one company.

However, I had seen the same inefficiencies in every company I’d worked for. It was clear this wasn’t just a chemistry problem or an issue limited to one organization, it was a universal, human problem. And that realization became the vision that led to Elixir.

Pharma Now: Amazing. I think it’s a very inspiring story, and I can certainly relate to what you said because I’ve been through a similar journey. Being an engineer, I completely understand that when you see a mundane task being done on spreadsheets, you start wondering, why can’t this be automated? Why can’t we introduce some level of automation there? I completely agree with that.

But saying that, I think it’s also important to look at this from outside the pharma industry. What makes R&D operations in pharma so complex compared to other industries? For our audience who may not be familiar with this field, could you help us understand the scale of the challenge and the kind of solution you’re bringing to address it?

Dr. Paul: Sure. You’re absolutely right, it does transcend across industries. But we’re focusing on pharmaceuticals because that’s what we know best.

To explain the complexity of R&D, let me provide an overview of how research and early development are conducted. Drug discovery itself is built around what we call the DMTA cycle—Design, Make, Test, and Analyze. You design a molecule, make that design in the laboratory, test it, collect the data, analyze the results, and then judge whether your design hypotheses were correct or not. You determine which of your key parameters are showing progress toward solving a problem and which are not—and then the cycle repeats.

This process continues because when you design something that fixes one issue, it can sometimes break another that you had already solved. It’s an inherently complex system. The DMTA cycle applies regardless of modality, whether you’re working with small molecules, peptides, large molecules, or biologics. It exists throughout early discovery and development, and each loop generates learning that feeds into the next.

The challenge is that the odds of success in discovery are heavily stacked against you. I was recently speaking to one of my major pharma clients, and I learned that only about 15% of discovery programs actually make it into the clinic. Think about that for a moment—85% of the effort doesn’t make it through. And if you look at the cost of drugs, part of what you’re paying for is essentially the cost of all those failed attempts. It’s not because scientists aren’t good at what they do—it’s just that not everything fits together perfectly in the discovery process.

Getting a drug to market and to patients, the people who truly matter, can take anywhere from 10 to 15 years and cost billions of dollars. It’s a massive investment, so companies need to ensure that 15% of successful candidates reach the market quickly.

When I think about the complexity of R&D, especially before we had systems like iTraX, I like to compare it to an orchestra. Imagine you have a group of world-class musicians, these are your scientists. They’re brilliant and thoroughly knowledgeable about their science. Each one plays their instrument perfectly, the chemists, biologists, analytical teams, and everyone else supporting the DMTA cycle.

But now imagine they’re all playing at the same time without a conductor. What you get isn’t music—it’s noise. That’s what happens in pharma R&D. You have these incredibly talented people running hundreds of experiments in parallel, across multiple teams, sites, and often different continents. Without the right coordination, it becomes chaotic.

It’s not because people aren’t good at their jobs; they’re exceptionally skilled. The issue is that the tools to bring everything together simply haven’t been there. That’s where the real problem lies.

Pharma Now: That was a very apt example. The orchestra analogy is truly relevant here—it perfectly captures the situation. And I suppose that’s where iTraX comes in. Could you please help me understand how this platform actually addresses the problem and alleviates the frustration scientists experience with legacy systems? Let’s understand how iTraX brings harmony to this orchestra.

Dr. Paul: The orchestra—yes, let’s delve into that.

As scientists ourselves, when we created iTraX, we wanted to design something that didn’t feel like just another system scientists had to tolerate. There’s nothing worse than introducing a new piece of software to a scientist—it usually results in a frown because it means yet another thing to learn. What we wanted to build was a platform that felt familiar, user-friendly, and comfortable—something scientists could naturally work in every day without friction.

To describe iTraX as a product, it’s a visual, cloud-based platform. It includes Kanban boards, calendars for scheduling, and spreadsheet-like views—different functionalities that cater to the working styles of various departments. Some teams prefer compound-centric workflows, others work best with spreadsheet-style layouts, while others rely heavily on scheduling tools. It is designed to be highly flexible and adaptable to various scientific processes.

For example, in chemistry, iTraX allows teams to track compounds from design through synthesis, including integration with Contract Research Organizations (CROs). It connects seamlessly with design tools, such as LiveDesign from Schrödinger, enabling scientists to bridge design and execution effortlessly.

CRO involvement is standard in both pharma and biotech discovery programs, whether large or small companies, so the platform had to accommodate that external collaboration efficiently.

We also have iTraX modules for analytical chemistry, which streamline test requests. Here’s how it works: once a compound is designed and synthesized, the synthetic chemist needs to confirm that they’ve made the right molecule, checking its identity, purity, and quantity. Traditionally, this involved sending emails or ad hoc requests, such as, “Can you run this NMR test?” Analytical chemists, on the receiving end, often had little visibility into what was coming next, forcing them to react instead of plan.

With iTraX, this process becomes standardized and traceable. The chemist submits a test request directly within the platform, which automatically routes it to the analytical chemistry team’s dashboard. There are no more lost samples, no confusion, and everything follows a uniform submission structure. Analytical teams can now plan proactively, prioritize tasks, and manage workflows efficiently.

Another key area is study management, which brings everyone together on a shared timeline. Teams can see real-time updates, milestones, and progress across departments and locations. That’s the crucial part—real-time visibility.

To give you a sense of scale: one of our major clients ran over 300,000 tasks through iTraX’s scheduling calendar in a single year. This study spanned seven sites, three countries, and involved 400 scientists. Just imagine trying to coordinate that kind of workload using Excel—it would be nearly impossible.

That’s the difference iTraX makes. It acts as the conductor of the scientific orchestra—bringing structure, synchronization, and clarity to what was once just noise.

Pharma Now: While speaking with several large pharmaceutical companies across various regions, I discovered that some of them are already utilising iTraX. That really got me curious,  could you share a story or an example of how R&D teams’ day-to-day lives have changed after adopting iTraX? I understand the scale you mentioned earlier, but I’d love to know how it actually impacts scientists on the ground.

Dr. Paul: That’s a great question, because the real impact of iTraX is felt exactly there, on the ground. Across all our customers, the feedback has been incredibly consistent. They’re reporting clear ROIs; real, measurable time savings that translate directly into full-time equivalent (FTE) efficiencies.

We hear a lot about how iTraX has improved scientists’ day-to-day work, including smoother coordination, reduced manual follow-up, and faster decision-making. But there’s one quote that really stuck with me.

One of our U.S.-based clients told us, “Without iTraX, coordinating medicinal chemistry across our CROs would have been unthinkable.”

It was a short statement, but incredibly powerful. And I think it perfectly captures what we’ve set out to achieve. Because when a scientist says something like that, you know you’ve built more than just a piece of software; you’ve built something that’s become part of the fabric of how modern science gets done.

Pharma Now: What I really like is that it’s not just about features — it’s about the impact iTraX delivers. So why do you think scientists resonate so strongly with iTraX compared to generic tools?

Dr. Paul: That’s a great question. And I think to understand that, you have to step into a scientist’s shoes for a moment.

When you’re at university, doing your master’s or PhD; and you finally get that job offer from a big pharma or biotech company, it feels incredible. You imagine you’ll be spending your days discovering life-changing drugs, doing meaningful science, and contributing to something bigger than yourself. That’s why people enter this field; for the science, not the spreadsheets.

However, the reality is somewhat different. Scientists quickly realize that a lot of their time goes into reporting, chasing updates, building slide decks, and digging through email chains just to stay aligned. And that’s not what excites them about their work.

For me personally, as a computational chemist, I used to wake up thinking about molecules, about tweaking a benzene ring here or adjusting a hydrogen bond there, just to see if it might improve potency. That sense of possibility is what drives us. However, you would then spend hours in meetings or preparing slides, rather than focusing on the science itself.

That’s where iTraX makes a real difference. Scientists love it because it takes away all those pain points. It becomes a single source of truth. Everything is live — data, updates, timelines — and it connects both internal teams and external partners like CROs or even organizations such as Cancer Research UK when working on joint projects.

So instead of spending days preparing for a meeting, teams simply open iTraX, and everything’s there in real-time; project status, lab updates, and priorities. You can even set actions live during the meeting, and everyone leaves knowing exactly what needs to be done. Then they go back to doing what they love — the science.

It eliminates the endless PowerPoint preparation, the duplicated effort, and the static spreadsheets that become stale the moment the meeting ends. Generic tools simply don’t suffice for dynamic R&D environments; they’re not designed to accommodate the way scientists work.

One of our study managers put it perfectly. He told us, “I actually refuse to manage studies without iTraX.”

And that, to me, says it all. It’s not about features; it’s about trust. Scientists trust iTraX because it gives them back their time, their focus, and their connection to the science that inspired them to enter this field in the first place.

Pharma Now: That’s a very different perspective. It’s really amazing to learn about the tool you’ve built. But could you paint a picture of what real-time visibility actually looks like in practice for a pharma R&D team?

Dr. Paul: Absolutely. Let’s face it — the way I see it, everything comes down to one thing: time.

If you ask people what the most precious currency in the world is, they’ll usually say gold, money, or something tangible. But in reality, it’s time. You can spend it, you can waste it — but you can’t create it. The clock keeps ticking, and that’s what makes time such a distinctive and priceless resource.

So, when we talk about real-time visibility in R&D, it’s really about protecting that currency,  making sure scientists aren’t wasting time on tasks that take them away from the science.

With iTraX, teams can see progress as it happens, across labs, across partners, across countries. If an instrument or a scientist is overloaded, you can spot it instantly and reassign tasks to available resources. If someone’s out sick or leaves the organization, handovers are seamless, because the entire context, every experiment, every note, every decision,  is already captured within the system.

That’s crucial because so much scientific knowledge is tacit — it lives in people’s heads. I remember being in a project review meeting at AstraZeneca, where a very experienced scientist suddenly said, “Don’t go near that compound — I spent three years of my life on it, and it never went anywhere.” Now imagine if he hadn’t been in that meeting, that insight would have been lost. With iTraX, that kind of institutional knowledge is preserved. It’s searchable. It stays within the organization.

The same applies when working with CROs. Instead of sending a dozen emails asking, “Where’s that compound?” you can see exactly what they’re working on in real time. You assign a task, they get an alert, complete the work, and update the system. If priorities change, you simply reassign the ticket — no emails, no confusion.

So, when something’s updated in iTraX, you’re immediately notified about what matters most right now — not what mattered last week. That’s the real essence of real-time visibility: dynamic, transparent, and focused on the science that moves projects forward.

Pharma Now:  Absolutely, for pharma, it’s never just about discovering drugs; it’s ultimately about saving lives. We’re talking about human lives here. The COVID-19 pandemic really brought that into focus for all of us. During that time, we witnessed the critical importance of coordinated, rapid, and transparent research efforts in accelerating discovery.

I actually remember speaking with one of the R&D managers from a leading North American biotech company who uses iTraX. He mentioned that the platform helped his team save around $500,000, which is a significant amount. Could you tell us more about that? That must have been a very gratifying piece of feedback for you.

Dr. Paul: Absolutely, and what’s even more impressive is that this came from a small R&D team, not a huge global setup. So, saving half a million dollars at that scale is quite remarkable.

To continue with my orchestra analogy, that’s music to our ears. It perfectly reinforces why we do what we do.

Another example comes to mind; a U.S.-based project manager once told me that iTraX had cut weeks off their reporting cycles. Why? Because for the first time, everyone was looking at the same truth. There was no need for chasing updates, and no fragmented data. They even reduced a lot of their recurring meetings, not because collaboration became less important, but because meetings became more efficient.

That’s really what real-time visibility means: clarity, efficiency, and giving scientists back the one currency they can never get more of —time.

The impact ripples across every layer: Patients get therapies faster. Scientists save time and resources. Organizations save money while improving innovation velocity.

So yes, those kinds of stories,  whether it’s a $500,000 saving or weeks shaved off a timeline — are the true rewards. They show us that we’re not just building software; we’re helping accelerate the science that saves lives.

Pharma Now: What’s fascinating, is that iTraX doesn’t seem to be just about streamlining workflows — it’s also about managing the bigger operational picture within R&D. You’re enabling visibility at a higher level, which, is one of the most critical needs in pharmaceutical research operations today.

Dr. Paul: You’re absolutely right. We often describe iTraX as being built around four key operational pillars.

The first is resources — visualising and managing who’s doing what. That includes understanding which scientist is assigned to which task, what equipment or laboratory is being used, and, importantly, how work is being outsourced. With secure and private data sharing, this also extends to CROs and external partners. It’s all about visibility — knowing exactly who’s handling which part of the process and where the priorities lie.

The second pillar is processes. This is about mapping entire scientific workflows visually so that nothing falls through the cracks. We can identify dependencies, ensure continuity, and automate as much as possible,  which is where the future of R&D is heading. Automation helps optimize both efficiency and scientific precision.

The third pillar is data. Data should be captured centrally, tracked, and easily exportable. Once you have that, you can analyze performance, identify bottlenecks, and make better, data-driven decisions. In R&D, there are countless processes — and while discovery tends to be more fluid, as you move into development, the structure becomes much more rigid. iTraX helps bridge that transition seamlessly.

Finally, the fourth pillar is laboratory operations. With iTraX, teams can monitor activities and equipment status in real time. This capability helps reduce delays, minimize downtime, and keep operations running smoothly across sites and teams.

In essence, iTraX isn’t just about managing workflows — it’s about orchestrating the entire R&D ecosystem efficiently, encompassing people, processes, data, and laboratory operations.

Pharma Now: So, if I summarize it, I think we’re talking about four pillars here — resources, processes, data, and lab operations. That’s wonderful to see it so clearly. So, ITRAX isn’t just supporting the science; it seems to also help pharma leaders run their business inside or alongside R&D more effectively. Is that correct?

Dr. Paul: Absolutely. Science doesn’t happen in a vacuum. There’s a whole business ecosystem around it,  and unless that’s managed well, research slows down. So, everyone in that ecosystem needs to benefit from a tool like ITRAX.

A lot of our customers use ITRAX not only to manage chemistry workflows but also to coordinate across multiple CROs and run their entire lab operations from one place. For them, ITRAX is no longer just a piece of software,  it’s become part of their operating system.

For the bench scientist, it provides clarity,  exactly what they need to do, when, and where. Take that example I mentioned of 300,000 tasks,  that means 300,000 operations being performed by scientists who need to know their specific actions every day. ITRAX gives them that precision.

While they’re doing this, they’re also building a repository of data within ITRAX. That’s where the next level of visibility comes in.

For managers, the system provides real-time insights into program progress, enabling them to keep everything on track. Thanks to dashboards and live data, they don’t have to constantly interrupt scientists to ask for updates, because every time you do that, the scientist stops working.

Then you move up a level to the department heads. They’re not just tracking one project,  they’re overseeing a whole portfolio. They need aggregated data and visibility across programs to make broader operational decisions.

Finally, senior management utilises iTraX to filter this data, generate KPIs in real-time, and identify bottlenecks. Everything in iTraX is timestamped and tagged with metadata, allowing you to easily identify where a process is slowing down. Then you can ask why. Maybe it’s a shortage of instruments or trained personnel. That’s actionable intelligence — you can use it to build a business case: “If you give me this much more resource, I can fix that bottleneck and increase throughput.”

So, information flows from the bench all the way to the boardroom. It helps in resource forecasting, business case development, and overall operational streamlining. In that sense,  iTraX doesn’t just streamline research,  it streamlines the business of R&D itself.

And the more you use it, the more powerful it becomes. Many of our clients now link iTraX with Power BI, creating advanced dashboards that visualise performance metrics — for example, how many in vivo oncology experiments were run in Q1. That kind of real-time visibility just wasn’t possible before.

Now, leaders can see exactly what’s being done, by whom, and when, and that level of transparency supports smarter forecasting, resourcing, and decision-making.

I recall meeting with the Global Head of one of those departments, which runs seven sites across three countries. Over coffee, she told me that for the first time, she had full visibility, and she couldn’t have been happier about it.

Pharma Now: Congratulations. And I completely agree, it’s a world driven by data today. When you have analytics right in front of you, your decisions become faster and far more relevant. I think iTraX truly provides that visibility, and it’s clearly reflected in your customers’ testimonials.

It’s been wonderful learning about what iTraX has achieved and continues to do. Now let’s talk about your vision. Where do you see iTraX in the next five years?

Dr. Paul: I love that question. In fact, I was asked something similar recently,  though that time, it was about the next ten years. I was meeting one of our major pharma clients for a casual catch-up, and he asked me the same thing.

So, instead of answering directly, I told him a story,  one that’s very close to my heart.

In my family, we have four generations connected to what eventually became AstraZeneca. My great-grandfather helped lay the foundations of the old ICI site in North Manchester, a place called Blackley, over 230 years ago. That site evolved over time to become ICI and later AstraZeneca.

My grandfather worked there as a foreman, organizing teams of workers. My father spent 45 years there as an instrument artificer, keeping the plant running. And then there’s me, I became a research scientist, helping design cancer drugs.

So, my entire family’s story has been intertwined with that company. AstraZeneca really looked after us, and we’ve always felt a deep sense of pride and belonging.

You’ve already heard about my passion for creating medicines for patients, but people often ask me: Why did you leave AstraZeneca? The truth is, as a single researcher, whether it’s me or Martin, there’s only so much impact one person can make in a lifetime. Remember that 85% failure rate in drug discovery? That limits how much one scientist can truly change.

However, with iTraX, the scale of impact is significantly greater. We’ve built something that improves efficiency for thousands of scientists. We’re giving them back time — time they can now spend focusing on what truly matters: the science. Multiply that effect across the industry, and the collective benefit far exceeds anything we could have achieved individually as researchers.

So, coming back to your question, the vision for the next five years is simple:

I want iTraX to become the backbone of R&D.

I want it to be the operating system of the pharmaceutical industry — the digital glue that holds everything together.

Because if the goal is to save lives, and that’s where you started this conversation, then our mission is to help scientists do their jobs better, not to hinder them.

During that same client visit, I said something that really sums it up. I told the senior director, “You’re wearing your AstraZeneca badge, and I’m wearing my Elixir badge. Let’s take those off for a moment.” 

Then I said, “Now, we’re just people. You’re not AstraZeneca, and I’m not Elixir. We’re humans. We both have loved ones, and one day, it might be us or someone close to us who needs these medicines.”

That’s why we need to accelerate drug discovery, making it faster, more efficient, and more connected, so that medicines reach patients sooner. And that’s exactly why iTraX exists — and where I want it to be.

Pharma Now: I think that’s such a noble vision.  It’s truly inspiring — because the way iTraX helps save time, money, and improve efficiency, it’s not just about R&D; it’s ultimately about bringing life-saving drugs to the market faster. I’m sure you’ll achieve that vision. All the best for that.

Now, you’ve had quite a journey,  from being a scientist and pharma employee to becoming an entrepreneur leading your own company. You also have this incredible legacy, coming from generations tied to ICI and AstraZeneca. So, I’d love to know: what leadership lessons have you learned along the way that you’d like to share?

Dr. Paul: There are many — but one lesson really stands out.

For me, leadership is about having a vision that others genuinely want to follow. That’s the core of it. It’s not about dictating or controlling; it’s about guiding and inspiring.

I recall attending an event at a high school once, where several high-profile individuals were present, including business leaders and those who had represented England in cricket. The headmistress was interviewing them about leadership,  what it means, and how they define it,  and everyone had their own take.

If I’d been asked that same question, my answer would’ve been simple:

A leader has followers, whereas a dictator has people who comply reluctantly.

That distinction matters deeply. Because as a leader, your job is not to enforce; it’s to inspire people to walk with you toward a shared goal. So, when I think about leadership in the context of building and running a business, especially one like ours at Elixir, I view it as a journey from point A to point B.

You start with a plan,  a route that appears to be the shortest and most efficient path. But in reality, just like on any long road trip, you’re going to hit traffic jams, roadblocks, detours, and unexpected turns. You’ll need to re-route and adapt.

The destination stays the same; but the path may change.

That’s the biggest leadership lesson I’ve learned: you must stay flexible and agile, even if it means changing your original plan. As long as you hold firmly to your vision;  and clearly communicate why you’re adapting, people will come along with you.

It’s all about transparency and trust. When you explain to your team why a change is necessary, what problem it solves, and how it benefits everyone, they understand, they feel valued, and they stay motivated.

Shortcuts are rarely the answer. Leadership is about staying true to your destination, being open to twists and turns, and guiding your people through them.

And yes, you’ll always have some team members who remain fixated on the original plan; that’s natural. Your role as a leader is to guide them forward, help them see the bigger picture, and bring them along on that evolving journey. That, for me, is the essence of leadership.

Pharma Now: Being flexible while keeping your eye firmly on the ultimate goal is crucial. You will always have hurdles along the way, but when you have a clear vision of where you want to go, I’m sure you’ll achieve it. Very well said.

Dr. Paul: You have to keep that in mind, you know. You also need to question whether that destination is still the right one and validate it regularly. But if you truly believe in it, you’ll get there.

Pharma Now: And I think that’s exactly why I love the vision of iTraX you shared — it’s not just about making the world a better place to live, but a healthier place to live. That’s wonderful.

As you know, pharma leaders who listen to Pharma Now are always on the lookout for leadership mantras and wisdom they can apply. So, for those listening; what’s the one key takeaway you’d like them to remember?

Dr. Paul: That’s a great question. I think if there’s one message I’d like to leave with pharma leaders, it’s this: Your science deserves better tools.

With iTraX, we’re giving scientists back the most valuable currency they have — time. Time to focus on experiments. Time to make discoveries. It's time to bring medicines to market faster, ultimately benefiting patients.

So my call to anyone listening is simple: don’t let outdated systems hold your teams back. Invest in giving your scientists the environment they truly deserve. Because one day, it might be you, or someone you love, who’s waiting for those discoveries.

Pharma Now: That’s an amazing and very touching message. Thank you so much for joining us and for sharing your inspiring vision, your leadership journey, and that wonderful takeaway. It’s been such a pleasure speaking with you, and I’m sure our audience will enjoy this conversation as well.

Dr. Paul: I really enjoyed it as well. Thank you very much — it’s been an absolute pleasure.