Vanessa Johnen (2009)

Focused on driving innovation and measurable impact in healthcare, my work centres on translating scientific excellence into outcomes that matter. I believe that progress - for organisations as well as for individuals - is enabled by strategic focus, cross-stakeholder collaboration and personal leadership and accountability. 

I currently serve as Chief Program Officer and member of the executive management of the Helmut Horten Foundation, where I co-lead grant-making strategy and programme development and the ongoing scaling of the foundation’s healthcare and medical research portfolio. 

My perspective is shaped by three core experiences: 

• Scientific rigour, grounded in training as a medical scientist (MSc in Molecular Medicine, University of Erlangen–Nuremberg; PhD in Neuroscience, University of Oxford) 

• System and strategy insight, developed through advising senior leadership in the pharmaceutical industry whilst working for a leading strategy consultancy 

• Executive judgement, strengthened through scaling organisations and making decisions under uncertainty  

I am married to a partner with an equally demanding career and a parent to two children. I enjoy yacht sailing - from competitive racing to ocean cruising.  

My mentoring approach focuses on working with strengths and values, defining goals and action plans, encouraging reflection and conducting accountability check-ins, while also sharing industry-specific insights and advice to support career development.