The Talent Lab EP 10 - "The Science Executive" — Dr. Kevin Bacon on Building with Discipline

What does it actually take to build a drug program that survives?In Episode 10, Brad and Marina sit down with Dr. Kevin Bacon — pharmacologist, startup founder, and 35-year veteran of drug discovery and clinical development. Kevin has built programs in respiratory disease and vaccines, led cross-functional teams across the US, Europe, and Japan, and helped companies find their path from early-stage asset to exit.In this conversation, Kevin unpacks what he calls the science executive mindset: why the science behind the molecule is the make-or-break variable that investors and boards often ignore until it's too late. He also talks about the financing pressures reshaping biotech right now, why so many job descriptions are setting companies up to fail, and where AI genuinely helps — and where humans still have to be in the room.In this episode:→ Why Kevin calls himself a science executive — not a biotech executive→ The real reason biotech programs fall apart in clinical development→ The 2023–2024 bust: what actually caused it→ AI in drug discovery: where it adds value and where it doesn't→ Why biotech job descriptions have become unrealistic — and what to do instead→ What global leadership taught Kevin about people being the cornerstone of this industry