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Ever Wondered How to Chair
a Session at BIO?
By Cori Gorman, PhD,
MBA, DNA Gateway International, LLP / DNA Bridges®, Inc.
One of the several types of
events that take place at the BIO conferences
are breakout sessions (http://www.bio.org/events/2006/speakers/sessions).
The BIO 2006 conference in Chicago will feature
24 such sessions, covering a variety of topics
such as Biodefense, Business Development, Doing
Business Globally, Emerging Markets, Food and
Agriculture and Manufacturing.
 Chairing
or organizing a breakout session can be a
tremendous opportunity to highlight your company
and executive leadership. But how do you develop
a successful panel session proposal? DNA Bridges®, Inc. has run four breakout sessions at
the past two BIO conferences, and has extensive
experience developing these proposals. Here are
some tips we've learned along the way.
- START PLANNING NOW: Even
though BIO 2007 seems so far away, session
proposals will likely be due this summer, so
use this year's conferences to plan a session
with your colleagues from across the country,
world and Boston, site of BIO 2007. Watch
www.bio.org
for the timetable for proposal submissions.
- Make the topic timely: In
2004 the public markets were down and there
were very few opportunities for public
offerings. Dr. Eileen Gorman of DNA Bridges,
chaired a session that addressed the best time
to take a company public. When Is the Time
Right for an IPO?
www.bio.org/events/2004/speaker/sessionlist.asp?id=13
- Partner with well known
organizations: This enhances the credibility
of your session, expands its appeal and helps
drive attendance. For the session described
above, DNA Bridges invited Burrill and Company
to participate. Stephen Sammut of Burrill
spoke at and co-chaired the session.
- Make your session
international: In 2004, Biodefense was a major
source of funding in many vaccine and
therapeutic areas. Monies from the US federal
government were being spent in the US as well
as internationally. Dr. Eileen Gorman chaired
a session titled Biodefense: Making It Work as
Part of Business Strategy. Dr. Cori Gorman and
Peter Wulff, President & CEO, Bavarian Nordic
A/S were featured speakers.
www.bio.org/events/2004/speaker/sessionlist.asp?id=1
- Geography plays a role in
selection: Each year BIO uses local members of
the biotech and pharmaceutical industry to
assist with the development of its
conferences. BIO also gives preference to
session proposals that include speakers from
the “local” region. BIO 2007 will be held in
Boston. Ask your colleagues, clients or
partners in Boston to take part in a panel
discussion.
www.bio.org/events
- Make your session diverse:
I've already mentioned the importance of
geographic diversity in your panel proposal.
You should also include speakers who will
present different points of view. For the 2005
panel, Creative Funding Options— Think Outside
the Box, the perspectives of CEOs,
consultants, investors, and business
development were all included.
www.burrillandco.com/thoughtleaders/wt/page/tl_bio
- Take a different approach:
With all that is happening at the various BIO
conferences and forums, your session will be
competing with many concurrent events. Take an
interactive or otherwise different approach to
help ensure your session is well attended. In
Philadelphia (June 2005), DNA Bridges held a
session called The Dance at Closing—A Mock
Negotiation, which featured a unique format.
We conducted this session as a play with
stakeholders role-playing their parts for the
audience. Each point and counter point between
stakeholders, a technology transfer official,
the CEO, a venture capitalist and an angel
investor, were clear to the audience. Drs.
Cori Gorman and Eileen Gorman co-chaired this
session.
www.bio.org/events/2005/speaker/sessionlist.asp?id=11
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