Episode 3 | An IPO Is Just The Beginning - The Real Fight Starts When You Go Public

Описание: Willing To Win: Biotech Leaders Against All Odds
Episode 3
An IPO Is Just the Beginning | What No One Tells You About Running a Public Company

In this episode of Willing To Win, Christian Rados sits down with Oliver Schacht to unpack a truth most founders only discover the hard way:

The IPO is not the victory.
It is the moment the real pressure begins.

Oliver Schacht is a PhD-trained molecular biologist turned biotech CEO who has led companies through the intensity of public markets in Europe and the United States. He has raised capital across borders, navigated regulatory storms, faced investor scrutiny, and operated under the full transparency of listed companies.

But this conversation is not about ringing the bell.

It begins with a sentence that changes the tone immediately:

“I had to cancel my honeymoon for the IPO.”

Not said with pride.
Said with clarity.

Because markets do not reward milestones.
They reward performance. Every quarter. Every signal. Every word.

Oliver speaks openly about what happens after the headlines fade. The volatility. The scrutiny. The loneliness. The weight of knowing that a single sentence can move markets.

This episode explores what leadership demands when you operate in full visibility. When market cycles turn against you. When uncertainty becomes constant and conviction becomes your anchor.

Rather than focusing on deal mechanics, this conversation goes deeper. Into the mindset required to endure public pressure. Into the discipline of staying calm when stock prices swing. Into the resilience required to carry thousands of shareholders while protecting your team.

Topics discussed include:

Why an IPO marks the start of the hardest chapter
The psychological shift from private founder to public CEO
The difference between European and U.S. capital markets
Leading when every word has consequences
The loneliness of accountability at scale
What it takes to stay in the game when markets turn hostile

Willing To Win is about biotech leadership when the odds are real. It is about decisions made without certainty, responsibility carried without applause, and the conviction required to move forward when the stakes are public.

Episode 3 guest
Oliver Schacht

Oliver Schacht is a biotech executive and former public company CEO with deep experience across science, capital markets, and executive leadership. He has co-founded and led publicly traded life science companies, executed IPOs, raised significant international financing, and operated at the intersection of innovation and investor scrutiny. Today, he serves as CEO of Life Science Nord. His career reflects what it truly means to lead under pressure, where ambition meets accountability and resilience defines survival.