Industry Ignited Podcast · 2026-01-07 · 42 min
In this episode of Industry Ignited , host Dr. Leeanne Aguilar interviews Robert Poe, President and CEO of Olon USA , about what it takes to move a fragile lab concept into a real-world, life-changing medicine - at scale, safely, and with quality. Robert shares his unconventional leadership journey (from combat medic and lab maintenance to CEO), the power of mentors who allow people to learn through failure, and why decisive leadership beats “paralysis by analysis” in high-stakes environments. He demystifies Olon USA’s role in pharmaceutical development - helping clients develop and manufacture the API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) and scale programs from early-stage molecules through clinical phases and commercialization - while highlighting the brutal reality of drug development’s high failure rate and the importance of resilience, partnership, and scientific rigor. Great pharma manufacturing leadership is people-centered and mission-driven - building trust, closing feedback loops, and acting as a true problem-solving partner so promising therapies can reach patients and strengthen the U.S. drug supply chain.
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