Michael Eckstut is a seasoned business leader with over 30 years of experience in the life sciences and life sciences services industries. He has a deep expertise in drug discovery and development, regulatory strategy, and operational excellence, combined with a strong background in business consulting, technology, and strategy development. Throughout his career, Michael has demonstrated a unique ability to guide companies through critical stages of growth, transformation, and strategic planning, helping them optimize clinical development programs and navigate the complexities of the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device sectors.
Michael’s most recent full-time role was with Certara, a global leader in drug development modeling and simulation. He spent eight years at Certara in executive leadership leadership positions. He played a key role in expanding Certara’s software and service offerings to help biopharma companies navigate the complexities of drug development, regulatory submissions, and market access. Specifically, he led Certara’s Pharmacometrics Software business, overseeing the development and deployment of software tools that are utilized by over 1,500 organizations worldwide. Certara’s biosimulation tools and services help biopharmaceutical companies and regulatory agencies make informed, data-driven decisions that improve the efficiency and predictability of drug development. Michael increased the software’s earnings by 40% during his tenure. Michael also headed Integrated Drug Development, Certara’s pharmacometrics consulting business, which grew to be the largest biosimulation and regulatory strategy consulting firm in the industry, through performance improvement and M&A. In his last role, he served as the Senior Vice President, Commercial and Products for the Regulatory and Market Access business unit
Before joining Certara, Michael held leadership roles at several prominent consulting firms in the life sciences and consulting industries, A.T. Kearney and The Hackett Group. Currently, as the Managing Principal of MKE Bioservices, he provides strategic guidance to early-stage biopharma services companies, focusing on optimizing clinical, drug development and senior level business strategy, and organizational development.
Throughout his career, Michael has worked with top executives in the Life Sciences industry, advising on complex challenges in clinical operations, regulatory strategy, market access, and commercialization. He has also gained extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, having worked with investors to evaluate and optimize clinical development programs for biopharma and medtech companies. His broad expertise spans a variety of functional areas, including supply chain management, product development, sourcing, and procurement, which allows him to deliver comprehensive solutions to his clients.
In addition to his leadership roles in business, Michael has a rich history of volunteerism and board-level contributions. He served as a member of the Steering Committee for HBSA/NC Community Partners, which provides pro-bono consulting services to non-profit organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area. Michael has also been active in the Keiretsu Forum, an early-stage investment group focused on healthcare and life sciences, where he helped pre-screen investment opportunities and supported entrepreneurs in their growth efforts.
Michael’s educational background includes an MBA from Harvard University, where he graduated as a Baker Scholar, as well as a BS and MS in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he graduated cum laude. His academic and professional journey has been defined by a commitment to advancing the life sciences industry through innovative solutions, strategic leadership, and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing companies in this space.
Today, Michael serves as a Senior Advisor at InSilicoTrials, where he brings his extensive experience in business development, mergers and acquisitions, and clinical development strategy to help organizations optimize their drug development programs. He is eager to connect with senior executives in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device sectors, as well as investors interested in assessing and valuing clinical development opportunities.
Character:
Michael Eckstut is a highly experienced and respected leader in the life sciences industry, known for his integrity, commitment to innovation, and dedication to delivering value to clients and organizations.
Knowledge:
With over 30 years of expertise, Michael possesses deep technical, market and strategic knowledge across drug discovery, clinical development, regulatory strategy, and operational excellence in the biopharma and medtech sectors.
Strategic:
He has a proven ability to craft and execute impactful strategies that optimize clinical development, drive business growth, and enhance regulatory success for both established companies and startups.
Organization and Team Building:
He has successfully built high-performance teams in multiple companies through strong and transparent communications, building strong consensus around goals and objectives and ensuring that key employees are positioned for success.
Communication:
Michael excels in building relationships and communicating complex strategies clearly, engaging with senior executives, investors, and clients to foster collaboration and achieve shared business goals.
