In this episode of Elevate: Women Leading the Way in Pharma Outsourcing, host Marianne Gissane speaks with Christiane Bardroff, Chief Operating Officer at Rentschler Biopharma, about leading with purpose, navigating complexity, and building inclusive, high-performing teams in the biopharma industry.

Christiane shares her career journey from working hands-on on the shop floor to the C-suite, reflecting on the mentors, turning points, and leadership lessons that shaped her path. Drawing on her experience leading large-scale digital transformation, manufacturing innovation, and cultural change, she offers candid insights into what it takes to lead authentically in a highly complex, regulated environment.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

What it takes to transition from managing projects to shaping organisations
How to lead innovation and digital transformation by bringing people along the journey
Why diversity, collaboration, and trust are critical drivers of performance
The leadership lessons learned from building and scaling large biotech operations
How women can advocate for themselves and claim a seat at the table
Why purpose, empathy, and authenticity matter at every level of leadership

“Diverse teams don’t just feel better, they perform better.”— Christiane Bardroff, COO, Rentschler Biopharma

Christiane Bardroff is Chief Operating Officer at Rentschler Biopharma, where she leads global clinical and commercial manufacturing, engineering, and technology operations. With a background spanning hands-on operations, large-scale capital projects, and digital transformation, she brings a unique systems-level perspective to leadership.

A passionate advocate for inclusive leadership, Christiane previously co-founded Teva’s global Women’s Network, championing representation, mentorship, and cultural change across the organisation. Today, she is recognised for combining operational excellence with people-centred leadership to drive sustainable growth in the biopharma industry.