I’m Julien Willard, a physician-economist who advises biopharma C-suites on strategy, operations, capital, and cross-border deals.
For nearly 15 years, I have advised senior leadership in life sciences – at the World Bank, Oxfam, IBM Life Sciences, and Accenture Strategy. In every role, the work has been the same: helping biopharma executives make consequential decisions on capital allocation, M&A, restructuring, technology strategy, and market access.
My background is an unusual mix. I trained as a physician in Moscow, then in health economics at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine as a Melinda Gates Scholar, and I have advised at the level of national economic policy. Most of my work now is closer to the operating problems companies actually face: raising and allocating capital, structuring transactions and partnerships across borders, and building the operating discipline that turns funded strategy into working companies. Good science fails without good strategy. I work to close that gap. I live in San Diego.
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By the numbers
$35B+
In biopharma transactions personally led or advised – buy-side, sell-side, and integration
$1B
Restructuring led end to end – P&L, workforce, and operating model
$130M
HIV vaccine program managed end to end across research, funding, and delivery partners
$10B+
Capital allocation decisions supported with board-ready materials
Experience
- 2025 –
BioPalace
Fractional Head of Research and Investments
- 2022 – 25
IBM Life Sciences
Partner, Head of Corporate Strategy
- 2019 – 22
Accenture Strategy
Head of Corporate Strategy – North America Biotech
- 2015 – 17
The White House
Council of Economic Advisers, Special Economic Adviser – International Biotech and Pharmaceuticals
- 2007 – 18
World Bank, Oxfam GB (Diplomatic Service)
Economist, Deals and International Investments, Life Sciences
Areas of work
Strategic Transactions
Buy-side and sell-side advisory across $35 billion in biopharma deals. Integration planning, regulatory clearance, board materials, and shareholder defense.
Fundraising and Business Development
Capital raise and business development for biotech and life sciences. Investor materials, partnership structuring, and deal sourcing across early- and growth-stage companies.
Operations and Restructuring
End-to-end restructuring – realigning P&L, workforce, and operating models. Resource allocation frameworks for C-suite decision-making.
Cross-Border Ventures and Licensing
Cross-border ventures, partnerships, capital, and licensing deals. Extensive experience across the Middle East, China, and Japan.
References
Julien helped to build our R&D roadmap and market analysis across teams on two continents, ready to be presented to our board. You do not need to manage him.
He possesses two critical traits: non-intuitive thinking and skill in high-pressure negotiations. He is a very confident and ruthless operator.
Dr. Willard is uncompromising in his strategic focus. He is rare, a physician who understands both the science and the boardroom.
Julien is a perfectionist. He is no yes-man; expect pushback, grounded in data and research.
One of the few advisors I have worked with who connects global supply chain, corporate strategy, and digital into a single point of view. He earns the room.
He is able to range in his thinking from high-level systems analysis and business planning to very specific implementation challenges.
I work with biopharma leadership ready to move – on transactions, on growth, on the hard operational decisions that separate companies that scale from those that stall. If you need a strategist and operator, I would welcome a conversation.