Yuyu Chen: Advancing biotech with AI and clinical leadership

What led you to choose the Cambridge MBA?

It actually started with a vlog. I was watching a Cambridge student share their day, walking through the Colleges, working on a startup idea, grabbing coffee with classmates. That kind of energy stayed with me. Later, I visited the campus myself and the feeling deepened. Cambridge isn’t just about tradition, it’s more like where people from different backgrounds come together to build, test and challenge ideas. I loved that.

The startup-friendly environment, the global network and the sense of possibility really spoke to me. More importantly, the MBA came at the right time. It’s a crucial step for me to move into senior leadership and start creating impact at scale. 

What has been your biggest career accomplishment so far?

My proudest accomplishment was leading the FDA inspection for Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro obesity trial, now one of the company’s star products. The approval not only brought an important new therapy to patients but also drove a 12% rise in the company’s stock. It was a huge task with 5 years of data to prepare under a tight post-holiday deadline. I brought together colleagues from Regulatory Affairs, Quality and Operations, set up fast communication channels and organised a mock inspection to catch issues early. The inspection passed with no major findings and the experience taught me what it takes to lead under pressure, align diverse teams, keep everyone focused and deliver results that create both business value and patient impact. 

How do you feel about receiving your scholarship?

The scholarship is fuel for my wildest ideas. It gives me the confidence to think bigger, bolder and do work that truly matters. Maybe someday, I can start a scholarship of my own, to support dreamers like me. 

What do you hope to gain from the MBA over the next year?

I want to build a stronger financial lens and sharpen the business judgement I need for senior leadership. I also want to stress-test my creative ideas, drop the ones that don’t work and scale the ones that do. Over the year, I hope to practise pitching, leading diverse teams and turning concepts into practical outcomes, so that I can move from being an innovator inside pharma to someone ready to drive impact at a regional or even global level.

Where do you see the MBA taking you in your future career?

Either stepping into a senior leadership role in pharma or starting my own healthcare venture, both paths where I can scale innovation and bring treatments to patients faster.

What does Cambridge mean to you?

For me, Cambridge is both a challenge and an opening. On one hand, it puts me in an environment where I need to learn fast, adjust quickly and sometimes pivot when things do not go as planned. I know it will push me out of my comfort zone and test how I lead and collaborate with people who think very differently from me. On the other hand, Cambridge is also a door to opportunities I never had before. Coming from Taiwan and spending my career in pharma, I always felt my world was very specialised. At Cambridge, I get to step into a much bigger stage, with resources, networks and perspectives that connect science, business and entrepreneurship. So, to me, it’s more like the place where I can stretch myself, explore new possibilities and grow into the kind of leader who can make an impact on both business and patients’ lives.

Something few people know about you…

People who know me often describe me as very creative. But what they don’t see is that much of my creativity actually comes from laziness. I hate repetitive or inefficient tasks, so I look for shortcuts or smarter ways to get things done. It forces me to step outside the traditional approach, use whatever resources I have at hand and find new ways forward. Strangely enough, those lazy solutions often turn into fresh and practical ideas.