History and Team
“I have found the BSRT team very helpful, concise and knowledgeable in providing insights to allow me to have a head-start in defining my sustainability strategy as the CSO.”
History and Team
The Biopharma Sustainability Roundtable (BSRT) launched together with the initial SASB (now ISSB) standards for Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals in 2013. For the first time, biopharma had a sector-focused sustainability forum.
With encouragement from the original participants, Sandor Schoichet and Thomas Scheiwiller decided to repeat the program as an annual peer-to-peer discussion on sustainability-related trends, challenges, and best practices. In 2015, the Biopharma Sustainability Roundtable expanded to include an ongoing Investor Dialog aimed at improving sustainability communications with the capital markets.
Every year, we deliver a participant-driven program of online and in-person events, group initiatives, and bespoke advisory services. Today, the Biopharma Sustainability Roundtable (BSRT) includes most large biotech and pharma companies globally as well as a range of mid-scale biopharmas. BSRT is recognized as the leading independent biopharma sustainability forum within the sector, and for connecting with its key stakeholders.
All BSRT team members also work as independent sustainability and strategy advisors both within and outside the biopharma sector.
Team Members
Sandor Schoichet
Co-Founder and Partner
Sandor co-founded the Biopharma Sustainability Roundtable in 2013. Over the past decade, he has worked as an independent advisor to early-stage life sciences and agbio companies. He also facilitates a Life Sciences CEO Roundtable and related events with an executive leadership organization.
Prior to that, Sandor held senior consulting roles with both global and boutique advisory firms, leading strategic operations and implementation projects for a range of multinational biopharma and life science companies. His earlier career included IT leadership roles in the biotech and technology sectors, serving as Director of Information Sciences for Medical Affairs at a major biopharmaceutical company and as CIO for a bioinformatics start-up.
He has also contributed to the innovation ecosystem by organizing industry programs and mentoring graduate entrepreneurs.
Sandor holds degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT, where he focused on artificial intelligence, process reengineering, and innovation management. He also earned undergraduate degrees in Information Science and Philosophy from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Thomas Scheiwiller
Co-Founder and Partner
Thomas co-founded the Biopharma Sustainability Roundtable in 2013. For the past 12 years, he has worked as an independent Advisor and Board member, for example as ad interim Head of Sustainability and member of Sustainability Committees in large multinational businesses, both listed and family owned.
Prior to that, Thomas was almost 20 years with one of the Big4 Firms, where he served as the global head of their Sustainability Practice for several years.
He is internationally recognized for his expertise in Sustainability, Integrity, Governance, and Compliance. He advises members of the Board of Directors, Senior Executives, and functional leaders in various sectors. Thomas has also worked as a strategic Advisor for several global Consulting businesses.
Thomas has earned a Master and a PhD in Physics from the Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich.
He is able to work in English, German, French, and Italian.
Myrto Kontaxi
Partner
Myrto is an independent advisor to companies and organizations on Sustainability strategy, reporting, and communications. She has extensive experience working with member-led business organizations focused on advancing Sustainability.
Prior to that, she held leadership roles in Sustainability and Communications at a global mining and minerals company, where she led the development of award-winning sustainability reporting and impactful relevant programs for a decade. Earlier in her career, Myrto founded and led the Sustainability services at one of the Big4 Firms in Greece, playing a key role in establishing the practice in this market.
Myrto earned an MBA from the Athens University of Economics and Business (Greece), an MSc in Environmental, Science, Policy, and Planning from the University of Bath (UK), and a BSc in Chemistry from the National Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece). She is fluent in English and Greek and has a working proficiency in German.