Robert Johnson

Visionary
DISC Type : Ds

Chief Executive Officer at Kesmalea Therapeutics

London, England, United Kingdom

Overview

Robert Johnson is the CEO of Kesmalea Therapeutics, focusing on developing small molecule protein degraders. He is a seasoned biotech executive with a track record of founding and leading companies, including Adrestia Therapeutics, which he sold to Insmed. Colleagues describe him as professional, creative, tenacious, and an astute negotiator.

Outside of work, Robert is a dedicated runner and fundraiser. He recently completed the London Marathon to raise money and awareness for the Ataxia Telangiectasia Society, a charity supporting children and families affected by a rare and complex genetic condition that causes severe disability.

He ran his first marathon to raise funds for research into Ataxia Telangiectasia, a rare disease his former company was working to treat.

Personality Overview

Goal-Oriented

Objective Evaluator

Early Adopter

They might take some time to make their mind up but once they do, they don't change it easily.  They are very professional in their approach and can weigh multiple perspectives together. Reading between the lines and seeing beyond your words comes naturally to them.

Topics They Care About

Targeted Protein Degradation
As CEO of Kesmalea Therapeutics, he is leading the development of a new class of oral, CNS penetrant targeted protein degraders to solve their inherent "size problem".
Biotech Commercialization
He has a strong background in business development, co-founding Affinia Therapeutics and successfully negotiating the sale of his previous company, Adrestia, to Insmed in 2023.
Rare Disease Advocacy
He is passionate about treating rare genetic disorders, a focus of his work at Adrestia and Insmed, and reinforced by his extensive personal fundraising for Ataxia Telangiectasia.

Media Appearances

Kesmalea Therapeutics Welcomes Robert Johnson as New CEO. Featured in Investors Hangout

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Kesmalea Therapeutics Appoints Robert Johnson as CEO To Lead Development of New Class of Orally Dosed CNS‑Penetrant Protein Degraders. Featured in Kesmalea Therapeutics (official website)

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Work History

11-2024
Chief Executive Officer at Kesmalea Therapeutics
2-2021
Chairman Of The Board at Foothold America
7-2023 - 11-2024
SVP, Site Head - Cambridge at Insmed Incorporated
11-2021 - 7-2023
Chief Executive Officer at Adrestia Therapeutics
10-2020 - 12-2021
Co-Founder & Head, Business Development and Licensing at Affinia Therapeutics

Education

2002 - 2003
Corporate Finance Evening Programme from London Business School
1996 - 1999
BSc Hons from University of Nottingham

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 6 Location : London, England, United Kingdom Job Level : Leadership Designation : Chief Executive Officer at Kesmalea Therapeutics
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Insights For Selling To Robert

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Suggest clear next steps with confidence, don't be vague or hesitant
  • Use phrases like 'your team deserves', 'best in class' etc.
  • Focus on the results that your product produces, expect some strategic questions in return

DONT's

  • Don't get into pricing discussions early on, steer conversation towards proven results
  • Avoid putting conscious effort into relationship-building
  • Don't shy away from asking hard questions, but be extra polite

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Robert is

  • Strong proof of impact and their conviction will matter the most, but they wouldn't want to act unilaterally either
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Robert

  • They will say no if they are not convinced but you will have to prompt them.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Robert move?

  • They will want to understand things well but can move fast once they have a clear picture.
  • Can Robert take some risk or not?

  • They have good risk tolerance but are likely to think it through once or twice.

You And Robert

Personality Compatibility


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