Chris Cozic isn’t a scientist or a physician. He’s a people person — and he believes that gives him a unique perspective as he steps into his new role as chair of BioNJ.
Cozic — the chief people officer at Genmab — feels he sits at the crossroads of the industry’s two most important communities: Those who invent the medicines and the people who benefit from them.
“I’ve spent my career building leading and developing global and local teams,” he told an overflow crowd last week at BioNJ’s Innovation Celebration, after a passing-the-baton moment.
“Being the HR guy has given me a unique lens on our industry, beyond science and innovation. It’s shown me that people, humanity and deep passion make a difference for patients and caregivers. Behind every breakthrough is a person, behind every clinical milestone, is a team.”
Cozic emphasized that human resources in biopharma is far from a back-office function — it’s a part of the decisions that move science from discovery to delivery, he said.
“My role has placed me at the center of scientific, regulatory, clinical and operational decision-making, giving a clear view of how discoveries become medicines,” he said. “It’s a perspective shaped by teams, capabilities and culture, and it’s the balance I hope to bring as chair – a deep belief in people pair with broad understanding of the industry we serve.”
Cozic said his commitment is both professional and deeply personal.
“My wife is among many of the cancer survivors who have benefited from medicines born from the science that fuels this industry,” he said. “I’m forever grateful.”
In the true spirit of HR, Cozic said talent — developing it, retaining it and attracting more of it — is at the top of his agenda.
“As chair of BioNJ, I’m committed to supporting New Jersey’s leadership by strengthening the workforce,” he said. “Investing in education, training and career development across all career stages is critical to retaining R and D and manufacturing jobs and ensuring long term competitiveness.”
Cozic offered other policy priorities he intends to focus on.
“We look forward to working with policymakers to advance affordability, strengthen the STEM workforce, improve regulatory efficiency and ensure New Jersey remains a top destination for scientific talent,” he said.
Cozic succeeds outgoing chair Dr. Emer Leahy, the CEO of PsychoGenics.
BioNJ CEO Debbie Hart praised Leahy for leading the organization through one of the most difficult two-year stretches in recent memory.
“Challenging doesn’t quite capture it,” Leahy said. “We faced complex regulatory hurdles and economic headwinds, pressures that have tested the foundations of our smallest startups to our largest anchors.”
She also mentioned the people of the industry.
“As I look around this room, I see the faces of resilience, because we all know that the best innovations are often born in the toughest of times,” she said. “The hallmark of our New Jersey ecosystem is that we don’t just endure, we evolve.
“We didn’t let the noise of the markets or the headlines distract us from our ‘Why.’”
Their ‘Why,’ Leahy reminded the audience, is the simple and powerful motto of the organization: Patients can’t wait.
“Our goal remains steadfast, transforming the lives of patients and finally, striking the word incurable from our vocabulary,” she said. “We aren’t just a sector of the economy. We are architects of hope.
“Because at the end of the day, for the families waiting for a breakthrough, time is the only currency that truly matters.”
BioNJ is the loudest voice for those families, Leahy said.
“By elevating patient voices, we’ve shifted the focus from the cost of medicine to the value of a life lived, the birthday celebrated, the graduations attended and the years of health preserved because of the work done in your labs,” she said.
Cozic applauded Leahy for that leadership — and for the personal passion she brought to the role.
It’s all about people, he stressed.
“You’re a tough act to follow,” he said. “You’re a rock and an unwavering advocate of the transformative power of our industry. This potential only comes to life through people, our human experience, and through the work of the highly educated, skilled and talented teams concentrated in the state whose diversity and dedication make us stronger than any of us could be alone.”
