Nik Gantchev - Senior Interim Executive

Q: Where is Nik based?

Nik is based in Kilchberg, Switzerland and can operate in on-site , hybrid , and remote work models.

Q: What languages does Nik speak?

Nik speaks the following languages: English (Native), French (Advanced), Dutch (Advanced), German (Intermediate) .

Q: How many years of experience does Nik have?

Nik has at least 30 years of experience. During this time, Nik has worked in at least 8 different roles and for 7 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 4 years and 9 months . Note that Nik may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Nik's latest experience?

Nik's most recent position is Executive Interim & Transformation Partner at Audoban & Co. GmbH .

Q: What companies has Nik worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Nik has worked for Audoban & Co. GmbH and Johnson & Johnson .

Q: Which industries is Nik most experienced in?

Nik is most experienced in industries like Pharmaceutical , Healthcare , and Biotechnology . Nik also has some experience in Professional Services .

Q: Which business areas is Nik most experienced in?

Nik is most experienced in business areas like Strategy and Planning , Marketing , and Operations . Nik also has some experience in Sales , Procurement and Purchasing , and Project Management .

Q: Which industries has Nik worked in recently?

Nik has recently worked in industries like Healthcare , Pharmaceutical , and Professional Services .

Q: Which business areas has Nik worked in recently?

Nik has recently worked in business areas like Strategy and Planning , Marketing , and Sales .

Recommended expert

Kilchberg, Switzerland

Experience

Jan 2024 - Present

2 years 2 months

Basel, Switzerland

Executive Interim & Transformation Partner

Audoban & Co. GmbH

Stepped into a senior interim mandate with hands-on accountability for a complex business model transformation, taking ownership of execution, operating decisions, and delivery within a highly regulated and complex regional environment.
Led market access, launch, and go-to-market transformation work, aligning commercial, operational, and governance structures to support entry into new markets under time and regulatory pressure.
Supported post-merger integration as well as divestiture shaping assignments, working hands-on with executive teams to align operating realities, decision rights, and accountability with transaction intent.
Took interim ownership of critical transformation and integration programs, resetting priorities, sequencing, and leadership expectations where delivery risk or organizational friction had emerged.
Acted as a trusted interim partner to CEOs and senior leaders during periods of structural change, providing clear judgement, hands-on leadership, and execution discipline.

Jan 2018 - Dec 2024

7 years

Zug, Switzerland

VP, Global Strategy & Governance

Johnson & Johnson

Served as Interim Global VP of Pricing (2022–2023), stepping into a critical leadership gap and taking full accountability for global pricing governance, revenue optimization, and decision discipline, delivering $400M+ in incremental enterprise value.
Served as Interim VP, U.S. Transformation Office and Commercial Excellence (2023–2024), leading the restructuring and integration of Account Management, Sales Force Effectiveness, Commercial Operations, and Deal Desk functions into a unified performance and governance model.
Took ownership of global and regional launch governance for the innovation portfolio, defining country sequencing, pricing guardrails, tender strategy, and contracting approaches under regulatory and competitive pressure.
Mandated to work alongside enterprise and regional leadership to define growth strategy, portfolio priorities, and commercial models, with direct exposure to corporate development decisions, lifecycle trade-offs, and investment governance.
Established and stabilized global market access and pricing governance, aligning evidence, access, commercial, and financial performance across regions, and restoring consistency and accountability in decision making.
Stepped in to shape and lead the COVID Crisis Management Office, establishing real-time intelligence, escalation, and decision support to manage pandemic impact across the enterprise.
Led multi-cycle transformation initiatives balancing centralization with regional accountability, strengthening P&L ownership, execution discipline, and leadership alignment across global, regional, and local teams.

Jan 2014 - Dec 2018

5 years

New York, United States

AVP Global Business Transformation Program Office

Johnson & Johnson

Took enterprise-level accountability for a USD 2B global transformation program targeting USD 1B+ in sustainable savings, directing 130+ workstreams and 350+ resources across functions and regions and delivered the program on time, on budget, and on target.
Established and ran the Global Transformation PMO within the Office of Strategy & Business Transformation, creating the governance, performance management, and escalation mechanisms required to control delivery at enterprise scale.
Acted as a senior transformation lead across major post-merger integrations including Pfizer Consumer Health, Actelion, Synthes, and Auris Health, ensuring alignment between transaction intent, synergy delivery, and operational execution.
Served on the Shared Services and Operational Excellence Leadership Team, contributing to restructuring decisions and translating transformation insight into scalable efficiency and operating improvements.
Owned enterprise-wide transformation priorities spanning commercial, pricing, access, and operational functions, ensuring sustained delivery discipline beyond the initial program lifecycle.

Jan 2009 - Dec 2015

7 years

Brussels, Belgium

Executive Director, Marketing, Market Access & Portfolio Strategy

Janssen Cilag

Held senior regional leadership responsibility across portfolio strategy, marketing, and market access, with direct accountability for delivery, launch outcomes, and investment prioritization across EMEA.
Led integrated portfolio and launch strategy across Immunology, Oncology, CVM, and Rare Diseases, aligning strategic priorities, resourcing, and execution across regional and affiliate organizations.
Took ownership of building Market Access into a core strategic capability, establishing early governance for pricing, payer engagement, and access planning, and embedding cross-functional launch readiness with country teams.
Served on the core EMEA launch leadership team for Stelara, shaping go-to-market, pricing, and stakeholder engagement approaches that enabled rapid reimbursement and sustained uptake across diverse healthcare systems.
Led the commercial integration of Actelion’s rare disease portfolio into Janssen, aligning operating models, governance, and ways of working across commercial, medical, and operational functions during a high-visibility integration phase.

Jan 2006 - Dec 2008

3 years

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Senior Client Engagement Director – Life Sciences

Vintura Consulting

Led senior client engagements across pharmaceutical, MedTech, and healthcare system clients, taking responsibility for delivery, stakeholder alignment, and execution across market access, value strategy, procurement, and organizational performance topics.
Took a leading role in developing and delivering early market access and value strategy work, translating evolving payer expectations and evidence requirements into practical operating and governance changes for clients.
Worked hands-on with hospital networks and provider systems on governance and value-based healthcare initiatives, redesigning tender processes and aligning incentives across stakeholder groups.
Directed cross-functional transformation and capability acceleration programs across portfolio, pricing, and procurement functions, supporting improved payer alignment and funding approaches.
Supported M&A integration and post-acquisition optimization assignments, contributing to synergy delivery, capability transfer, and organizational stabilization during periods of structural change.

Jan 2002 - Dec 2005

4 years

Lucerne, Switzerland

Director, Commercial Operations & Strategic Partnerships

Amgen

Joined Amgen during its European expansion, taking responsibility for establishing the commercial backbone for its first Oncology and Hematology launches and leading external marketing, education, and partnership programs.

Jan 1999 - Dec 2001

3 years

Paris, France

Senior Manager, R&D Strategy & Partnerships

Bristol Myers Squibb

Supported BMS’s transition toward externalized R&D by designing governance and performance frameworks for CRO alliances, strengthening accountability, value delivery, and strategic collaboration.

Jan 1996 - Dec 1998

3 years

London, United Kingdom

Technology Solutions Architect, Life Sciences Industry

FreeMarkets

Pioneered digital sourcing and reverse-auction solutions for Life Sciences, architecting first-of-its-kind e-platforms enabling real-time, data-driven negotiations and contract decisions and deeper insight into market competitiveness.

Industries Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time. Longer bars indicate deeper hands-on experience, while shorter ones reflect targeted or project-based work.

Experienced in Pharmaceutical (25 years), Healthcare (19 years), Biotechnology (4 years), and Professional Services (2 years).

Pharmaceutical

Healthcare

Biotechnology

Professional Services

Business Areas Experience

The graph below provides a cumulative view of the freelancer's experience across multiple business areas, calculated from completed and active engagements. It highlights the areas where the freelancer has most frequently contributed to planning, execution, and delivery of business outcomes.

Experienced in Strategy (23 years), Marketing (18 years), Operations (14 years), Sales (7 years), Procurement (6 years), and Project Management (5 years).

Strategy

Marketing

Operations

Sales

Procurement

Project Management

Summary

Senior interim executive with 25+ years of leadership experience across Life Sciences, MedTech, Digital Health as well as FinTech specializing in enterprise transformation, post-merger integration, senior leadership transitions, and stabilizing delivery in complex organizations.

Proven ability to step into complex, time-critical situations, establish control, align leadership teams, clarify decision rights, and deliver outcomes under board-level scrutiny. Experienced working in environments marked by ambiguity, competing priorities, and high external pressure.

Combines deep corporate leadership experience with hands-on interim mandates, taking full accountability for stabilization and delivery in high-pressure environments.

Languages

English

Native

French

Advanced

Dutch

Advanced

German

Intermediate

Education

Oct 1998 - Jun 1999

Boston University

MBA · Business Administration & Management · Belgium

Oct 1994 - Jun 1996

Cornell University

MS · Architecture & Engineering · United States

Certifications & licenses

Mastering Design Thinking Professional Certification

MIT Sloan

Lean Six Sigma Professional Certification

CPI

Profile

Created

January 2026

Last Update

February 2026

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have questions? Here you can find further information.

Where is Nik based?

Nik is based in Kilchberg, Switzerland and can operate in on-site, hybrid, and remote work models.

What languages does Nik speak?

Nik speaks the following languages: English (Native), French (Advanced), Dutch (Advanced), German (Intermediate).

How many years of experience does Nik have?

Nik has at least 30 years of experience. During this time, Nik has worked in at least 8 different roles and for 7 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 4 years and 9 months. Note that Nik may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Nik be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Nik would be well-suited for roles such as: Executive Interim & Transformation Partner, VP, Global Strategy & Governance, AVP Global Business Transformation Program Office.

What is Nik's latest experience?

Nik's most recent position is Executive Interim & Transformation Partner at Audoban & Co. GmbH.

What companies has Nik worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Nik has worked for Audoban & Co. GmbH and Johnson & Johnson.

Which industries is Nik most experienced in?

Nik is most experienced in industries like Pharmaceutical, Healthcare, and Biotechnology. Nik also has some experience in Professional Services.

Which business areas is Nik most experienced in?

Nik is most experienced in business areas like Strategy and Planning, Marketing, and Operations. Nik also has some experience in Sales, Procurement and Purchasing, and Project Management.

Which industries has Nik worked in recently?

Nik has recently worked in industries like Healthcare, Pharmaceutical, and Professional Services.

Which business areas has Nik worked in recently?

Nik has recently worked in business areas like Strategy and Planning, Marketing, and Sales.

What is Nik's education?

Nik holds a Master in Business Administration & Management from Boston University and a Master in Architecture & Engineering from Cornell University.

Does Nik have any certificates?

Nik has 2 certificates. These include: Mastering Design Thinking Professional Certification and Lean Six Sigma Professional Certification.