Prof Kjesten Wiig’s career has spanned senior leadership roles in academia, industry, and government, all with a focus on advancing science and innovation. After receiving her PhD from the University of Otago, and completing post-doctoral training at Brown University, Kjesten spent many years working in the competitive drug-discovery industry in the USA and was involved in the spin-out and start-up of two companies from Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  At both companies, Kjesten served as Director of Neuropharmacology and was responsible for all pre-clinical development in neuropsychiatric disease.  Kjesten then bought her experience in commercialising science to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment in New Zealand.  There, Kjesten worked as National Manager for Commercialisation and then Director of Innovative Partnerships, a start-up programme aimed at attracting international companies to establish R&D in New Zealand. She is now the Director/CEO of the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, co-director of New Zealand’s RNA Technology Development Platform and adjunct Professor at the Ferrier Institute at Victoria University of Wellington.