ICT Ep. 2.14 From Navy Officer to CEO: The DNA of Leadership with Frank Watanabe (1/3)

Innovating Clinical Trials · Apr 7, 2026 · 15m

In this episode, Liam and Ted sit down with Frank Watanabe, President and CEO of Arcutis Biotherapeutics, to explore his journey from a Navy officer to a biotech executive and the leadership principles established along the way.

Frank shares how his early experiences in the military and his transition into pharma and biotech influenced his approach to leadership, highlighting a key idea that defines his philosophy: leadership isn’t about authority, it’s about earning trust and loyalty.

They discuss how operating principles can become the “DNA” of a company, not just words on a wall, and what…