Leerink: The Company That Bounced Back from an SVB Demerger

On 10th March 2023, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapsed, marking one of the largest bank failures in US history and sending shockwaves through the innovation economy. Among those affected was Leerink Partners, a healthcare investment bank owned by SVB since 2019. Following the collapse, Leerink re-emerged as a fully independent investment bank and continues to provide the specialised financial services to investors and healthcare companies.

Chief Information Officer Jeff Gerson credits Leerink’s ability to pivot quickly to its strong leadership, dedication of its employees, and its resilient and adaptable IT infrastructure. “We had to disentangle elements of our technology environment linked to SVB, undertake a rebranding effort back to Leerink Partners, and divest multiple lines of business, all while having to ensure minimal disruption for our clients.”

Leerink leveraged its strong partnerships with firms like HARMAN, Ricoh, Focus Technology, and Grid Squared Systems to navigate regulatory challenges and enhance their IT capabilities during this time. Leerink also engaged data consultancy Element22 to help operationalize leading data capabilities, as part of its journey to redefine its technological future.

Looking ahead, Jeff explains, “Post-SVB, we’re leaning more into technology to shape how we drive results and lead in our space.”