During the Europe Biobank Week 2026 awards and closing ceremony, Marco Hautalahti received a Certificate of Appreciation for his leadership and contributions as Finnish National Node Director and member of the BBMRI-ERIC Management Committee.

For Marco, the recognition also marks the end of an important chapter. He worked as FINBB's long-term CEO from June 2018 until December 2024 and served as a member of the BBMRI-ERIC Management Group from 2020 to 2024.

Marco Hautalahti receives the Certificate of Appreciation from Prof. Jens K. Habermann in Prague.

“Over the years I have had the privilege to lead initiatives in international biobank and real-world data research across more than 40 countries. These experiences, and the people I have met, including clinicians, researchers, decision-makers, my Team members and peers, supervisors, patients, and their families, have deeply influenced how I see healthcare innovation,” Hautalahti says.

Europe needs stronger clinical research competitiveness

Europe must attract a greater share of global pharmaceutical R&D investment.

At the symposium, speakers presented results from an EFPIA-commissioned Frontier Economics report. The report showed that even a modest increase in clinical trials could create billions in economic value and tens of thousands of jobs across Europe.

For patients, this is not only an economic question. More clinical trial activity can also mean faster access to new research, better treatment pathways, and stronger links between healthcare systems and innovation.

The next generation of clinical trials will need faster execution, earlier stop/go decisions, and better use of multi-omics data.

Europe can compete globally in this area if it has the right infrastructure, partnerships, and regulatory frameworks in place.

Source: Frontier Economics / EFPIA – The Economic Impact of Industry Clinical Trials Across Europe.

“Europe’s research environment is changing. The European Health Data Space (EHDS), for example, creates new opportunities for research collaboration. The question is whether we can turn these opportunities into practical ways to improve Europe’s competitiveness,” Hautalahti says.