“Purpose is a powerful driver - but under constant pressure, it becomes a liability if it goes unchecked. It keeps you pushing long after you should have paused.” — from our conversation with Annastiina Hintsa
Many of you are now operating under pressure that no longer peaks and dips, it simply persists. Fundraising rounds drag on, board dynamics are increasingly difficult, teams are strained; and in most cases, the mission you’re driving is one that touches you personally.
Personal conviction (purpose) fuels extraordinary focus, but it also leads many CEOs in our community to ignore the cost until something breaks.
Most frameworks around stress aren’t built for what CEOs in our community are dealing with.
We have invited Annastiina Hintsa to share her INSIGHTS on sustainable performance under pressure, because she works with people whose ability to perform is constantly tested: Formula 1 - The ultimate human performance lab.
F1 mirrors many of the challenges life science CEOs face: navigating uncertainty, leading expert teams under pressure, sustaining clarity in high-stakes moments, and executing when resources are limited and expectations are high.
Annastiina is CEO of Hintsa Performance, the firm behind the personal performance systems used by the majority of Formula 1 drivers. Over the past twelve seasons, 92% of F1 races have been won by a Hintsa-supported driver, with 19 World Drivers’ Championships have been coached by Annastiina’s team.
Annastiina began her career at McKinsey & Company and has spent the past decade working at the intersection of physiology, psychology, and leadership. Her focus on building structure and clarity into leadership when pressure becomes the norm.
Why this matters for you
In challenging times, every board meeting can be a high-pressure moments, but so can fundraising meetings, management meetings, townhalls with all your staff. After months of strain - fundraising, scientific uncertainty, internal challenges - you walk in exhausted, with no room to show it. The tone is rarely collaborative.
These meetings are difficult, often confrontational. There’s no room for hesitation, and little support in the room. You’re expected to give clear answers, defend your position, and absorb pressure - regardless of what you’ve just come through. These meetings are also de facto performance reviews, where one poor performance can cost you the next funding round or even your board’s confidence.
This session will focus on how to stay composed, sharp, and in control when everything around you is stretched.
How to prepare for key meetings when the last months have been draining;
How to hold your ground when the room is difficult and the stakes are high;
What to do after a board meeting goes badly, and how to regain clarity quickly;
How pressure accumulates when you’re always in execution mode, and why it shows up at the wrong time.
Questions to consider before the session:
What pressures have I normalised this year—and at what cost?
How do I prepare myself before high-stakes board or investor conversations?
What do I do after a difficult meeting, and how quickly do I reset?
How is the pressure I’m carrying affecting the people around me?