[In-Person] The A+ CEO: What Investors and Boards Actually Look For with Glenn Snyder

Most founders become CEOs by default, not by design — and the capabilities that get a company funded are not always the ones that get it commercialized. Drawing on 14 in-depth interviews with MedTech investors, board members, and serial CEOs, HSMG Advisors identified six capabilities that consistently distinguish exceptional leaders: big-picture thinking, mastery of industry interdependencies, self-aware leadership, fundraising discipline, relentless talent stewardship, and high strategic EQ. Two findings held across nearly every interview: the most consequential decision a CEO makes is who they hire, and self-awareness is the trait that makes every other capability coachable. The session then turns to the relationship that tests all six — the CEO and the board. We'll cover how A+ CEOs open with problems rather than highlights, structure board interactions before, during, and after meetings, and find the right orbit: close enough to draw on the board's expertise, independent enough to lead with confidence. Glenn Snyder is a Principal at HSMG Advisors, where he advises MedTech CEOs on strategy, leadership, and growth. He retired from Deloitte Consulting in May 2025 after 35 years advising C-suite leaders at emerging growth companies and Fortune 500 firms across MedTech, BioPharma, and Healthcare. In 2012, he founded and led Deloitte's Global MedTech Practice, growing it to over $500M in U.S. revenue. Glenn serves on the boards of LarmorBio and the World Telehealth Initiative. He holds an MBA from Wharton, an MS in Engineering from USC, and a BS in Engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.