Commercial Executive & Advisor

I transform
underdogs
into heroes.

Every company needs something to go from 'meets expectations' to 'rock star.' Whether it's aligning sales and marketing, reshaping product development, or elevating your market presence — this is what I do.

I do it well. And I love it.

Available for VP & CXO Roles Agency-Scale Projects Consulting
Spidey
$225M+ Acquisition Value Parse Biosciences acquired by Qiagen — built from unknown to undeniable
35+ Product Launches Across life sciences, tech, and beyond — from zero to market
5 Patents Commercial instincts with the technical depth to back them
What I'll do for you

Where I
create impact.

These capabilities don't operate in isolation — they compound. Faster growth, sharper products, teams that execute together, and a brand that makes it all stick. Each one comes with proof.

Revenue growth
Build the business

Ignite revenue
growth

Driving market adoption and customer retention isn't magic, but it demands seasoned leadership. It means customer-centricity and deep collaboration between sales and marketing — whether you're changing the trajectory of an existing product, launching something new, or revamping the commercial culture entirely.

Proof point

Built the commercial function from a blank-slate brand to the only credible challenger in the market — 10-fold revenue growth over 24 months, culminating in Parse Biosciences' acquisition by Qiagen for $225M+.

Commercial strategy

Develop the
right product

Planning for the future requires deep analysis of customers, markets, and internal strengths. Product roadmaps require an understanding of not what will make the most today, but how to drive the future market — identifying the opportunities others haven't seen yet.

Proof point

Grew revenue 200% in 2 years through 20+ KOL and commercial partnerships — building the institutional credibility that positioned NGS against entrenched incumbent technology and displaced capillary electrophoresis as the forensic standard.

Product development
Cohesive teams
Team leadership

Forge cohesive
teams

Great accomplishments are the product of collaborative teams, not solitary efforts. Your team deserves a leader shaped by cross-functional experience, access to mentors, and the empathy that only comes from hard-won leadership victories.

Proof point

Reshaped product development culture, breaking down barriers across marketing, hardware, software, bioinformatics, operations, chemistry, and biology to deliver a strong product vision — and the results to match.

Build your reputation

Be
Known.

A powerful brand is more than a logo or tagline — it's the essence of an organization. It can be a source of trust and a path to inspiring your audiences. Effective brand development combines creativity, strategic thinking, and a deep connection with the audience.

Proof point

Grew brand awareness from <10% to over 48% in 16 months, establishing market position as top alternative to the dominant incumbent.

Skills

From vision
to execution.

Growth Strategy
Team Leadership
Brand & Market Positioning
Demand Generation
Competitive Intelligence
Global Marketing
Commercial Analytics
Product Management
Market Development
Product Launches
Where I've been

Professional
experience.

Current
Sr. Director of Product, Solid Tumors
NeoGenomics · 2024–Present
Precision oncology diagnostics at scale. Leading the solid tumor portfolio — 300+ tests spanning the diagnostic continuum — with responsibility for strategic direction and commercial performance. Applying commercial and product leadership in one of oncology's most complex and rapidly evolving diagnostic categories.
VP of Marketing
Parse Biosciences
2021–2024
Single-cell genomics company in the scRNA-Seq market. Joined with a brand new corporate identity and no commercial infrastructure — built the function from scratch against a dominant incumbent. Acquired by Qiagen for $225M+ in Q4 2025.
Transformation
10× revenue, $225M exit
Grew from unknown challenger to the market's only credible alternative — 10-fold revenue growth over 24 months, validated by Qiagen's acquisition.
Execution
20 launches, 3 product lines
Drove market education and product uptake across 20 launches and 3 new product lines — building the content and go-to-market infrastructure to support a rapidly expanding portfolio.
Leadership
Built the marketing team
Structured the function into three purpose-built teams — Digital, Product, and Growth — with Growth spanning brand, events, PR, IR, and corporate marketing. Digital served as the primary pipeline engine for a challenger brand with limited resources.
Director of Technical Marketing Singular Genomics
2019–2021
Founded the commercial and CX function — GTM strategy, product management, and market positioning for single-cell and spatial genomics. Left after helping take the company to a $258M IPO.
Head of Technical Marketing · Founding Team Verogen (spin-off from Illumina, acq. Qiagen)
2017–2019
Among the small group that left Illumina to stand up Verogen as an independent company — taking the forensic genomics IP and building a global market around it. First marketing hire; grew revenue 200% in 2 years through 20+ KOL and commercial partnerships worldwide.
Technical Marketing & Product Leadership Illumina
2009–2017
Eight years across the breadth of Illumina's global portfolio — sequencers, cloud software, bioinformatics, automation, LIMS, and manufacturing solutions. Among the small team that originated Illumina's forensic genomics concept — leading the software, bioinformatics, and early commercial work that turned an untested application into a validated global market. That IP became the foundation for Verogen.
John Walsh
About

Built for the
long game.

I'm a commercial executive with a track record of building category-leading positions for ambitious companies. My experience spans life sciences, genomics, and precision diagnostics — always on the side of the challenger.

I've been at the table for product launches, brand builds, revenue transformations, and team overhauls. I know what it takes to move from overlooked to undeniable — and I genuinely love doing it.

Based in San Diego, CA.

Education
MBA, Rady School of Management University of California, San Diego
BS, Chemistry University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Just between us
Do I like dogs?
That's Spidey. Almost six, Rough Collie, career Chief of Staff. He's been through every job change, every late night, and every big win with me. The real hero in this story — and honestly, the better-looking one.
What industries have I worked in?
Life sciences, genomics, precision diagnostics, and tech. Always where the science meets the market.
Opinions on tacos?
San Diego residency comes with obligations. Fish tacos: grilled, corn tortilla, non-negotiable. I've recently been radicalized by birria, which has complicated my loyalties. As for every other city's tacos — LA included — I feel for you. I genuinely do.
Why do you need me?
You probably don't — if the goal is defending what you already have. I'm not built for that. I want to win, not not-lose. If growth is the problem, or you need someone to take market share from a competitor who hasn't seen you coming yet, let's talk.
Spidey the Rough Collie
Spidey · Chief of Staff
Ready to grow?

Let's talk
about you.

If you're building something worth fighting for and need an experienced operator in your corner, I'd genuinely like to hear about it.

Send me an email Connect on LinkedIn
hello@johnpwalsh.com · San Diego, CA · LinkedIn