Ken Li
Senior Director of Public Relations
CG Life
The Scientific Storyteller
“Ken Li has spent his career turning technical science into compelling stories that inform scientists, create value for entrepreneurs, and drive all of us to look to life science to deliver new discoveries, therapies, and ideas,” says Erik Clausen, a Managing Partner at CG Life. “In his work, he is unique in his ability and success in unearthing the subtle beauty hidden in the way science is done, and then creating narratives that educate and inspire.”
One example of Ken’s PR mastery was his work for client Bio-Rad Digital Biology Group (DBG). Though more than 3,000 studies using its technology have been published, Bio-Rad had very few scientists willing to speak on the value of its applications. Ken and his team discovered an insight: DBG’s customers attended major trade shows, such as AACR, ASCO, and AACC, and presented posters on studies that use the technology. By screening the online poster abstracts ahead of the conferences, they were able to identify those with the most potential and reach out to the authors. In exchange for providing a testimonial of the DBG technology that aided in their groundbreaking innovations, Ken and his team were offering these leading scientists publicity around their research. Since 2017, Ken’s team at CG Life has used this approach to identify and secure interest from DBG customers from more than 30 institutions across five continents. This has led to the publication of over 100 news stories.
“I was constantly amazed at the level of insight Ken had about our industry and the segments we were operating in,” says Kamni Vijay, a former client of Ken’s at Bio-Rad. “What particularly impressed me was the passion and energy he brought to every project we worked on. He is an out-of-the-box creative thinker, a seasoned marketer, and an invaluable asset in designing strategies that will catapult brands beyond preexisting spheres of influence.”
Ken’s marketing prowess extends to starting initiatives at his own company, including the company’s first Twitter feed, the company’s first podcast, and the company’s first video series. He also currently facilitates Master Classes to improve the public relations team’s media relations and writing skills.
