Leadership Transitions as Communication Events: Lessons from Cybin

On September 2, 2025, Toronto-based neuropsychiatry company Cybin announced a major leadership transition. Doug Drysdale stepped down as Chief Executive Officer, and Co-Founder Eric So has been appointed Interim CEO by the company’s Board of Directors.

In his first statement, So emphasized Cybin’s mission to transform mental health treatment and reassured stakeholders of the company’s continued progress. He expressed gratitude to Drysdale for his contributions, reaffirmed Cybin’s focus on advancing its late-stage therapies CYB003 and CYB004, and signaled his commitment to stability during the transition.

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The Board has already initiated a search for a permanent CEO, underscoring its urgency to bring on a leader who will guide the company through commercialization. With So’s background as Co-Founder, President, and long-time strategist, Cybin is positioning itself to maintain continuity while preparing for its next phase of growth.

Why This Matters for Executives

Leadership transitions are often viewed as operational milestones, but in reality, they are communication events first. How an organization frames a CEO change can determine whether employees feel reassured or unsettled, whether partners see stability or risk, and whether investors remain confident in the company’s vision.

Cybin’s response offers a model worth noting. The company followed a sequence that strengthens trust:

1. Reinforce the mission – The transition was framed around Cybin’s purpose of revolutionizing mental healthcare.

2. Express gratitude – Acknowledging Doug Drysdale’s contributions maintained respect and continuity.

3. Define direction – Highlighting the pipeline and strategy gave stakeholders clarity on what comes next.

   
   

This structure—mission, gratitude, direction—is a simple yet powerful framework executives can apply during leadership changes. It provides both stability and forward momentum at a time when uncertainty could otherwise dominate the narrative.

Leadership transitions are inevitable. The credibility of leadership depends not on avoiding change, but on communicating through it. Executives who anchor their messaging in mission, gratitude, and direction ensure that organizational trust and cultural alignment remain intact.