AI Adoption in Pharma & MedComms: 2026 update, with Jonathan Gwillim & Kate Eversole

Welcome to Episode 159. If you’ve ever walked into a client meeting (or a pitch… or a QBR… or onto a stage) and thought, “I’ve got so much to cover - how do I say it without losing people?” - you’re going to love this one. I'm joined by Martin Barnes, Founder of 8 Seconds 2 Connect and Leadership Communication expert. Martin help leaders communicate at the moments that matter. When a big idea needs to land, shift a room, or spark momentum. His background spans 25 years in design, advertising, and film across the UK and China. He's pitched to Hollywood producers, coached C-suite teams at Mercedes, ByteDance, VW, and Cartier, and helped founders raise millions and step onto TEDx stages. In this episode, Martin and I talk about why stories build trust faster than “look how much I know” - and how to share your expertise without sounding like you’re selling, name-dropping, or talking about yourself too much. We also get into the “data dump” problem: what to do when you’ve got loads of information, but you want the room to actually listen. And Martin shares a really practical way to prepare for presentations, especially if you get nervous, using voice notes and repetition so it feels less scary and more familiar. You can connect with Martin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinbarnespresentations/ If you’d like to be kept updated with shifts in the agency world as they relate to the account management role, or you’d like to speak to me about client retention and growth training options, head to https://www.accountmanagementskills.com You can also sign up to my newsletter there, and you’ll find the AI readiness quiz too.

Welcome to episode 158. I’m joined again by Michael Farmer to unpack what’s really going on in the agency world right now - and what it means for you if you’re running an agency, leading clients, or working in account management. Michael Farmer is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Farmer & Company LLC, a New York based strategy consulting firm for major advertisers and their creative and media agencies. He also serves as Professor of Branding and Integrated Communications at The City College of New York (CCNY). He's the author of Madison Avenue Manslaughter, an inside view of fee-cutting clients, profit-hungry owners and declining ad agencies (3rd Edition 2019), and Madison Avenue Makeover: the transformation of Huge and the redefinition of the ad agency business (2023). He has completed a new book, Madison Avenue Revisited, to be published in June 2026. Here’s what we get into: - Why Michael’s new book Madison Avenue Revisited is a sharper, more hard-hitting update on what’s driving agency decline — especially the impact of holding company decisions. - What the current wave of M&A and cost-cutting signals for agency capability, talent, and client outcomes - including the knock-on effects for senior experience in an AI era. - Why independent agencies could be entering a genuine opportunity window — and how “productising” services and focusing on measurable growth can change the game. - And a brilliant reframing for account managers: why you should stop thinking like a logistics coordinator and start operating like a management consultant to your clients. It’s one of those episodes that really challenges how we think about the agency business model. Here are a few key takeaways : - Agency success can’t just be about delivering output cheaply — the real opportunity is in linking your work to client growth and outcomes. - The industry’s talent shape is getting distorted: AI may remove more junior execution work, but it raises the need for experienced people who can direct, judge, and advise. - Independent agencies have a chance to differentiate by being explicit about what they stand for — not “low cost,” but “we help you grow, and we’ll prove it.” - And for account managers: you’ll be far more valuable when you bring data, insight, and a point of view — not just project updates and deadlines. You can keep with Michael Farmer here: http://linkedin.com/in/michaelfarmer www.farmerandco.com Madison Avenue Revisited: https://amzn.eu/d/07SX5rrI Madison Avenue Makeover: https://amzn.eu/d/0je8R4FA Madison Avenue Manslaughter: https://amzn.eu/d/09U5HbiN If you’d like to be kept updated with shifts in the agency world as it relates to the account management role - or you’d like to talk to me about client retention and growth training options - head to my website https://www.accountmanagementskills.com You can also sign up to my newsletter there so you don’t miss new episodes, mini-trainings, and what I’m seeing in the market.

Welcome to Episode 157. I've got two returning guests to the show, Kate Eversole (Event Director) and John Gwillim (Co-Founder) from PharmaBrands. They provide world-class education, support, inspiration and experiences for one of the most challenging and important communication environments there is, healthcare marketing. They bring pharma teams and their agencies together through events and meetups designed specifically to help people thrive in the age of AI. In this episode, we talk about the shift from last year’s podcast episode where we were talking all about prompting, to what's relevant in March 2026, the big focus on AI agents. Kate and Jonathan also share what's happening inside pharma with approved tools like Microsoft Copilot and Gemini and why agencies need to align with the client's approved tool stack. We also talk about the reality of governance versus shadow AI: employees using AI without a company license. And why compliance and behaviour don't always match. We cover more about PharmaBrands ‘Age of AI, Europe’ event, taking place in London on 10th March 2026. If you're listening after the event, don't worry because Kate and Jon shared so many insights into the realities of what's happening right now with the pharmaceutical industry and medical communications when it comes to AI adoption. You can connect here on LinkedIn: Kate Eversole - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateeversole/ Jonathan Gwillim - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jongwillim/ Resources mentioned: PharmaBrands website - https://www.pharmabrands.ca/ Age of AI, Europe - event details and speakers - https://www.pharmabrands.ca/age-of-ai-europe-event-2026 Real Staffing Report - https://www.realstaffing.com/en-us/knowledge-hub/industry-insights/the-life-sciences-skills-crisis-shadow-ai-professional-migration-and-the-race-against-becoming-obsolete/ If you'd like to be kept updated with shifts in the agency world as it relates to the account management role, or perhaps you'd like to speak to me about client retention and growth training, please sign up for my newsletter. https://www.accountmanagementskills.com

Welcome to Episode 156. This episode is especially useful if you're an agency owner thinking about an exit, or perhaps you're an account lead who wants to help your agency become more sellable and less dependent on one person. Gavin Bell is a highly sought-after keynote speaker and award-winning entrepreneur, known for delivering talks that are positive, engaging and packed with real-world lessons. Recognised as one of the UK’s most candid voices on what it really takes to build and exit a business, Gavin combines first-hand entrepreneurial experience with proven frameworks audiences can use immediately. In this conversation, Gavin and I dig into what it really takes to build an exit ready agency. - how he created a predictable growth engine by marketing his own agency - why recurring revenue and clear productized offer made the business more attractive - and the systems and SOP mindset that kept delivery consistent and client experience tight. We also get into the realities of selling from keeping it quiet to surviving due diligence and choosing a buyer based on cultural fit, not just the numbers. Some key takeaways for me were treating your agency like a product, documenting the client journey, building checklists and fixing the bugs in your process every time an issue comes up. And staying on the front foot with clients, proactive expectation setting, consistent reporting rhythms and QBRs that focus not on what's happened, but also business outcomes and the future. You can connect with Gavin Bell in various ways: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrgavinbell/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrgavinbell/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MrGavinBell/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mrgavinbell X/Twitter: https://x.com/mrgavinbell YouTube: https://youtube.com/mrgavinbell Website: https://mrgavinbell.com If you'd like to be kept updated with shifts in the agency world as it relates to the account management role, or perhaps you'd like to speak to me about client retention and growth training, please visit https://www.accountmanagementskills.com where you can also sign up for my newsletter.

Welcome to Episode 155. We’re looking at the agency’s engine room - operations. And how getting the fundamentals right can improve profitability, reduce chaos and set you up for better use of automation and AI. I’m joined by Melanie Chandruang, founder of WeConsult and a Strategic Operations Partner for creative agencies. With over 15 years in the industry, she helps agency owners boost profits, streamline operations, and move big initiatives forward so they can focus on growth and what matters most. Here’s what we cover: - Why “right people in the right seats” is still the number one operational issue - especially as services evolve fast - The key financial ratios Melanie uses to spot operational inefficiencies (and what “healthy” can look like) - The debate on hybrid AM/PM roles vs splitting the roles — and how to think about affordability and utilisation - Why most agencies aren’t “AI-first” yet and what needs to be in place before AI can genuinely improve workflows - Melanie’s practical 90-day focus areas for a 20-person agency that wants more profit and less chaos You can connect with Melanie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniechandruang/ Or visit the website: https://weconsult.io/ If you don’t want to miss future podcast episodes, mini-trainings, and the ideas I’m sharing each week on client retention and account growth in agencies, make sure you’re on my newsletter list: https://www.accountmanagementskills.com

Welcome to episode 154. This chat will be particularly interesting for you if you’re an agency owner or account manager who has to work with marketing procurement (especially in pharma / biotech industry). My guest is Marketing Procurement Consultant, Jessica Bowler. Jess has deep expertise in end-to-end pharmaceutical procurement processes, including supplier qualification, contract negotiation, risk management and vendor management. She has worked with large pharma for almost 24 years and spent the majority of that time in commercial/marketing procurement. Jess currently works on consulting roles within pharma and biotech where she can assist organizations with different procurement operations. Here's what we covered in our chat: - What to do if your experience of procurement has been more transactional than you’d like. - a simple 10 minute conversation you can initiate to strengthen the relationship - a check list of what to include in a review meeting with Procurement - how procurement is thinking about AI and pricing transparency right now Jess shares a lot of valuable insight, tips and steps to set you up for success dealing with procurement, I hope it gives you a few practical ways to work with procurement as they are, whether they’re relationship-led or more transactional. Do follow Jess on LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/jessica-bowler-76bbb34&sa If you’d like weekly tips to build your account management skills, news on agency trends, notifications of upcoming podcast episodes, and any mini trainings I’m running, sign up to my newsletter at Account Management Skills: https://www.accountmanagementskills.com

Welcome to episode 153. I’m joined by Richard Coope from Brightful, who helps large, complex organisations fix the brand, digital and cultural bottlenecks that block content and slow down campaigns, using AI-enabled workflows and marketing automation. Richard is an accomplished Change Lead with experience in leading global organisational and IT transformations. He has 27 years of experience helping complex organisations solve their brand, digital and cultural problems, including leading global digital and Content Supply Chain transformations of Shell, GSK, PMI. He specialises in supporting global Martech platform adoption and making workflows and SOPs more efficient through AI and automation. In this episode, we cover: - Why enterprise content operations are so messy, and how that impacts agencies - Where content typically gets stuck across approvals, rights, DAMs and governance - How AI can either amplify chaos or create real operational flow - The changing role of senior client stakeholders in AI-enabled marketing - Practical ways agencies can partner with specialists like Brightful to protect and grow key accounts If you’d like to connect with Richard Coope or learn more about Brightful, visit: http://wearebrightful.com/ or find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardcoope/ Content Advisory Board: https://wearebrightful.com/about/content-advisory-board/ Content Healthcheck: https://brightful-content-flow.scoreapp.com/ If you want to assess how ready you are to use AI to retain and grow your existing clients, you can take the short AI readiness quiz on my website here: https://www.accountmanagementskills.com/ai-readiness-quiz You can also subscribe to my weekly newsletter, where I share new episodes, short trainings and practical ideas for agency account managers.

Welcome to episode 152. I’m chatting again with my go-to guru for the now, next and future of the agency business model, Spencer Gallagher. Spencer has relaunched Bluhalo with a renewed focus on helping agencies and businesses transform with AI. Bluhalo is a business for the next decade, focused on supporting B2B organisations across three core pillars: People, Technology, and Asset Growth. In this conversation, we really dig into what transforming with AI means in practice for you as an agency leader or account manager. Here’s what we cover: - Why so many agency services have matured and what that means for your positioning and growth - How Spencer thinks about the "now, next and future" of agencies in an AI-driven world - Why founders and leaders need to reconnect with their creative side and carve out proper thinking space if they want to reinvent their business - The cultural shift required to build high-agency, growth-mindset teams that actually embrace AI rather than resist it - How AI is likely to reshape agency structures - from headcount and roles to pricing, automation and the types of services clients will value most - Practical examples of how tools and no-code platforms have gone from clunky to powerful in a very short space of time, and what that means for your IP - Advice for agency leaders who know they need to speed up their adoption of AI, but feel their team is low-energy or stuck in old ways of working - Guidance for account managers whose leaders are dragging their heels on AI, including how to use real client feedback to influence from the middle - What Spencer is seeing in the M&A market for agencies, including what buyers now look for and why AI capability is increasingly on the checklist Spencer has a rare mix of lived experience building and selling an agency, deep technical curiosity, and a very honest take on where agencies are kidding themselves about the future. I think you’ll come away with both a clearer sense of direction and some very practical ideas to take back to your team. If you’d like to stay connected with Spencer's thinking, you can find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencergallagher/ and check out Bluhalo to see more of the work he’s doing to help agencies and businesses become truly AI-enabled. https://www.bluhalo.com/ And if you want to get a sense of where your own agency stands, you can assess your "AI readiness for client retention and growth" over on my website: https://www.accountmanagementskills.com The quiz takes just a few minutes and you’ll receive a short report with suggestions for how you can start weaving AI into your client management workflow.

Welcome to episode 151. If you’re trying to work out how to integrate AI into your agency without losing the human side of what you do, this conversation will help. Today I’m joined by two guests from Noble Studios: Tom Duffy, Head of AI Strategy, and Meg Pescio, Vice President of Client Experience. Noble Studios is a creative digital performance marketing agency based in Reno & Las Vegas in Nevada and Bristol, UK, focusing primarily on travel and tourism and B2B technology clients. Noble’s impressive client list includes the likes of Adobe, SiriusXM Media, Travel Nevada, and Visit Lake Tahoe. They’ve been intentionally experimenting with AI across the agency, and in this episode we dig into how Tom and Meg are partnering to bring AI into client work in a thoughtful, human-first way. Here’s what we cover: · Why Noble decided to hire a dedicated Head of AI Strategy and how that role works alongside the client experience team · The change management piece: how they’ve built trust internally and avoided “AI panic” in the agency · Practical use cases for account managers and client success teams, including: using AI as a learning and thinking partner, creating client “knowledge hubs” with tools like Notebook LM, aggregating messy data sources to uncover new insights for clients · How they’re thinking about data privacy, tools, and tech stack decisions · The impact AI is having on agency positioning, pricing and perceived value · Why human judgment, critical thinking and relationships are becoming even more important as AI usage grows · Their advice for agencies thinking about hiring an AI lead or formalising their AI approach If you’d like to learn more about what Noble Studios is doing, you can head to http://noblestudios.com/ or connect with Tom and Meg on LinkedIn, where they regularly share what they’re testing and learning. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-duffy-reno/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/megpescio/  And if you want ongoing support with the account management side of agency life, join my newsletter. It’s where I share: · practical account management tips · trends and shifts I’m seeing in the industry · notifications of new podcast episodes · any mini training sessions or speaking I’m doing You can sign up at http://accountmanagementskills.com/

Welcome to Episode 150. This episode is for anyone in agency new business or running sales. My guest is Ryan Hall, Founder of Friday Solved, where he helps agencies build scalable and sustainable sales engines. With over 20 years in marketing and digital - including leading and selling Nice Agency, later acquired by Karmarama and Accenture Interactive - Ryan has seen firsthand what drives real growth. Here’s what we cover and how Ryan advises agencies: - Create buyability, not forced selling. You can’t push complex services; people have to want to buy from you. That means trust, proof and value over time, plus clear expectations that sales isn’t a quick fix. - Build a joined-up sales engine. Inbound and outbound run at different speeds and need different steps, but the buyer experience starts at first contact and momentum through stages is everything. Systemise it so sales becomes repeatable. - Work the middle of the funnel properly. “Shake the tree” with people you already know, keep data clean, follow up with useful content tied to your critical pillars, and channel-swap from LinkedIn to email when it’s serious. Let CRM be your muscle memory so you stay consistent without spamming. Connect with Ryan Hall here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanghall/ Website: https://www.fridaysolved.co.uk/ Book: https://www.fridaysolved.co.uk/pages/dont-sell If you haven’t signed up for my weekly newsletter, go to https://www.accountmanagementskills.com and sign up to get account management tips and trends, any trainings I’m running, guests coming on the show and advice to help you in your account management role.