S06 E08: What motivates and challenges GOLD's guests?

Tune in as Isabel and Jade analyse the standout moments from EMJ GOLD’s guests this season, uncovering the challenges and opportunities shaping today’s pharmaceutical industry. From self-advocacy at work and the future of personalised medicine to disease awareness, market access and making your marketing efforts stand out – they explore the season’s core themes, all backed by the latest industry data. Watch our featured guest’s full episodes: GSK’s Dheepa Chari on the evolving sphere of scientific communication Yacin Marzouki on disrupting the traditional omnichannel model BMS’ Anita Gandhi on a decade of change in hematology Pfizer’s Richard Maughan on the future of access in the UK GSK’s Matt Mortimer-Ryan on behaviour-led pharma marketing Chiesi’s Shish Patel on COPD, the climate and improving care AbbVie’s Dr Daejin Abidoye on community and compassion in cancer care Bayer’s Dr Joana Reis on the promise of AI in breast cancer

How can industry close the screening gap in breast cancer? Find out in this episode, where Dr Joana Reis, Medical Affairs Breast Lead, Radiology, Bayer, explores some of the most significant challenges and opportunities in imaging today. Together, Jade and Joana discuss her initial interest in a career in radiology, the pivotal role of professional societies in accelerating innovation, how AI is shaping the future of the field and much more. A little more on EMJ GOLD’s guest… Dr Joana Reis was appointed Medical Affairs Breast Lead for radiology at Bayer in January of 2025. Before this, she was the Medical Affairs Lead for digital radiology at the company, where she developed strategies focusing on AI applications in imaging. Before joining Bayer, Joana worked as a Senior Consultant Breast Radiologist at Akershus University Hospital in Oslo, Norway.

Tune in as Dr Daejin Adiboye, Vice President, Therapeutic Area Head, Solid Tumor Oncology, AbbVie, explores both the evolution of cancer care and his leadership style over the last two decades. Together, Daejin and Jade discuss the lessons from his time in the clinic that shaped who he is today, the move to precision medicine in oncology, his work with the Cancer Support Community in San Francisco and much more. A little more on EMJ GOLD’s guest… Dr Daejin Abidoye serves as Vice President, Therapeutic Area Head for Solid Tumor Oncology at AbbVie. In this role, he is responsible for the clinical development of all assets in late oncology clinical development.  His career includes over 20 years of experience in oncology, cancer research and drug development. Prior to joining AbbVie, Daejin was the Therapeutic Area Lead for Oncology Development and Clinical Research at Gilead Sciences. He has also held various roles at Seattle Genetics and Roche-Genentech. Dr. Abidoye is a board-certified oncologist with a career in clinical practice at Scripps Health in Southern California. 

What is the environmental impact of respiratory illness? Find out in this episode of the EMJ GOLD podcast, where Shish Patel, Medical Director, Chiesi UK, joins Isabel to discuss the rising burden of COPD and the impact of respiratory care on the planet.  Together, the two explore the diagnostic gap in COPD, improving the experience of people living with the disease, balancing health innovation with climate concerns and much more.   A little more on EMJ GOLD’s guest…  Shish Patel trained as a pharmacist and has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for over 30 years. Currently, he serves as Medical Director at Chiesi UK and Ireland, and he has held senior positions within medical and scientific functions at both affiliate and global level throughout his career. In addition to his significant time at Chiesi, Shish has held positions at GSK and Sanofi. Shish also holds key industry board positions including at the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority and the ABPI.   

In this week’s episode of the EMJ GOLD Podcast, Matt Mortimer Ryan, Senior Global Marketing Manager, Vaccines, GSK, shares his perspective on how understanding patients’ emotional drivers can unlock more impactful, insight-led disease awareness campaigns.  Matt joins Isabel to discuss what true patient-centric marketing looks like in practice, how to translate behavioural insights into smarter strategies, the advice he’d give his younger self and much more.  A little more on EMJ GOLD’s guest…  Matt is a global marketing leader at GSK, driven by a passion for human-centered innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. With more than 20 years of experience at GSK, Pfizer and Danone, he combines his scientific curiosity with strategic creativity to accelerate meaningful outcomes for patients. The views expressed in this interview are Matt Mortimer-Ryan’s own and do not necessarily represent those of GSK.  

In this special edition of the EMJ GOLD podcast, Isabel and Jade dive into the latest insights from recent contributors and EMJ’s own data to uncover what healthcare professionals really want from medical affairs. They explore the growing challenges of engaging HCPs, question whether there’s a gap between what HCPs say they want and what actually captures their attention and look ahead to what the future may hold. Tune in for expert insights from guests including Dr Donatello Crocetta, Bora Erdemli, Cécile Janssenswillen, Dr Natalia Barkalina and Dheepa Chari.

This week, the team is joined by Richard Maughan, Senior Director and Head of UK Policy and Public Affairs, Pfizer, to explore how the UK is shaping access to medicine today, and what needs to change in the future. From healthy ageing to the economic cost of respiratory infections, they dive into what the UK is getting right, where it’s falling short and why access to medicine matters now more than ever. A little more on EMJ GOLD’s guest… Richard is Senior Director and Head of UK Policy and Public Affairs at Pfizer. His team works with public policymakers to deliver breakthroughs that change patients’ lives, spanning Pfizer’s broad medicines and vaccines portfolio, and deep science footprint. He is a member of Pfizer’s UK Senior Leadership Team and Europe Policy & Public Affairs Leadership Team. Prior to Pfizer, Richard was Head of UK Government Affairs for Eli Lilly and Company. He has also worked at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the UK’s leading business lobbying group. He studied Politics at the University of Edinburgh and the University of California Santa Cruz, and grew up in north-east England.

This National Blood Week, the team sit down with Anita Gandhi, Vice President, Translational Development, BMS, to explore the last decade of innovation in hematology and what lies ahead for the space. Together, Anita and Jade discuss Anita’s route into the pharmaceutical industry, the current unmet needs of patients with blood cancer, what the future of innovation looks like in hematology and what Anita’s HBA Rising Star Award means to her a decade on. A little more on EMJ GOLD’s guest… Anita is currently the Vice President of Translational Development at BMS, leading not only hematology translational development at the company, but solid tumour, immunology, cardiology and neurology as well. She has over 20 years of industry experience including drug discovery and translational development, and she was the recipient of the HBA Rising Star Award in 2015.

This week on the podcast, the team are joined by omnichannel engagement expert Yacin Marzouki, who shares his strategies on how to make omnichannel work for both pharmaceutical companies and healthcare professionals.  Together, Yacin and Jade sit down in the studio to explore what it takes to harmonise omnichannel across an organisation, why content activation is still a major hurdle, how to make sure messaging truly resonates with HCPs and much more. Expect practical insights on operational excellence, the evolving role of AI and a fresh perspective on what success looks like across a product’s lifecycle.  A little more on EMJ GOLD’s guest…  Yacin Marzouki is a global omnichannel engagement lead on a mission to disrupt the industry’s approach to omnichannel. Within the pharmaceutical sector, he specialises in shaping seamless customer journeys, driving content activation and aligning global strategies with local execution. Yacin is dedicated to transforming brand plans into meaningful, measurable customer engagements, and is passionate about building high-performing, collaborative teams that deliver real impact. 

The EMJ GOLD podcast is back for a new season! In the first episode of season 10, the team are joined by Dheepa Chari, Vice President and Head of Global Scientific Communications, GSK, to discuss the past, present and future of scientific communications. Together, Dheepa and Isabel explore her journey from biostatistics to biopharma leadership — and the lessons learned along the way. They discuss what great science communication looks like, where it’s heading next and why storytelling still matters in a digital-first world. Plus, expect practical insights on cross-functional collaboration and the growing role of AI. A little more on EMJ GOLD’s guest… Dheepa Chari is the Vice President and Head of Global Scientific Communications at GSK. Here, she leads strategy and execution across Oncology, Vaccines, Specialty Care and General Medicine, driving innovation in how scientific narratives are delivered across channels. Before joining GSK in 2024, Dheepa held senior posts at Pfizer, Amgen and Novartis in both clinical and communications roles. Outside of work, Dheepa brings stories to life in a different way - as a singer-songwriter who regularly performs in New York City.