S06 E04: Time to trade in the traditional marketing model?

The new season of the podcast is only a week away, so before we get started – why not have a listen to some of the best bits from Series 7? From a deep dive into women’s health to why the industry thrives on a little healthy competition, there’s plenty to discover in last season’s highlights. As well as the EMJ GOLD team’s analysis of the key themes, you’ll hear from six former guests: Mercedes Diz, Chief Marketing Office, Almirall Nichole Davies, Global Chief Strategy Officer, VML Health Edmond Chan, Senior Director, EMEA TA Lead, Haemato-Oncology, J&J Stefan Woxström, Senior Vice President, Europe and Canada, AstraZeneca Danie Du Plessis, EVP, Pharmaceutical Operations, Kyowa Kirin Harmony Garges, Chief Medical Officer ViiV Healthcare.

In this season finale of the EMJ GOLD podcast, Isabel speaks to Dr Tadaaki Taniguchi, Chief Medical Officer, Head of Medical and Development, Astellas Pharma, about how he strives to challenge the status quo in the pharmaceutical industry.  The two discuss how Tadaaki’s time as a surgical oncologist has influenced his leadership style, how collaboration is key for making impacts for patients, the next game changers in cancer treatment and more. A little bit more on EMJ GOLD’s guest…  Dr Tadaaki Taniguchi leads Astellas’ global team in identifying, discovering and developing new treatments that have the potential to transform healthcare, with a focus on innovative and patient-centred therapies. He has more than 20 years of industry experience spanning research, development and medical affairs, and has worked in a range of therapeutic areas including diabetes and oncology. Prior to joining Astellas, Tadaaki held senior positions at other major pharmaceutical companies in the US, Japan and China. Before joining the industry, he spent 10 years as a surgical oncologist – giving him a unique perspective on how to deliver breakthrough science that changes the way diseases are treated.

In this penultimate episode of Season 7, Isabel and Jade sit down to discuss EMJ GOLD’s most recent features of the month – our infographic on optimising pharma’s customer experience journey and an article on how exactly to design this experience. Within the episode, the team explore how the industry may be missing out on insights gathered from HCPs, what makes a ‘winning’ website for HCPs and more – featuring exclusive input from Robert Tegge, Associate Principal, ZS, who shares valuable insights on what HCPs are really looking for before and after a congress. A little more on EMJ GOLD’s guest…  Robert Tegge is a leader within the ZS meetings and events practice area, which focuses on identifying insights to drive improved outcomes for our clients’ meetings programs. He collaborates with organizations to help build capabilities and solve unique problems, leveraging ZS’s technology and operations infrastructure as well as industry expertise. Robert has a wealth of experience in strategy and operations roles across various healthcare sectors, including providers, pharmaceuticals, and medical products. In these roles, he has consistently leveraged data to provide actionable insights on a variety of sales, marketing, and growth decisions. He also holds a B.S. and an M.S. in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

In this week’s edition of the podcast, Isabel and Jade share an interview with Dr Harmony Garges, Chief Medical Officer, ViiV Healthcare. She speaks with Dr Jonathan Sackier, Host, EMJ Podcast, who joined us in Reuters Barcelona where we meet our guest. Together, the two discuss Harmony’s decision to join the pharmaceutical industry, how treating children with HIV needs to be approached differently, her views on improving vital access to HIV treatment and much more. This is the longer version of her Catalyst interview with us, check that out here.

In this week’s episode, Danie du Plessis, Executive Vice President, Pharmaceutical Operations, Kyowa Kirin, sits down with the EMJ GOLD team to share the value that patient partnerships can hold in the industry. Danie explores how patient partnerships have evolved over the years, what companies should be doing to get them to their best potential, the value of learning from others and much more. A little more on EMJ GOLD’s guest… After completing his medical studies and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Pharmacology in South Africa, Danie spent three years working in a primary care setting including his own private practice. He joined the pharmaceutical industry in 1993, worked in medical affairs, marketing and sales, pharmacovigilance and clinical operations. He has held roles such as including Senior Vice President and Head of Worldwide Medical Affairs at GlaxoSmithKline. Danie joined Kyowa Kirin International in August 2019 as head of Medical Affairs and has been Executive Vice President Pharmaceutical Operations since April 2024.  He is also a Director and Chair of the Global non-profit Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Board, Fellow of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine in the UK, visiting senior lecturer at King’s College, London and an affiliate member of the Association for Professional Executive Coaching and Supervision (APECS). 

Tune in to the latest episode of the EMJ GOLD podcast as Isabel and Jade cross the halfway point of the season with special guest host Dr Jonathan Sackier of the EMJ podcast. In this episode, the team listen back to Jonathan's discussion with Stefan Woxström, Senior Vice President Europe and Canada, AstraZeneca at Reuters Events: Pharma 2024 in Barcelona. Together, the two unpick the current small molecule funding landscape, how to improve incentives to invest in rare diseases, how to better inform policymakers about the difference they can make and much more. A little more on EMJ GOLD’s guest… In Stefan’s role as SVP Europe and Canada at AstraZeneca, he is dedicated to supporting teams across 30 markets to grow the company ethically and sustainably. His focus is to improve the lives of millions of patients, with a particular emphasis on partnering to find solutions to healthcare challenges, addressing the burden of chronic disease and transforming health systems to be more future-proofed and resilient. He’s worked at AstraZeneca for over 28 years, having joined before the merger of Astra and Zeneca in 1999, and holds a BSc and MSc in Business Administration & Economics from Stockholm University. He has additionally sat on the boards of multiple corporations, including The Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan, the EFPIA and most recently the Swedish Swiss Chamber of Commerce.

This week, Claire D'Abreu-Hayling, Chief Scientific Officer, Sandoz, joins Isabel on the podcast to share how leading with love rather than ruling with an iron fist is the best way to get results in the pharmaceutical industry.  In this episode, Claire and Isabel discuss how she fell in love with science as a child, the leadership skills she has gained over the course of her career and the importance of valuing your people and being valued in return.  A little more on EMJ GOLD’s guest… Claire D'Abreu-Hayling is the Chief Scientific Officer at Sandoz, and with more than 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry under her belt, she knows a thing or two about life sciences leadership - past and present. At the company Claire oversees the global product development network where she manages infrastructure strategy, pipeline execution and talent acquisition for both small molecules and biosimilars. Outside of work, Claire is a true champion of authenticity in the workplace. She is passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion and is particularly committed to mentoring Black and Asian women who are pursuing careers in STEM.

Join EMJ GOLD for a special edition of the podcast, in which Isabel is joined by Tim Uden, Creative Director, EMJ to discuss the new frontier of medical education tools and skills. In this episode, the two explore how new technological offerings, such as interactive articles, are transforming the space for medical content – enabling content creators to share research in a more impactful way and helping healthcare professionals better engage with and continue their professional development. Check out EMJ’s interactive article mentioned in the podcast: JAK inhibitors: a new frontier in dermatology

As we approach the end of Pride month, Jade explores how the pharmaceutical industry can best support staff and patients who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. She talks with Edmond Chan, Senior Director, EMEA Therapeutic Area Lead, Haemato-Oncology, J&J, who shares his personal views on how the industry can improve health outcomes and encourage authenticity.  In this interview, they discuss how both the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries can do their best to support people from the LGBTQ+ community, the unique challenges that patients and staff may face and more.   A little more on GOLD’s guest…  Edmond has been with J&J for just over ten years, starting in pharmacovigilance before moving into medical affairs. During this time, he has worked in the areas of diabetes and immunology before recently settling into his current area of expertise, haemato-oncology.   Edmond also works as an ABPI final signatory and holds a PhD in Medical Research in Therapeutic Antibodies as well as a Masters in Medical Statistics. He also has 12 years’ experience in clinical practice.   At the heart of all these academic and professional achievements, Ed is also a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and strives to be a role model for other members. 

With Season 7 in full swing, Isabel dives deep into the fascinating world of women’s health with Nichole Davies, Chief Strategy Officer, VML, to uncover the truth behind why women live longer but in poorer health and how the industry can incite change. In the interview, they discuss the rise of FemTech, the challenge of funding and reimbursement, the role men can play in moving the conversation up the agenda and more. A little more on GOLD’s guest… Nichole leads the strategic disciplines and teams for the global VML Health network, overseeing research and development for all client and agency strategy and messaging. With over 20 years in the healthcare industry, she has worked in cities including London, New York, San Francisco, and Singapore. Nichole previously led strategy for Wunderman Thompson Health, Grey Health and Interbrand Health, following a decade in consulting. Her experience covers diverse areas such as oncology, immunology, rare diseases, respiratory health, women's health, diabetes and nutrition. Nichole has collaborated with industry leaders like AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. Nichole graduated with honors in Chemistry from UMIST and completed her Postgrad in Marketing at London Business School. A Chartered Marketer, she is dedicated to driving change for improved patient outcomes and has worked with the Department of Health on patient communication standards.