Transforming Biopharma

Transforming Biopharma by ZS dissects the complex world of pharmaceuticals through candid conversations. Hosted by Maria Whitman, Transforming Biopharma by ZS covers a variety of perspectives from industry leaders who are pushing boundaries and redesigning the future.

‘Patients first, people always’: Science and strategy with Savitri Basavaiah

Savitri Basavaiah, vice president portfolio and commercialization strategy at Janssen, the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, has a deep background in biopharma. She joins Maria Whitman to talk about the broader challenges of commercial leadership and what the future might look like as pharma reimagines its commercial model. She also discusses what pharma should do next at a moment when the pace of innovation is incredibly fast and the challenges are unprecedented; why a growt...

05-23
26:42

‘Take the risk’: On the frontier of digital therapeutics with Susa Monacelli

Propeller Health brings digital therapeutic expertise together with respiratory care experience to create solutions that improve patients’ lives. General Manager Susa Monacelli joins Maria Whitman to give her perspective on how pharma companies can succeed on the new frontier of digital therapeutics. She also talks about the progress made so far in realizing the potential of digital therapeutics—and what still needs to be done—as well as the learning curves that may create barriers to adoptio...

04-18
43:43

Key capabilities for precision medicine with Dennis Flannelly

As head of precision medicine for Merck U.S. Oncology, Dennis Flannelly is thinking ahead. He joins Maria Whitman in this episode to talk about the capability and mindset shifts biopharma needs to make to design, develop and deliver on precision medicine. He also shares the successes he's seen and what he's most excited about as precision medicine evolves. Listen to find out why navigating data will be a key capability in the future and hear advice for biopharma executives who want to succeed...

03-09
16:08

‘Inspired to go above and beyond’: Value creation in precision medicine with Kris Elverum

Biotech CEO/CBO Kris Elverum has worked in large pharma and small biotech firms. He currently acts as a consultant and advisor to both biotech and venture capital companies. Kris joins Maria Whitman on the podcast to share his perspective on precision medicine and the opportunities he sees ahead, as well as how biopharma companies of all sizes can succeed in this sector.

03-01
32:08

Healthcare from products to patients to policy: The CEO’s view with Pratap Khedkar

What’s on the minds of global healthcare leaders right now? To find out, in this episode Maria Whitman talks with ZS CEO Pratap Khedkar. The company’s top executive since 2021, Pratap is a recognized healthcare thought leader with expertise across life sciences, data science and artificial intelligence (AI). He shares his insights about what healthcare executives are thinking about, some of the industry’s top challenges and what will shape the rest of the year. Listen to find out why the indu...

02-21
38:35

‘I have MS; MS doesn’t have me’: Anita’s story

Anita Cameron has been living with multiple sclerosis (MS) for more than 30 years. But her condition hasn’t stopped her from learning all she can about MS and the treatments available to her. Anita tells Maria about her patient journey and the support structures that helped her live with an incurable disease.

02-03
29:11

‘We all have to be at the table’: Action for health equity with Josette Gbemudu

On this episode of Transforming Biopharma, Maria Whitman hears from Josette Gbemudu, executive director of health equity and social determinants of health at Merck, about how the company is taking action to make its vision of health equity a reality. They also discuss opportunities for biopharma to cooperatively tackle the barriers to systemic change. Highlights:How Merck is mobilizing and empowering teams to create momentum around health equity Why trust is an equity issue The...

01-20
35:47

‘We can use this data for good’: Flatiron Health CEO Carolyn Starrett

Founded in 2012, Flatiron Health helps cancer centers to thrive and deliver better care for patients. CEO Carolyn Starrett joins Maria Whitman to talk about reimagining the infrastructure that supports cancer care and research around the world. She also discusses how the company’s mission has evolved from building software to creating data sets to accelerate and advance new oncology therapies. Listen to hear how we can close the gap between research and cancer care, the role of real-world evi...

12-01
30:13

Listening to the patient: Robin’s story of cancer and recovery

Meet Robin Ameny, a passionate patient advocate and a survivor of multiple myeloma. In this episode, host Maria Whitman invites us to see the patient journey through Robin’s eyes. Hear how Robin found the courage to advocate for herself as she faced a life-threatening diagnosis. Learn about the importance of patient support groups and advocacy organizations. Finally, understand how biopharma can better support patients.

11-15
28:52

Data as an asset: From real-world evidence to actionable insights with Dr. Aarti Shah

Dr. Aarti Shah, former senior vice president and chief information and digital officer at Eli Lilly & Company, knows pharma and technology inside and out. At Eli Lilly, she led an enterprise-wide global organization with responsibilities for information technology, information security, advanced analytics, data science and digital health. Dr. Shah has been named a woman of influence by the Indianapolis Business Journal and was also named one of the fierce women in biopharma by Fierce Phar...

09-26
32:45

‘Culture is critical to performance’: Aligning values and strategy with Paul Ingram

What’s the role of culture in an organization and how can it play a pivotal role in shaping performance or even helping businesses transform? Maria Whitman sits down with Paul Ingram, professor of business at Columbia University, to explore the critical role of culture and organizational dynamics in driving successful transformation. Ingram, an expert on leadership and strategy, talks about the relationship between individuals, their values and beliefs and how that connects to an organization...

06-14
45:27

Beyond process improvement: Why organizational architecture matters with Mike Tushman

Maria Whitman interviews Mike Tushman, professor at Harvard Business School, about the importance of organizational architecture during times of transformation. He describes how companies that successfully transform create an organizational architecture that allows both “exploitation” of existing successful strategies and “exploration” of what they might build for the future. He also discusses the role of leaders in driving transformation and the potential of generative AI.

04-30
35:28

Navigating the system, meeting patients where they are with Oya Gilbert

How can healthcare and biopharma meet patients where they are? Maria Whitman interviews Oya Gilbert, a podcaster and patient advocate, about his journey as a multiple myeloma patient. They also talk about Oya’s work with the Health, Hope and Hip-Hop Foundation, which aims to use hip-hop culture to promote health literacy in underserved communities. Covering the importance of authenticity and trust in healthcare, as well as the need for education and empowerment for patients, this conversation...

03-29
47:45

From data collection to data connection: Reinventing pharma’s commercial model

How can pharma use AI and other technology to deliver a better customer experience? Maria Whitman and a panel of ZS experts discuss pharma’s next-generation commercial model. Carolyn Morrow, Namita Powers, Srihari Sarangan and Karthik Sourirajan talk about how pharma can create behavior-changing, personalized customer engagement at scale and how companies will need to rethink data collection to achieve data connection.

01-11
41:53

Resetting how we think about obesity: A patient’s point of view

Recent headlines about the use of prescription drugs for weight loss make obesity a prominent and relevant topic in today’s discussions about health and well-being. Bill Coyle, ZS’s global head of biopharma, and Mandi White-Ajmani, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and owner, Small Brooklyn Psychology, join Maria Whitman to talk about the underlying challenges obesity presents to society and healthcare, even as new treatments emerge.

11-07
42:07

Living with myeloma: Patient advocate Yelak Biru’s story

Yelak Biru, president and CEO of the International Myeloma Foundation, is passionate about patient advocacy with good reason—he’s been one himself for 28 years. Yelak joins Maria Whitman to talk about his patient experience and how it shaped his perspective as the leader of the first and largest global organization focusing specifically on multiple myeloma. He also talks about how evolving tools and technology like AI can be used to create personalized patient experience, how his passion for ...

10-11
37:56

Disruptors, influencers and the modern customer experience with Arun Shastri

As biopharma transforms its commercial model, what can it learn from other industries? To find out, Maria Whitman sits down with Arun Shastri, global AI practice lead at ZS. Arun’s an expert on how organizations are modernizing their customer experience and the technology and mindset needed for success. He discusses key principles for the modern sales organization, the real potential of artificial intelligence and how companies can unlock success. Hear how pharma can learn from disruptors, in...

07-26
43:40

On the path to digital transformation with Madhavi Ramakrishna

Madhavi Ramakrishna, global vice president and chief digital officer of commercial, GSK, is passionate about data and technology. A former executive in broadcast media, she’s now at the forefront of adopting analytics to drive commercial success in biopharma. In this episode, she shares her definition of digital transformation and discusses the biggest opportunities she sees for innovation in pharma’s commercial model. She also discusses what pharma can learn about digital success from compan...

06-27
30:29

A deeper dive into ZS’s connected health research with Rob Jekielek

ZS worked with The Harris Poll to conduct its latest research on the future of health. In this episode, host Maria Whitman welcomes Rob Jekielek, managing director at The Harris Poll and a globally recognized expert on business, societal, technology and healthcare trends. This episode highlights surprising findings and what they mean for patients, providers and the healthcare sector.

11-16
26:54

Leading through transformation with Dr. Linda Hill

Dr. Linda Hill, Ph.D., a professor at the Harvard Business School, has advised a number of organizations in the process of digital transformation. The co-author of “Collective Genius: The Art and Practice of Leading Innovation” and “Being the Boss: Three Imperatives for Becoming a Great Leader” talks with host Maria Whitman about the steps biopharma leaders can take to help their organizations become more empowered and collaborative on their digital journey.

10-20
45:50

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