Leading Strategic Planning at VCCP Health, the Challenger Agency for Challenger Brands.

Leading all strategic planning work across Europe for McCann Health, as part of IPG Health.

I lead a significant team of brand, engagement and scientific strategists to deliver Truth Well Told for Global and UK Rx, OTC and Consumer Health and Wellness clients.

Lead the Insight and Planning function within a global healthcare communications agency with offices in Manchester, London and New York. Reporting to the CEO, I provide strategic oversight and expertise across wide range of clients, brands and therapeutic areas whilst overseeing team of 30 planners, researchers and analysts embedded at the core of a highly successful agency with significant year-on-year growth. Key Responsibilities:- Lead the brand development and strategic planning process for major global pharmaceutical clients.- Lead regular meetings, workshops and presentations to senior pharmaceutical clients, in collaboration with senior multi-disciplinary teams of medics, creatives, technologists and client services
- Direct significant primary and secondary research projects to develop differentiating insights, transforming these into motivating and compelling creative briefs- Maintain, develop and expand the range of strategic tools, frameworks and models with a particular focus on driving differentiated cultural and audience understanding- Identify and management of key external partners, including research vendors, media collaborators and specialised consultants- Integrate key strategic offerings from broader Havas network into day-to-day agency operations, with particular focus on media insights, PR and advocacy strategy- Represent Havas Lynx in global Havas Health & You strategic planning network. I lead and contribute to significant network-wide initiatives in research methodology, workshops, planning culture and new business generation- Regularly lead, direct and deliver significant new business pitches at a global, regional and local level. - Lead cross-discipline talent development programmes at multiple levels within the agency.

Responsible for overall direction of Strategic Services with Havas Lynx, I led team of 15+ Planners, Strategists and Analysts whilst also directing a business unit of 30 staff, delivering significant year-on-year growth and collecting multiple industry awards for creative and strategic excellence.Highlights:- Lead successful 30-person cross-discipline business unit within Havas Lynx with turnover of approx £4 million per year. Reporting to the Havas Lynx Board, I worked alongside one other senior manager, taking full responsibility for financial performance and reporting, client development, new business initiatives, staffing, performance and recruitment, as well as the overall strategic and creative quality of the unit’s output- Lead the global launch of Cosentyx, a novel biologic blockbuster for the treatment of psoriasis. I lead a successful pitch to win the initial business, directed all strategic and creative work streams during the pre and peri-launch phases and successfully defended the account twice in 3 years. The launch of Cosentyx is widely recognised to be the most successful in the history of both the dermatology category and Novartis itself- Lead the strategic planning, insight development and creative process to win and deliver innovative clinical trial recruitment campaign, focusing on global recruitment of healthy volunteers with a specific genetic biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease

Lead and provide direction for team of researchers, strategists and planners. Key responsibilities include strategic and tactical direction for client brands, liaison with wider network of agencies, business development and defining and delivering best practice within the agency.

PlannerCreative Lynx

Account Manger - PharmaCreative Lynx

Regulatory Affairs Manager - UK and Eire - SSL International PLC

Senior Regulatory Affairs Executive working on Nicorette and assorted Digestive Health brands for the UK market.