SPEAKERS

Michelle Bridenbaker

Chief Operating Officer, Vital Statistics Consulting

Co-Owner & COO, Unbiased Science; Head of Global Medical Information, Recordati Rare Disease Michelle is a scientist, healthcare professional, and executive with over 20 years of experience in healthcare, pharma, biotech, and public health. She specializes in health science communications, digital and AI transformation, patient and HCP engagement, and strategic consulting, including M&A support. As Vice President Elect of Medical Information Leaders in Europe (MILE), Michelle shapes industry best practices, builds future-facing technology, and enhances access to medical information and professional education. She brings diverse expertise as a biologist, critical care nurse, pharmacy technician, and medical toxicology postgraduate, driving innovative solutions that improve operational excellence and patient outcomes.She also serves on the scientific boards of multiple tech and medical companies and leads women-led organizations Unbiased Science and Vital Statistics Consulting.

Michael Liebman

Managing Director, Co-Founder, IPQ Analytics, LLC

Dr. Liebman is a computational biologist and theoretical chemist with extensive leadership experience in academia, industry, and translational medicine. He previously served as Executive Director of the Windber Research Institute and held senior roles at Roche, Wyeth, and the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center. He is currently Adjunct/Research Professor at Drexel College of Medicine, University of Massachusetts–Lowell, and Wenzhou/Fudan Universities. Dr. Liebman specializes in computational modeling of disease, clinical pathway analysis, and risk/benefit assessment, with applications in multiple sclerosis, heart failure, and women’s health. He is active in digital health, quantum computing, translational medicine, and serves on multiple editorial boards and advisory boards globally.

Nan Fang

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Singleron Biotechnologies

Nan Fang is a Strategic UX/UI Design Lead at Proverb Agency, specializing in creating user-centered digital experiences. With a strong background in design, she leads initiatives that align with business goals while enhancing user satisfaction. Her work emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and a deep understanding of user needs to deliver impactful digital solutions.

Barry Daly

Head of Medical Excellence and Omnichannel, Sanofi

Barry Daly is a seasoned leader in pharmaceutical medical affairs, serving as Head of Medical Excellence and Omnichannel at Sanofi UKIE. He drives initiatives to enhance medical communications and digital engagement across the UK and Ireland, leveraging data and technology to improve healthcare professional (HCP) interactions. Barry’s leadership emphasizes collaboration, strategic use of data, and human-centered approaches to advance patient outcomes. He is based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

Mohit Agarwal

GLOBAL DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION HEAD - COMMERCIAL EXCELLENCE AND SCM, Wockhardt

A seasoned professional with over 20 Yrs of experience in the field of Comex Head, BU Head, IT Partner, Digital Transformation, GTM, Modern Trade, IT Procurement, Supply Chain, Thought Leader in Consulting, GenAi, Change Management, Insights, CSO, Coach and People Leader

Ijeoma Matthew

Senior Consultant, Abaye Consulting

Ijeoma is a strategic leader at the intersection of clinical innovation and ethical technology, currently serving as a Senior Consultant at Abaye Consulting. With a focus on high-value thought leadership, she specializes in developing inclusive clinical trial designs, sponsor lifecycle automation, and robust ethical AI governance frameworks for the pharmaceutical industry. Her work is dedicated to bridging the gap between advanced algorithms and human-centric healthcare, ensuring that digital transformation in pharma remains both equitable and efficient. A frequent contributor to global summits, Ijeoma provides strategic depth to complex discussions on pharmacovigilance reimagined and the future of smart trials. She is committed to advancing industry standards through automation frameworks that prioritize safety, transparency, and patient-inclusive outcomes.

Thomas Dobmeyer

Advisor, ekwithree

Dr. Dobmeyer co-founded PharmaLex GmbH, transforming it from a consulting startup into a global enterprise operating in 30 countries with 3,000 employees. He completed nearly 40 mergers & acquisitions under his leadership. With a doctorate from the University of Mainz and postgraduate studies in Clinical Evaluation from the University of Marburg, he has held research leadership roles in hematology, oncology, rheumatology, infectiology, and clinical immunology. He now advises and speaks on entrepreneurship, investment strategies, and the future of clinical trials.

Ashish Chandra Saxena

Global Capability Owner (GCO)- Customer Targeting & Engagement Planning, Boehringer Ingelheim

With over three decades of extensive international experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Ashish Saxena has held diverse leadership roles across Sales, Training, Sales Force Effectiveness, Commercial Excellence, Digital Transformation, Market Research and Analytics. His career encompasses both operational execution and strategic leadership, fostering a comprehensive and multidimensional expertise in pharmaceutical business complex landscape. Currently based in Germany, Ashish works as the Global Capability Owner at Boehringer Ingelheim, where he leads the global function for Customer Targeting and Engagement Planning. In this role, he is responsible for shaping the global vision and strategy, collaborating with regional and country teams worldwide. He spearheads cross-functional initiatives to develop frameworks, processes, and tools that enable effective segmentation, targeting, and engagement of healthcare professionals (HCPs) and healthcare organizations (HCOs), ensuring alignment with evolving healthcare landscapes and the dynamic business environment.

Gurpreet Singh

Vice President, Managing Director, Integrated Safety, IQVIA

Gurpreet Singh is currently the Vice President, Managing Director Integrated Safety at IQVIA. He is based in UK and has a total of 18 years' experience in Pharma Industry of which 16+ years have been in Global Drug Development. During these years he has had the opportunity to work with some top Global companies like Cognizant, Tata Consultancy, Novartis and Parexel. At Novartis he was the Global Head of PV Operations managing all Global PV activities. At Parexel he was the Senior Director PV Operations responsible for managing PV projects of top Global Pharma and Biotech companies. Gurpreet is a certified Six Sigma and Project Management Professional. He has keen interest in Digital Transformation and Organization Culture and has successfully led various projects during his tenure in the Pharma Industry. He is an avid runner and a speaker at various Pharma conferences.

Alexandros Athanasiou, DBA, MBA

Head of Data, Digital & Technology Europe & Canada Oncology BU, Takeda

Keith Berelowitz

Founder & Chief Executive Officer, pRxEngage

Keith Berelowitz is the Founder & CEO of pRxEngage Inc. and a long-standing clinical research professional with over 20 years’ experience across trial operations, ethics, and patient engagement. Keith also chairs one of the UK's National Research Ethics Committee and has reviewed thousands of clinical protocols. Keith focuses on improving how people find, understand, and stay engaged with clinical trials by applying behavioural science, plain-language design, and community-led approaches. He is a frequent speaker on trust, clarity, and real-world feasibility in clinical research.

Dr. Niyati Prasad

Independent consultant in fractional CMO roles

Niyati is a senior and seasoned clinical development leader who has over 27 years of experience in big-mid size pharma and biotechs. She is a rare disease expert, has led several pivotal programs, and has extensive knowledge, experience and expertise in all phases of programs (early to late) and has brought medicines to market. She has been in roles of Chief Medical Officer, led clinical development departments and brings with her 'two cents' from over 'two decades' of experience. We are excited to welcome her to the Pharma Tech Summit.

Dr. Maryam Alavi

PhD, MBA, CSSBB Founder of BiotechNmed Launch Lab incubator

Dr. Maryam Alavi is a scientist-entrepreneur bridging pharmaceutical rigor and consumer health innovation. With over 18 years of experience spanning regenerative medicine, cancer research, and commercial product development, she brings a unique perspective to the rapidly evolving cosmeceutical and consumer wellness space. Trained at Harvard Medical School, Stony Brook University Hospitals, and the University of Nevada, Reno, Dr. Alavi's career demonstrates her ability to translate complex science into market-ready solutions. She has successfully brought three products to market and transitioned from Research Scientist to Director of R&D, and later to Director of Sales—giving her end-to-end understanding of the product development lifecycle. Dr. Alavi has served as a strategic liaison between technology companies and leading pharmaceuticals, integrating AI/ML and advanced analytics into drug discovery, development, and biomanufacturing. She has built and implemented AI-powered prediction models that optimize workflows in cell and gene therapy, reducing development costs while increasing therapeutic precision.

Jon Newton

Principal Consultant and Founder, NewtonBio Consulting

Jon is a Clinical Innovation and Health Tech Specialist in the Life Sciences sector with deep expertise in clinical trial operations, corporate development, and data asset strategy. A seasoned executive who brings a practical understanding of how AI is reshaping healthcare and clinical research—speaking regularly on the intersection of pharmaceutical development, technology, innovation, and strategy with a focus on driving access, efficiency, and impact.

Unmesh Lal

Vice President, Frost & Sullivan

Unmesh Lal brings over 20 years of experience in healthcare strategy and consulting, with a focus on global life sciences and precision health. He specializes in identifying transformative technologies, innovative business models, and growth opportunities across pharmaceutical contract services. A recognized thought leader, Unmesh has authored key industry insights and presented at leading global events including J.P. Morgan, Bio-Asia, and Bio-IT World. He holds a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

Sarah Jones

CEO , Co- Founder , Sarah Jones Coaching

Sarah Jones is an Executive & Team Coach specialising in leadership development across the pharmaceutical, biotech, and life sciences sectors. Before founding Sarah Jones Coaching, she led UK, EMEA, and global Corporate Affairs and Patient Advocacy for organisations including Abbott, Johnson & Johnson, and the NHS. She now works with senior leaders and leadership teams across pharma and biotech to help them step out of the technical detail and lead with strategic influence and impact. A long-standing member with the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, Sarah has served as a global programme leader and advisor, coaching many of its members worldwide.

Suzie Harvey

Board Chair & Non – Executive Director , Suzie Harvey Consulting

Board Chair, Non-Executive Director and NHS Governor, Suzie works with CEOs, Chairs and boards to achieve clarity in strategy, confidence in governance and results in international growth. With experience across Life Sciences, HealthTech and AI, she helps leadership teams scale with discipline and resilience. Chairing boards at Evidence to Impact and Nordic AI and advising LabShare.AI, She has strengthened governance, driven revenue growth and supported investment readiness. Drawing on a global commercial career at Signant Health and Qiagen, She bring a clear, collaborative and commercially focused perspective - enabling organisations to govern well and grow with purpose.

Giovanni Dall’Olio

Founder, GMD Bioinformatics

Giovanni Dall’Olio is a Bioinformatics and Machine Learning scientist with over 10 years of experience in the drug discovery industry. He is the founder of GMD Bioinformatics, a consulting company focused on genomics, machine learning, and data strategy for drug discovery. Giovanni is also an active blogger covering the latest trends and competitions in bio-ML, including the Arc Virtual Cell Challenge and several Kaggle initiatives. Previously, he worked at BenevolentAI, where he led teams in ML-augmented drug discovery, and at GSK, where he helped build one of the first large-scale data lake platforms for leveraging genetics and genomics in preclinical R&D.

Garry Pairaudeau

CEO, Co-Founder, DaltonTx

CEO and co-founder of DaltonTx, building the platform that will enable the pharma industry to bring more efficacious medicines to patients faster through the use of AI. Before founding DaltonTx I was CTO at Exscientia, leading the teams to build their technology platforms and the Milton Park automated lab. Earlier, three decades at AstraZeneca directing hit discovery and global chemistry strategy.

Dr. Rupert Holms

CEO, Newal R&D Ltd

Dr Rupert Holms ( Ph.D. molecular biology, Edinburgh, Scotland) is CEO of London-based NewalR&D Ltd which is developing the ezrin peptide immune-therapeutic platform for world markets with a focus on respiratory infection, sex infection and mosquito vector viral infection. Dr Holms has expertise in launching life science start-ups including hVIVO PLC in London and Nearmedic Group, a 120million Euro turnover profitable pharmaceutical company in Moscow, Russia. Dr Holms invented the ezrin peptide platform in 1993 and launched the first ezrin peptide product on the Russian market in 2001. Prior to his 35 year career as an entrepreneur, Dr Holms was a life science investment manager at Lombard Odier.

Xavier Forceville

EMBA, MD, PhD, Former ICU Head, CEO, CSO SERENITE-Forceville

Dr Xavier Forceville, French MD, PhD, EMBA, former Head of ICU, Anesthesiologist, Intensivist, Nutritionist, member of INSERM CIC1414, Clinical Investigation Center of Rennes University Hospital, with research interests focusing on infection since 1989, and since 1994 on selenocompounds (e.g. selenoprotein-P, Na-selenite) and selenium in the early diagnosis and treatment of sepsis. Scientific researcher in the biochemical approach of sepsis combining ICU experience (40 years Hospital practitioner) and biochemical expertise (30 years) acquired thanks to extensive informal networks with internationally recognized scientific biochemical teams and thesis.

Simon Rebora

Global Marketing Director, IPSEN

Simone is a Global Marketing Director with extensive experience in sales, people management, and analytics. Currently at IPSEN Global, he leads marketing strategies for Oncology, launching in new indications and spearheading cross functional Teams. Previously, he was based in Italy, holding key roles at Johnson&Johnson EMEA, driving brand strategies in Hematology and leading digital transformation projects. Simone began his career at Italfarmaco, focusing himself on sales and management. He holds an MBA from SDA Bocconi and an MSc in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies.

Badri Wadawadigi

Founder & CEO, Anavoq

Badri Wadawadigi is a C-suite executive with over 20 years of experience bridging pharmaceutical strategy, M&A, and digital transformation. Currently, he is the Founder and CEO of Anavoq, an AI-driven B2B SaaS platform for life sciences, and leads Sinteza, a specialist health-tech advisory firm. Previously serving as Chief Information & Corporate Development Officer at Pharmanovia and AVP at Accord Healthcare, Badri has led global digital strategies, AI implementation, and complex cross-border transactions. With a background in investment banking at UBS and Jefferies, he brings deep expertise in deal-making, commercial innovation, and operational excellence to the industry.

Michelle Tempest

Senior Partner, Candesic

Dr Michelle Tempest worked as a hospital doctor for over a decade. She is partner in a strategy consultancy company, Candesic, who deliver R&D level insight with CEO level clarity in specialist sectors – life sciences, healthcare, digital, medtech and AI. She edited a book called ‘The Future of the NHS’ and is author of ‘Big Brain Revolution: Artificial Intelligence – Spy or Saviour’. She is a Cambridge Angel investor, mentors Femtech, Brain health and longevity companies and is on Board of several companies.

Prof. Ashley George

Founder, Read It to Me

Prof. Ashley George PhD, FRSC is an old and cynical chemist who has spent much of his career in the global biopharmaceutical industry, from leading Scientific programmes, through VC-backed biotech start-ups, through to founding 3 US incorporated global Not-For-Profits, both 501C3, & C6s, including The Pistoia Alliance & TechForGood. For 10 years up to 2018, Ashley led GlaxoSmithKline Global Innovation and Consumerisation Centre of Excellence, including digital medical device product launches, global Due-diligences, M&A, global business transformations across Research & Development, Manufacturing Supply chain, Sales and Marketing, for both Pharmaceuticals, FMCG, Consumer health care, Vaccines and internal employees. In 2018, Ashley was lucky enough to be placed on “gardening leave”. As such, he had the opportunity to reflect on 23 years or so of Pharma & Lifesciences global “transformations” and take a long, harsh, stark, cynical- chemist’s retrospective, of all those career trials and tribulations. • Ashley now has developed a global portfolio career advising organisations from FTSE 100, Fortune 500 to global startups both for profit and in the not-for-profit 3rd sector including being President of TechForGood.org which is aligned to the UN SDGs. He is also an FCA trained Investment Banker, a visiting Professor at University College London, and Founder of Read It To Me, RITM, a company that is staffed by battle-hardened, pragmatic technologists who are looking to “leave a legacy” rather than “build a unicorn”, RITM is looking to pragmatically transform direct to patient health literacy across the planet, imagine connecting and engaging, with health content, irrespective of your language, accent, level of literacy or digital accessibility. Examples, include vaccination literacy, strip medicine dispensing and also the cascade of health literacy across East Africa, for diseases such as, Ebola, Marburg & Cholera.

Fouad Akkad

Principal Consultant- Life Science, WePhlan

Founder of WePhlan, an AI-powered pharma consulting and solutions company, Fouad brings 20 years of experience in pharmaceutical commercial strategy and operational execution. His expertise spans brand strategy, marketing, launch planning, and AI applications in pharma. He has held multiple global commercial roles at Pfizer and Abbott. Fouad focuses on integrating AI into commercial strategy, launch, and marketing to help pharma organizations strengthen planning, enhance decision-making, and scale execution. He is also the author of the Pharma AI Insider newsletter.

Trish Parry

Founder and CEO, INDICRO

Trish Parry is founder and CEO of INDICRO Ltd., an award-winning consultancy and business community specialising in Clinical research and training. During her 35 years in clinical research, she has held international operational and strategic roles ranging from CRA to Director of Clinical Operations and has been an independent consultant for 22 years. Trish was a Clinical Subject Matter Expert in the Vaccines Taskforce (now the COVID Vaccines Unit) in UKHSA during the COVID pandemic. Trish has developed and delivered many Transcelerate accredited courses and workshops on Good Clinical Practice to sponsors, investigators and universities. Trish also develops bespoke workshops and mentoring programmes in monitoring, advanced monitoring, clinical project management, vendor management, trial master file management and inspection readiness for clients. Many of the courses have been delivered internationally, in Europe, Turkey, Singapore and Dubai. Trish is author of Statistics in Clinical Research (The Institute of Clinical Research, 2004) and was on the Editorial Board of the Institute of Clinical Research’s Journal, CRFocus from 2005-2014. Trish is one of the founders of the Institute of Clinical Research Trainers Forum, is a committee member of Institute of Clinical Research Ethics and GCP Forum and a Sub-Leader for the UK Clinical Trials Talent Taskforce (CTTT). She is a member of Bioindustry Association (BIA), One Nucleus, OBN Network, and the UK based Independent Clinical Research Freelance Network (ICRFN).

Dr Ridwaan Jhetam

SVP WW Head of Medical Hematology, Bristol Myers Squibb

Ridwaan is the Senior Vice President and Head of Worldwide Medical Affairs Hematology at Bristol Myers Squibb. With more than 27 years of pharma industry experience ( at GSK, JNJ & MSD), Ridwaan has a solid track record of delivery in Oncology & Hematology drug development, medical affairs & brand strategy, leading to successful product launches, optimal lifecycle management including positive outcomes in regulatory engagement & reimbursement negotiations across healthcare systems in the US, Europe, and emerging markets. Ridwaan is a clinical oncologist by training; qualifying as a medical doctor and with credentials in pharmacology and an MBA. He has contributed over his career to the clinical development and commercialization of medicines as strategic partner and through leading governance structures and high-performance teams to provide robust asset and portfolio strategies and evidence generation plans of various hematology, oncology, and supportive care products, including biologics, cytotoxics, targeted therapy, small molecules, immunotherapies, Bispecific molecules, Antibody drug conjugtes (ADCs), Protein degraders and CAR-T cell therapies. He has established scientific networks and collaborations with key opinion leaders, medical societies, cooperative groups, and patient advocacy organizations across the world. He is also a visiting Academic senior lecturer at King's College London in the Department of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences as well as at the Nelson Mandela University medical school Ridwaan is driven by the opportunity to optimize early access to treatments and transform outcomes for patients across the world, together with oncology and hematology research and academic communities, with one focus and determination: to always keep patients at the heart of what he does.

Hiram Baker

CEO/Founder, Baker Industries LLC

Hiram Baker is an experienced business leader and the Chief Executive Officer of Baker Industries, a one stop shop consulting firm focused on providing comprehensive solutions across funding, real estate, executive staffing, investments, technology, marketing, and strategic growth initiatives for businesses of all sizes. In his role, Hiram leverages extensive client and partner relationships to drive business development, operational excellence, and innovative problem-solving strategies. With a strong entrepreneurial mindset, he guides Baker Industries in delivering tailored support that enhances organizational performance and accelerates growth outcomes. His background reflects a commitment to scalable, client-centric service and the development of unique approaches to complex business challenges. Using what he calls the 80/20 rule to solve business problems.

Gaurav Sanganee

Founder of Closing Delta AI and GM of Health at RELAYTO AI

Gaurav Sanganee brings over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, having worked with global organisations including GSK, Novartis, and Boehringer Ingelheim. Throughout his career, he has operated at the intersection of commercial strategy, medical engagement, and digital transformation within life sciences. He is currently the General Manager of RELAYTO AI, an AI-powered content experience platform based in San Francisco, focused on transforming how organisations communicate through interactive, data-driven digital experiences. Gaurav is also the Founder of Closing Delta, a media and strategic platform partnering with leading pharma conferences globally. A Chartered Marketer and ABPI-qualified medical representative, he is a recognised content expert in pharma, podcast host, Ashoka Changemakers contributor, and leadership-trained by The Oxford Group. His work centres on bridging innovation, communication, and human-centric leadership to drive meaningful impact across the healthcare ecosystem.

Ivanna Rosendal

VP of Digitalization, Author, Stand-up Comedian, Podcast Host

Transformational leader on a mission. No patient should wait for novel treatment due to lack of trust in our organizations or lack of technology adoption. I architect organizations to go with the grain of human behavior to unleash people’s collective potential. Connector of people and ideas in and between organizations. I love building teams, products and solutions from scratch to scale. Developing business strategy and activating competencies to make it happen. Well-developed business sense and full of ideas for growth.

Jonathan Dancer

Managing Director, Redbow Consulting Group

Jonathan Dancer MBA is Managing Director of Redbow Consulting Group, a dedicated healthcare strategy consultancy. With over 30 years’ experience in the Pharmaceutical Industry, he founded his first consulting firm in 1999. Jonathan is recognised as a leading pharmaceutical strategy specialist and is currently commercialising an innovative multi agentic strategy model GEM-A® with applications in Pharma, humanitarian, and the not-for-profit sectors. Specialising in cohesive team building, he is particularly interested in the application of technology to the human-centric workplace and how AI can accelerate and augment new and existing workflows. With a background in pharmacy, he is an industry judge, Training Lead for the Pharmaceutical Marketing Society and a visiting lecturer in strategy and marketing at Kings College, London.