Interested? Do you feel you will benefit?

All Rights Reserved. marcus evans ® 2019

13th Annual Pharma Resource Planning and Portfolio Management

Prioritizing Projects with Tools, Data, and Governance to Maximize ROI 

February 5-6, 2020 
Philadelphia, PA, USA

marcus evans Noth America

What our delegates think of us:

An Interview with Chris O'Donovan, Director, Resource Management, R&D Business Insights and Analytics at Bristol-Myers Squibb

Ahead of our 13th Annual Pharma Resource Planning and Portfolio Management Conference, we spoke with Chris O'Donovan of  Bristol-Myers Squibb. Chris has spent the last 13 years in the Pharma Resource Management space and currently heads up the Resource Management group within BMS.  He has an affinity for data and its transformation into actionable insights.  His career has largely been focused on building scalable tools, processes, dashboards and analytics to support strategic and tactical planning in both CRO’s and Sponsor Pharma/Biotech.  Understanding the unique differences and motivations of insource, outsource and FSP models has given Chris diverse perspectives on how to effectively design resource strategies to enhance throughput and reduce portfolio risk.

You will be presenting on “Harnessing Change Management while Undergoing Up and Down Cycles to Minimize Operational Risk,” what are some key takeaways the attendees can expect from your session?

With the constantly shifting landscape of the pharmaceutical industry, I’m sure most of the folks in attendance will have led or been part of a major change initiative. Mergers and acquisitions, spin-off’s, insource/outsource decisions, restructurings, new product launches and patent expiries are just few of those events that can trigger large scale change. Some are predictable, while others come as a surprise. Any of these events can have serious implications on a pipeline and introduce portfolio risk. In this session, I will identify key considerations with respect to resources when developing strategies and how to ensure alignment across an organization to ensure successful implementation.

How can reviewing change management from a resource standpoint be beneficial?

Hands down, people are the most valuable assets that a company has. I know few people who have been through a number of major company changes can say they have always felt that way. Whether it is attrition, loss of key talent, difficult hiring circumstances or other factors, there are often hidden costs and operational risks that arise as a change is underway. Taking a look at resource risks up front, can help ease the transition.

Why is it important to position the teams with the correct leaders during leadership turnover?

Having been part of the proverbial “grapevine” I have found that you should never underestimate the imagination of people who are thrust into a change without any transparency. Effective leadership and a willingness to genuinely share information with an organization greatly helps relieve stress and anxiety brought on by imminent or in flight change. In the end, clarity and alignment to common objectives with transparent leaders is a winning combination.

What can be done to manage the portfolio consistently throughout the change?

I am a large proponent of modeling a range of scenarios to help identify, quantify and evaluate risks. Do it early and often and establish a path and process for escalation. Specifically from a resource perspective, having senior leadership confidence and buy-in to Resource Management principles and deliverables prior to a change initiative helps to really capture the value.

In your experience, what strategies have best worked when organizing communication initiatives across the company?

The idea that change implemented in one company can be successfully deployed in another is something that always raises an eyebrow. In my experience, change management frameworks are incredibly helpful, however understanding the unique cultural dynamics of an organization is a critical first step to evaluating and architecting a change. Creating a targeted communications program that is designed to deliver frequent, consistent, relevant information that resonates with stakeholder groups is a must.

You have participated in our events before. What made you want to join us again? What do you hope to gain this time around?

I enjoy these types of events, because they draw people with diverse experience in the industry. I find people are very open to discussing both successes and failures. The depth of talent that is present ensures endless possibility to engage in meaningful dialog. This time around, I would like to gain perspectives on large company integrations as I am in the middle of the BMS/Celgene integration right now.

Case study: 
Harnessing Change Management while Undergoing Up and Down Cycles to Minimize Operational Risk

• Reviewing change management from a resource standpoint to achieve more with less
• Positioning strong leadership with the correct core teams during leadership turnover to have a positive effect on overall performance
• Managing the portfolio consistently throughout the changing environment for continued delivery
• Developing tactics to overcome the pressures of having to produce results faster and no longer in traditional development
• Organizing communication initiatives to ensure clarity and alignment across the entire company

For registration pricing and multiple attendee discounts, please contact:

Jeremy Wise
jeremywi@marcusevansch.com

Chris O'Donovan will be one of our many expert speakers!