Optum’s Shanon says pharma is as much about people as it is about science.
Vice-president for Optum’s pharma strategy, Shanon has always found that critical thinking and communication are two skills that have empowered her, not just throughout her career within the growing pharmaceutical sector, but also in life.
“It doesn’t mean I’ve gotten it right every time,” she told SiliconRepublic.com. “But they’re foundational tools in my toolkit. I’ve been very lucky to have had the opportunity to work with and learn from colleagues who have been very generous with their guidance.
“And their common denominator was having those two skills in spades. The secret sauce is the ability to articulate critique in a clear, coherent and balanced manner.”
Communication, she explained, brings insights to life, by building trust, aligning teams and negotiating solutions that drive innovation. “Being able to translate technical insights into strategic business decisions is a differentiator, especially as pharma becomes more tech-enabled,” she said.
How do you pass these skills on to new and novice professionals?
You have to commit to fostering an inclusive culture where people feel comfortable to demonstrate their capability and flair. For me it is really important that my team is empowered to have the confidence to do that. As a people manager, part of my job is to support the development of my team. Equally, I encourage my team to provide feedback on my own performance. It helps me assess where I need to improve and it is important that people become confident in managing up, which can often be the deciding factor in whether something succeeds.
I also place a strong emphasis on developing both technical and commercial skills, whether that’s fluency in using data to support decisions, or the ability to navigate vendor conversations and contracts strategically.
How has the pharmaceutical space changed since you began your career?
The pharmaceutical industry has always been dynamic, a natural result of the high levels of innovation and competition, where first-mover advantage plays a critical role once the research and evidence backs up your bet. The focus has shifted away from chemical entity products in favour of more advanced biologic and gene therapies coupled with increased focus on rare diseases. Technology has and will continue to revolutionise both how research and development is conducted and how logistics and access are executed.
Patient demands are evolving in line with societal expectations of better health outcomes. All of which contributes to increasing cost pressures on pharmaceutical companies to innovate. Notwithstanding all that, given the US-focused nature of our work, we have to navigate the sectoral opportunities and pressures that evolve from administration to administration depending on the policy priorities at the time.
The skills required to succeed have also shifted. Strong analytical capabilities, understanding of pricing models and experience in contract strategy are becoming just as critical as traditional clinical knowledge. Navigating this evolving landscape requires a blend of data fluency and a deep understanding of how value is delivered across the healthcare system.
How has technological innovation transformed organisations and how can change be leveraged?
Decision-making based on robust data is a priority goal. Technological innovation has been transformative, and there is an enterprise-wide commitment to optimise the use of AI and machine learning in two key areas, externally for the benefit of our patients and customers and internally to reduce administrative burden and improve operational efficiency. The goal is to leverage these technologies to improve patient outcomes and the patient experience with our organisation.
This shift is also changing the type of skills we prioritise, from being able to interpret data in meaningful ways to understanding how it ties into contracting, pricing strategies and value-based partnerships. The ability to combine analytics with a deep understanding of the healthcare and pharma value chain is now a critical differentiator.
What do you predict for the future of the pharmaceutical sector?
As technology evolves, demand will remain strong for technically skilled professionals in areas such as data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning and cloud services. Equally commercial and clinical skills will remain just as important, though I expect these functions will increasingly need to interface with and leverage technology more than they have previously.
In particular, those who can blend commercial strategy with data-driven insights will be especially valuable. As the industry evolves, success will lie in understanding not just what the data says, but how to apply it in commercially meaningful ways.
What advice do you have for future graduates or young professionals looking to follow in your footsteps?
Mastering the fundamentals is essential, manage your time effectively and communicate clearly and concisely. If those are shortcomings at the moment, develop them. I’d encourage people to follow a two-pronged approach to their development. Firstly, develop transferable skills, communication, problem solving and multi-tasking. Secondly, find your niche. Become known as the go-to person for something specific – this will likely form the core of your value proposition throughout your career. Being able to evolve that expertise is important – shapeshifting is a guarantee, no matter what the industry.
Always put your best foot forward, assume positive intent and support your colleagues to the best of your ability. Your personal reputation for quality work and can-do attitude is the foundation that your network will be built on. Pharma and healthcare is a small community with multiple opportunities for crossing paths.
Are there any misconceptions around the skills needed to thrive in the pharmaceutical industry?
Many people still associate pharma solely with white coats and sterile labs, but that’s far from the full picture. Pharma is a multifaceted ecosystem of people and while technical knowledge and skills are necessary, soft skills are just as important, such as the ability to build relationships, work cross-functionally and to navigate evolving regulatory and technological landscapes.
What’s often overlooked is the importance of commercial and strategic skills, being able to manage complex negotiations, interpret data to inform strategy and understand the economic levers that drive decision-making. Pharma today is as much about people, partnerships and performance as it is about science.
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