Together We Can: Breaking the Glass Ceiling

Theme: Breaking the Glass Ceiling

The "Together We Can: Breaking the Glass Ceiling" summit aims to explore and address the challenges, successes, and strategies for advancing diversity and inclusion at the senior leadership level in the pharmaceutical industry. The event seeks to inspire, educate, and equip attendees with practical tools and insights to promote career progression and dismantle systemic barriers that hinder the advancement of under represented professionals.

Advancing Diversity in Pharma Leadership Panel

A diverse group of senior leaders share personal stories, discuss effective diversity initiatives, and explore future trends to inspire and equip attendees with strategies for promoting inclusion and career advancement in the pharmaceutical industry.

The panel discussion will be followed by an open discussion for the audience to share their ideas, experiences,and feedback.

Panellist 1: Dominick Kennerson, Senior Vice President HealthTech at HSBC Innovation Banking

Dominick Kennerson is Senior Vice President for HealthTech at HSBC Innovation Banking, based in London. In his work with HSBC Innovation Banking, Dominick works with the healthtech (digital health) sector’s leading CEOs and CFOs to solution success via: industry insights, networks, and the bank’s global value proposition. 

Dominick joined HSBC Innovation Banking in 2023 after a near-decade career with Bayer AG, based in Berlin. During his 9-year career with Bayer, he held distinct roles: in global communications, global public affairs, and served as the Global Director of G4A, respectively. He is known as a healthcare expert, with deep experience and insight across several sectors, including public health, health innovation and entrepreneurship, healthcare communications, and healthcare policy.

Dominick’s healthcare and digital health experience is deep, with a public health start with the United States Department of Agriculture (2002); in 2006, he was part of the pioneering digital health platform Revolution Health; and as a consultant he’s worked with leading biopharma companies such as Pfizer, Sanofi, and Astra Zeneca.  

In 2010, Dominick became a Robert Bosch Foundation fellow (Berlin, Germany); where he was exposed to the mechanisms of the transatlantic alliance and held transformative work experiences with Germany’s National Statutory Health Insurance Association (GKV-SV), and Bayer Healthcare, respectively. 

He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from South Carolina State University (2002), a master’s degree in healthcare management from The George Washington University (2005), and a certificate from the London School of Economics Executive Education program for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (2022).

Panellist 2: Tina Taylor, Vice President of Disease Intelligence and Epidemiology at GlobalData Healthcare

Tina Taylor, MSci, is the Vice President of Disease Intelligence and Epidemiology at GlobalData. She has a deep understanding of competitive landscapes across various disease areas with expertise at formulating strategic roadmaps for key commercial decisions. In her role, Tina serves as a strategic partner to pharmaceutical companies, delivering actionable data-driven insights, and introducing innovative analytical solutions and deliverables. Tina is adept at managing high-performing teams, identifying practical solutions, and pitching new perspectives to challenges. She is a results-orientated leader with a track record of managing large teams (50+) and projects in market research and insights, competitive intelligence, and forecasting.

Prior to her VP role, Tina was a Senior Director and managed GlobalData's Immunology and Neurology disease analysis portfolios and the company's syndicated Competitive Intelligence (CI) portfolio. Tina has over 10 years’ experience in pharmaceutical market intelligence and three years’ experience in drug discovery. Prior to her roles at GlobalData, Tina was an Engagement Manager with management consulting firm Lifescience Dynamics, covering CI deep-dive and monitoring projects and market research (MR) projects. Prior to joining Lifescience Dynamics, Tina was a Director at GlobalData, where she spent over four years managing the production of syndicated reports, product forecasts, and analyses in autoimmune diseases. Tina has also held several Analyst roles at GlobalData and at Datamonitor, Informa Group, where she authored numerous in-depth analyses of products and companies, bespoke client deliverables, and produced sales- and patient-based indication-specific forecasts. Before joining Datamonitor, Tina worked as a research scientist within GlaxoSmithKline’s drug discovery medicinal chemistry unit in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. Prior to that role, she worked within the early drug development unit at Evotec, a drug-discovery alliance and development partnership company. Tina holds a First-Class Honours Master’s degree in Medicinal Chemistry from University College London.

Panellist 3: Emmanuel Okoye, Vice President, Global Patient Safety Head of Oncology at Regeneron

Emmanuel joined Regeneron 8 years ago and currently serves as Vice President Global Patient Safety Sciences and head of GPS solid oncology Therapeutic area. He is responsible for the overall safety strategy of all Regeneron solid oncology products ensuring safe and effective use of Regeneron solid oncology products. He successfully led the safety strategy of anti-PD1 molecule from Phase 1 to marketing authorization approval and several immuno-oncologic products from first in human to Phase 2 and registrational phase 3 studies.

Prior to Regeneron, he held safety lead roles at Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, Ipsen and Boehringer Ingelheim.

He trained as physician at University of Portharcourt Nigeria, holds MPH from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and is a Fellow of Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine.

Panellist 4: Michelle Akande, Vice President and Head of Global Commercial Access Partnerships (GCAP) at Pfizer.

Michelle Akande is Vice President and Head of Global Commercial Access Partnerships (GCAP) at Pfizer. Michelle leads a dedicated team that works with a broad set of global health actors at global, regional and country levels to accelerate equitable and commercially sustainable access to Pfizer’s inline and pipeline breakthroughs (therapeutics, vaccines, biologics) and improve patient care for underserved populations in more than 80 countries across Africa, Asia, South America, North America, Europe and Oceania. In her role Michelle works with internal and external collaborators to embed access across scientific discovery, development and patient care.

Previously, Michelle was Vice President, Global Access Financing at Pfizer and led the enterprise-wide strategy to unlock blended financing from and structure transactions with the private and public sector for health system strengthening, patient care and product access for the ‘missing middle’ globally. Michelle and her team worked with Development Finance Institutions, Multilateral Development Banks, Commercial Banks, High Net worth Individuals and Outcome Funders to unlock catalytic, bridge or long-term concessional financing to support country-led, evidence-based health system and patient care improvement interventions.

Michelle has almost two decades of experience working across the pharmaceutical industry, global health and development finance. She spent over a decade in leadership positions at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicines (J&J), where she worked across market access and commercial operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. She spearheaded J&J’s re-entry to sub-Saharan Africa, expanding the company's oncology business through Southern Africa and establishing the company’s presence in Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria, where she went on to serve as Country Manager and Regional Board Director.

Prior to joining Pfizer, Michelle was Vice President, Health Markets at MedAccess, which brokers agreements with manufacturers and procurers, leveraging a range of financial instruments to accelerate access to life saving and changing health products.

Michelle started her career in international development and sustainability and holds several degrees including an MSc, Health Policy from Imperial College in London and an MBA from Nottingham University Business School in the United Kingdom. Michelle currently sits on the Global Advisory Board of Nottingham University Business School and holds a Certificate in Board Direction from the Institute of Directors, United Kingdom.

Company Exhibitions

Connect with our Diversity Partners and collaborators as they showcase and share their company’s culture, job opportunities and ERGs at our exhibition area. Enage with the Black Pharma community, early talent and researchers.

Cracking the Code Workshop

Gain valuable insights and practical advice on breaking into the pharma industry. This workshop is designed to help students and early career professionals navigate their career paths and overcome challenges.

Networking

Expand your horizons, connect with inspiring individuals, and build a network that will fuel your personal and professional growth. Network with the Black Pharma community of experienced professionals, early talent and research staff. Together, we can create a community of storytellers, where each voice is heard, valued, and celebrated. Get ready to share, connect, and inspire!

Keynote from the Inpirational Marcia Philbin, Hon. DSc PhD FRSC CChem FAPM, Chief Executive at The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine

Marcia gained her BSc Hons and PhD in chemistry from Aston University in Birmingham. This transformative experience opened her eyes to a world of possibilities she had previously been unaware of. During her undergraduate degree, she spent a year at Esso's research centre in Oxfordshire, where she witnessed firsthand how her work could contribute to improving society. Her PhD study, sponsored by BP Chemicals, further solidified her understanding of science's pivotal role in advancing new processes and products.

Marcia secured a position as a research synthetic chemist at the Ministry of Defence, where she worked to make explosives and rocket propellants safer. Over two decades, she worked for various agencies within the Ministry of Defence, gaining experience in both research and management. She also earned a Diploma in Management Studies from the Chartered Institute of Management. Her final role at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory involved leading a £27M programme that delivered outcomes of national significance.

In 2015, Marcia was appointed as the Assistant Director for Research and Policy at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. In this role, she led a portfolio of work with a budget of £3M. She successfully secured three national clinical audits to improve children and young people's health, including the National Paediatric Diabetes Programme, National Neonatal Audit Programme, and National Epilepsy Programme. Additionally, she served as the Country Agent for the UK in the MOCHA project, a £6M EU-funded initiative led by Imperial College, London, to understand the delivery of primary healthcare in 30 countries.

In 2019, Marcia was appointed as the Chief Executive of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine. Under her leadership, the Faculty has expanded its portfolio of work, secured external funding to transform its digital infrastructure, and developed new educational products. Her efforts have elevated the Faculty's national and international profile, resulting in industry award nominations and wins. In 2022, she was voted by her industry peers to win the Highly Commended CEO Leadership Award at the Memcom Excellence Awards.

Marcia has also been committed to promoting STEM education and diversity. In 2010, she became a STEMNET ambassador to encourage children from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue careers in science. She has also served as a school governor and trustee for various organizations, including the Amadeus Primary Academies Trust.

Marcia is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Association of Project Management. She is a member of the Nominations Committee and the Chair of the Management Interest Group of the RSC. She has also served as an assessor for the Advisory Committee on Clinical Impact Awards and as a member of the Department of Health and Social Care's Engagement Board for the Therapeutics Task Force.

In 2023, Marcia was invited to deliver the Chartered Management Institute's annual MacLaren Memorial Lecture. She was also awarded an honorary doctorate for her work in science and inclusion by Aston University. In May 2024, she was selected by Management Today for the Women in Leadership Powerlist 2024 Award.