In the past, women who desired a good role were subjected to twice as many obstacles as men. Do women have to “be like men,” as the president of Takeda’s plasma-derived therapies unit, Julie Kim, says, to rise in the ranks? To answer some of the questions, we have explored the interesting viewpoints of some of the most successful women executives in the pharma industry. Let’s dive into how the likes of Kim paved the path for other women by contributing their part.
Cindy Perettie, CEO, Foundation Medicine
Under the leadership of CEO Cindy Perettie, Foundation Medicine, a Roche-owned biopharma company, secured milestones like the FDA’s clearance of a cancer blood test. All this has been achieved, regardless of the COVID-19-induced chaos.
In the wake of a global pandemic, the company purchased the liquid biopsy developer Lexent Bio in an effort to broaden its blood-screening platforms and announced a new partnership with Takeda’s U.S. division to deliver a range of diagnostics for the pharmaceutical company’s lung cancer portfolio. Perettie, who previously worked at Roche and Genentech on the breast cancer franchise and global oncology product strategy, says that inclusivity is her mantra and the secret ingredient to the company’s success.
Charlotte Allerton, Senior Vice President, Pfizer
Before acquiring this crucial role, Charlotte Allerton held a wide range of positions using her chemistry training. Allerton led clinical research studies for the discovery of new therapies that, according to the now senior VP, helped her build a strong foundation for her current role.
Allerton started her 25-year-old journey as a synthetic chemist in 1993. Under Allerton’s supervision, Pfizer produced acclaimed new drugs, including Steglatro, a diabetes treatment, and lung cancer drugs Vizimpro and Lorbrena. One of the most significant challenges that Allerton faced and overcame was formulating COVID-19’s vaccine. Allerton, a supermom of four, says that with some workers on-site and most working remotely, it was tough to achieve their goals.
Rachel Haurwitz, CEO and Cofounder, Caribou Biosciences
Rachel Haurwitz cofounded Caribou Biosciences along with Jennifer Doudna and is now ranked as one of the most influential women in the biopharma industry. The major enterprise that Haurwitz undertook and succeeded in was the invention of CISPR Cas9.
Apart from these accomplishments, Haurwitz has had many scientific articles published in reputed journals. She is also the cofounder of Intellia Therapeutics, an organisation that deploys Caribou Bioscience’s platform to formulate medicines. The trailblazer has much to celebrate at such a young age.
JENNIFER TAUBERT, Executive Vice President
Rising through the ranks of pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J), Jennifer Taubert now retains the position of executive vice president and worldwide chairman. With her efforts in medical innovation, she is accounting for more than 30% of J&J’s $72 billion in revenue. Under her supervision, J&J’s pharmaceutical division, Janssen, has grown to become the third-largest innovative pharmaceutical firm in the world and continues to make a substantial contribution to the company’s expansion. She presides over the company’s Pharmaceuticals Group Operating Committee.
HEATHER BRESCH, CEO, Mylan
Heather Bresch, who now holds the position of CEO, started her career as a clerk in 2012 at Mylan. Thanks to her leadership, Mylan is now the largest generic pharmaceutical firm in the world. After she oversaw two worldwide acquisitions of Matrix Laboratories and Merck KGaA’s generics division, Mylan was elevated from a significant generic medicine firm in the US to a global one under her mentorship. She has been ranked as the first female CEO to head a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical business.
Owing to these resilient women, the workforce in the pharma industry now employs 48.6 percent of women. In the 21st century, women are significantly contributing to the health sector. Once given the opportunity, women can outdo everyone.
Julie Kim, President Business Unit, Takeda
Julie Kim came from a family of physicians and made her way into biopharma, despite being outcast from the family. When Baxter offered her a job in the early 2000s, she decided to quit consulting for the industry, despite being initially hesitant to do so. She rose through the ranks of Baxter before moving on to its spinoff, Baxalta. She continued to rise even after Shire acquired Baxalta in 2016 and Takeda, in turn, took Shire in 2018. She was appointed to Takeda’s executive team and given the responsibility of establishing a new business unit focused on plasma-based medications.
Kim says that when she first started off, she was told that being a woman meant one must suffer and “be like a man” to achieve her dreams. However, she claims that she is making it easier for other women who are likely to walk on the path paved by her. Currently, she is focused on improving inclusivity at Takeda. She incites women to take up roles in the biopharma sector.
With these trailblazers making such significant impact in the pharma industry in today’s world, it is a treat to imagine a future where the number will hopefully increase.
