Veronica shares how the combination of International Consulting Projects, facility visits, and thought leadership events is inspiring her for the future of biopharma.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been working with a leading biopharma company to shape their long-term growth trajectory, which gave me a unique opportunity to dive deep into the intersection of healthcare, technology, and strategy.

My International Consulting Project (ICP) team is currently at the midpoint of a pivotal project, collaborating with cross-functional leaders across regulatory affairs, medicine, strategy, sales, external innovation, value and access, and more. Through these interviews, combined with in-depth market research, we’re uncovering critical insights to inform the future direction of their portfolio and how to position them for future success.

My International Consulting Project team: Sélim Sfar, Anne-Charlotte Bogh-Sorensen, me, Beatriz Monreal, Shawheen Yazdani, and Adrian Knöpfel

This week, we hosted an in-person workshop designed to transform our research into an actionable strategy. The client team’s passion and deep expertise have led to rich, thought-provoking discussions, and we’ve structured interactive activities to keep engagement high and ideas flowing. It’s a highly collaborative environment where innovation and diverse perspectives converge to amplify decision-making and help shape a more cohesive strategy moving forward. The results are invigorating. As the biopharma landscape grows more complex, it’s clear that this level of cross-functional alignment is key to staying ahead of market shifts and emerging trends.

In collaboration with the Career Development Center, we also enjoyed an unforgettable visit to Merck’s biotech facility in Vevey, Switzerland, where we toured their automated manufacturing center. Seeing biopharma production through the lens of cutting-edge technology was a powerful reminder of how innovation is transforming every stage of the healthcare value chain. The integration of advanced tech, automation, and science in the production process stood out as a perfect example of how the industry is evolving to meet the growing demand for precision medicine and scalable solutions.

Visit to Merck organized by the Career Development Team and the MBA Health & Science Club

A discussion with Florian Schick and Damiano Urbinello, leaders for Merck’s Switzerland business, about the future state of the world through the lens of younger generations was an exceptional learning experience. Spanning topics like desensitization, the climate crisis, family planning, evolving notions of community, and more, we discovered how businesses can make better, more meaningful decisions today that will positively impact society at large for years to come.

Discussing the future state of the world

Engaging in this thoughtful, future-oriented ideation session, paired with witnessing such a state-of-the-art pharma manufacturing process up close, really embodied the potential of innovation in healthcare – one of the core reasons I came to IMD.

Merck visit: Laura Chedid, Carlotta Schwarz, me, Anne-Charlotte Bogh-Sorensen, Stephanie Hudson, Alison Brett, Jinni Phornsaichol and Beatriz Monreal

I also had the privilege of attending BiotechX EU in Basel, where AI and data-driven solutions dominated the conversation. Topics ranged from how AI is revolutionizing R&D and upskilling teams to commercialization strategies for digital health products. The global exchange of ideas was incredibly inspiring, highlighting the urgent need to bridge the gap between technological innovation and healthcare’s real-world applications. Conversations extended beyond just the tech, touching on leadership, mindfulness, and the future of education in this rapidly evolving field.

BiotechX EU in Basel

For me, this combination of hands-on consulting, facility visits, and thought leadership events perfectly encapsulates why I pursued this path – to assist in bringing healthcare and technology together to drive better outcomes for patients worldwide and society.

As we continue to collaborate with leaders and innovators across the sector, I’m excited about the future possibilities that lie at the intersection of data, AI, and biopharma strategy, and look forward to the continued exploration as this journey unfolds.

Veronica Durando

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