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Insights into the future
of top pharma boards
2
Introduction
In our recent publication, “Trends in board composition at top pharmaceutical
companies,” we reviewed the background, profiles and experience of board directors
of the ten largest (by revenue) pharmaceutical companies in the US and Europe. We
have now updated our dataset to include the top 15 of these companies and 180 of
their directors. We also interviewed a number of these directors, both executive and
non-executive, to gain insight into the ways in which board composition is changing
and into the skills and competencies that will be required in the future.
A few insights emerged consistently from these interviews, and from our ongoing
consulting to the pharma industry. In this publication, we discuss these insights
and their implications for leadership talent in general, and for board composition in
particular, providing data-based evidence to support our findings and predictions
whenever possible.
These insights can be categorized under the headings:
1.	 Board remit and effectiveness
2.	Evolutionary (not revolutionary) change
3.	The digital opportunity
4.	Greater need for hands-on pharma experience
5.	Winning in emerging markets
We hope this executive briefing document will resonate and even stimulate ideas on
ways to enhance board effectiveness in the current market environment and in the
face of the challenges we see ahead.
3
The driving forces behind healthcare in general, and the pharmaceutical industry
in particular, have been challenging and enduring over the past few decades—
technology, demographics, consumer expectations and affordability.
Yet the current environment has brought accelerating change and complexity, and
by implication, pharma companies need to look for innovative new approaches and
cutting-edge strategies for success. The list of potential solutions and still-open
questions facing the industry includes such topics as beyond-the-pill services,
mobile health and finding new “centers of influence”—people and organizations
that can boost market access and credibility—as well as the ways in which the
industry will define the “end game” going forward, both as a group and for individual
companies.
Big pharma companies face an additional challenge as well: defending their
market positions against emerging pharma and biotech businesses. According to
EvaluatePharma, the top 15 pharma companies are expected to see their combined
market share decline from 56% in 2014 to 48% by 2020. [Ref. 1]
To survive—and even embrace—the changes, large pharma businesses need an
honest self-assessment, asking themselves if they have the right mix of skills and
experience at board level. This paper offers five key categories of insights into board
structure and composition to help answer and resolve that question.
Embracing change
4
1. Board remit and effectiveness
ɳɳ Top pharma boards are performing—and need to perform—an increasingly vital role in debating and
challenging company strategy
ɳɳ Yet those directors we interviewed indicated that issues relating to governance and financial risk still seem
to take up excessive amounts of the agenda and time in board meetings, leaving insufficient opportunity to
discuss and debate strategy and innovation, which are the lifeblood of any successful organization
ɳɳ An effective board enables a company to develop and execute robust strategic responses to arising and
enduring challenges. Three elements will be important in defining a board’s effectiveness—corporate
strategy, board composition and board structure and processes. The board culture connects these three
elements together
FOUR MODELS OF LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE HAVE EMERGED AMONG TOP 15 PHARMA BOARDS
Executive
chair/CEO
Executive
chair/CEO, lead
director on
board
Non-executive
chair, CEO on
board
Non-executive
chair, CEO not
on board
Combined executive
chair/CEO structure
Responsibilities of
executive chair/CEO:
ɳɳ Provides leadership
to the company’s
executives
ɳɳ Presides over board
meetings
ɳɳ Ensures that the firm’s
duties to shareholders
are being fulfilled
ɳɳ Serves as link between
the board and senior
management
Responsibilities of lead
independent director:
ɳɳ Chairs and plans board
meetings
ɳɳ Challenges the chair/CEO
and/or senior management
on behalf of shareholders’
interests when needed
ɳɳ Serves mainly an
administrative role—however,
the role can evolve in times
of crisis
Responsibilities of non-executive chair:
ɳɳ Clearly distinguishes roles of the board and
management
ɳɳ Allows CEO to focus on strategy, operations and
organizational issues
ɳɳ Eliminates conflicts of interest in areas such as
performance evaluation, executive compensation,
succession planning
Lead director provides
independent board
leadership alongside chair;
seen as alternative to
splitting chair and CEO
Non-executive chair
independent from
company’s management;
CEO as a board member
Non-executive
chair independent
from company’s
management; CEO is
not a board member
13%
27% 47%
13%
Source: Russell Reynolds Associates, board analysis of top 15 pharma companies, April 2016. [Ref. 2]
5
THE EVOLUTION OF BOARDS
DEFINING THE ELEMENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE
BOARD
An effective board can be defined across the following
areas—strategy, people and composition, structure and
processes. The board culture ties them together
BOARD DIRECTORS WANT ADDITIONAL TIME
AND FOCUS DEVOTED TO AREAS AFFECTING
LONG-TERM SHAREHOLDER-VALUE CREATION
Please indicate if you believe your board should change the
amount of time it spends on the following
In percent of responses; multiple responses
ɳɳ World-class insights and
global strategic outlook
brought to bear on business
strategy
ɳɳ Board works together as a
single unit, becoming a true
strategic asset
ɳɳ Diversity of views, experience
and skills freely shared,
resulting in outperforming
the competition
ɳɳ Complementary behaviors
and trust engender
constructive debate
ɳɳ Effective executive
mentoring
ɳɳ Strong track record of
growth
ɳɳ Development needs
addressed
ɳɳ Core experience and
technical capabilities
identified and brought onto
the board
ɳɳ Experience and skillsets fit
the medium- and long-term
strategy
ɳɳ Succession planning and gap
analysis addressed regularly
ɳɳ Compliant with basic
corporate governance
principles
ɳɳ Essential committee
processes defined and
implemented
ɳɳ Effective scheduling and
information in place
KEY POINTS FOR BOARDS
ɳɳ Identify the overall strengths and weaknesses of the board and committees; develop insights to help
them work more effectively
ɳɳ Prioritize the challenges facing the board; make specific, actionable recommendations for enhancing
each of the relevant areas
ɳɳ Provide benchmarking against competitors and against leading regional and global companies
Simple board Developing capabilities High performing World class
Strategic planning
66%
IT risks (incl. cybersecurity)
Succession planning
Talent management
Risk management
Industry competitors
IT strategy
Crisis management/planning
Executive compensation
65%
51%
50%
47%
46%
46%
37%
24%
Much more time and focus Some increase in time and focus
Structure
and processes
People and
composition
Strategy
CULTURE
Key board elements
ɳɳ Strategy: clarity, alignment,
contribution
ɳɳ Structure and processes:
committees, meeting mechanics,
agenda, investor benchmarks
ɳɳ People and composition:
competencies, diversity,
individual/collective board
performance
Key cultural elements
ɳɳ Open-mindedness
ɳɳ Constructive challenge
ɳɳ License to dissent
ɳɳ Mutual respect
ɳɳ Collaboration
ɳɳ Transparency
ɳɳ Performance orientation
ɳɳ Independent mindset
Board culture is the sum total of
“how we work and how we do things”
Degree of effectiveness and impact
Source: PWC, annual corporate directors survey, 2015. [Ref. 3]
6
2. Evolutionary (not revolutionary) change
ɳɳ The mix of challenges that big pharma companies face is rapidly increasing in complexity
ɳɳ In response to particular threats and opportunities, the boards of big pharma companies must be able to
bring a diverse set of competencies, experiences and perspectives to bear. They need board members who
understand the current challenges and can steer both strategic development and company transformation
ɳɳ Nonetheless, the majority of directors we interviewed feel it is unlikely that changes in board composition
will be either revolutionary or dramatic. The size and scale of the top 15 pharma companies, as well as the
conservative nature of the industry, lend themselves far more to evolutionary change
BY GENDER
The proportion of female board members
has increased, though not across all top 15 boards,
indicating further room for improvement
BY AGE
Up to 40% of top pharma board seats could
turn over in the next few years; in most, 2-3
generations are represented on the board
Top 15 pharma boards,
composition by age
Composition by age—
a closer look
	Under 50
50-58
58-65
65+ 2%
24%
32%
42%
YEARS
13% 24%14%
Top 10
pharma
2009
Top 15
pharma
2016
Top 10
pharma
2004
11% 43%
Min
Median
5th
percentile
Max
84
53 74
64
45
YEARS
Proportion of the
entire board
THE VAST MAJORITY OF DIRECTORS BELIEVE BOARD DIVERSITY POSITIVELY AFFECTS
BOTH THE BOARD AND THE COMPANY
To what extent do you believe the following regarding board diversity?
In percent of responses; multiple responses
Adding
diversity
is important
Board diversity
leads to
enhanced
board
effectiveness
Board diversity
leads to
enhanced
company
performance
There are no
significant
impediments
to increasing
board diversity
There are
sufficient
numbers
of qualified
diverse candidates
Very much
Somewhat
95%
84% 81% 80%
73%
Source: PWC, annual corporate directors survey, 2015. [Ref. 3]
Source: Russell Reynolds Associates, board analysis of 180 board directors, April 2016. [Ref. 4]
95th
percentile
Average female
representation
on top pharma boards
Range of female board
members at
top 15 pharma
Min Max
7
KEY POINTS FOR BOARDS
ɳɳ Build a diverse board to help “future proof” the business—one that reflects the changes in the
environment and the global patient base and embodies a wide range of skills
ɳɳ Conduct regular director and board evaluations to help ensure that both individual directors’
performances and collective board counseling are aligned with the company’s strategic objectives
ɳɳ Plan future board composition well in advance by defining future needs, as well as skill gaps in the current
team. Focus first on the capabilities, experience and perspectives required to provide effective corporate
oversight and governance
BY NATIONALITY
Top pharma companies (particularly those
which are US-based) need to extend the
talent sourcing pool for their board directors
to reflect their patient base and geographical
opportunities, in addition to their global capital
structure
BY TENURE
A substantial number (24%) of directors
have served on their board for more than
10 years
Top 15 pharma board composition by nationality Top 15 pharma board composition by tenure
<2 2-5 5-10 10-15 15+
YEARS
18%
23%
35%
13% 11%
89%
40%
11%
60%
U.S.-based
companies
Europe-based
companies
Foreign (all other nationalities)
National (HQ country)
34%
share of board seats
held by foreign
directors, i.e., with
nationality outside
the HQ country
average tenure
on the board
7.2 years
Source: Russell Reynolds Associates, board analysis of 180 board directors, April 2016. [Ref. 4]
8
3. The digital opportunity
ɳɳ There is a clear appreciation among the board directors we interviewed that digital initiatives can and will
radically change the way pharma companies conduct their business
ɳɳ Yet, with some exceptions, the pharma industry has been relatively slow to recognize the importance of digital
opportunities to its future, including the vital contribution of digital initiatives to its relationships with payors,
physicians and patients
ɳɳ Big pharma will need board members who can tackle not just the “why,” but the “how” of developing powerful,
sophisticated data analytics and using social media to reach the patient community, to name just a few key
areas
DIGITAL/DATA IN PHARMA—INNOVATION LIFE CYCLE
The pharmaceutical industry is approaching radical changes in business models and structural disruptions
DIGITAL REPRESENTATION ON TOP 15 PHARMA BOARDS
40% of top pharma companies have one or more board directors with digital or technology experience—
more than the average across all sectors (see F300 below)
No digital
representation
Digital
representation
Highly digital
boards
60% 20% 20%
78% 12% 10%F300
7% share of board seats held by directors
with digital or technology experience
0 1 2+
Disruptive
innovation
Application
innovation
Product
innovation
Process
innovation
Marketing
innovation Business model
innovation
Structural
innovation
TIME
INDUSTRYREVENUEGROWTH
Source: Russell Reynolds Associates, board analysis of 180 board directors, April 2016 [Ref. 4,5]; Russell Reynolds Associates, digital directors
study, 2016. [Ref. 6]
Top 15 pharma
DIRECTORS WITH DIGITAL EXPERIENCE
9
KEY POINTS FOR BOARDS
ɳɳ Learn and understand what “digital” means for the industry and the company specifically—and identify
the board competencies required to foster this development
ɳɳ Appoint board members with appropriate digital experience to challenge the leadership team and help
them to capture the growth opportunity through digital
THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS OF A “DIGITAL” BOARD DIRECTOR
There is no single, standard profile of a digital director—as boards evaluate potential digital directors, they
should keep the following trade-offs in mind
Functional perspective
Technology perspective
Conceptual/pragmatic knowledge
Traditional pure-play
Established general manager, experience of
complex P&Ls
Limited general manager breadth
Digital pure-play experience
Traditional company background,
experience in digital transformation
“Digital upbringing”: career track in digital“Digital mindset”: conceptual awareness
of digital issues
Deep expertise, in particular digital technologies
e.g., cloud, social, mobile, big data and analytics
Less-specific digital technology expertise
Background in other functions
Background from specific technology role,
e.g., CTO or CIO
FOUR BROAD AREAS WHERE DIGITAL BOARD DIRECTORS CAN ADD VALUE
Vision and
strategy
Stakeholders’
perspective
Leadership
and culture
Commercial
and investment
acumen
Ensure the business is developing
a pipeline of digital talent and
advising on cultural transformation
Have a view on market
dynamics, the latest digital
trends and their implications
for the business
Contribute to assessment of
investments in complex, capital-
intensive technology projects
Understand digital aspects of
marketing, customer insight,
analytics, and stakeholder
engagement
DESIGN
IMPLEMENTATION
STAKEHOLDERS
ORGANIZATION
General management weight
10
4. Greater need for hands-on pharma experience
ɳɳ There is a strong feeling among directors that overall board makeup has evolved too far away from successful
innovators and business leaders who are steeped in the industry
ɳɳ While there is a relatively high proportion of broad scientific capability on the boards of big pharma, it is
primarily offered by academic scientists rather than by experienced pharma-sector professionals
ɳɳ This scarcity may have historically been the result of non-compete clauses in the contracts of former pharma
executives, restricting their appointment to the board of a previous competitor. Following the relaxation of
these restrictions, recent board hires in the top 15 pharma companies have included a greater number of
seasoned commercial leaders from within the industry
FUNCTIONAL EXPERIENCE OF BOARD
DIRECTORS AT TOP 15 PHARMA COMPANIES
Nearly two-thirds of board directors have previous
general management experience, and nearly half
have previous or current CEO experience of an
industry, for-profit company
In many cases, more than one functional experience noted
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE OF BOARD
DIRECTORS AT TOP 15 PHARMA COMPANIES
Only 22% of board directors in our analysis have
some previous pharmaceutical industry experience
In many cases, more than one industry background noted
27%
22%
19%
16%
13%
7%
7%
7%
5%
4%
4%
4%
63%
48%
31%
26%
16%
12%
7%
7%
6%
4%
2%
3%
General management (other than CEO)
CEO (industry)
Finance
Academia
Other
R&D academia
Marketing & sales
R&D industry
CEO (non-profit)
Legal
Government
TechOps
Academia
Pharma
Financial services
Professional services
Consumer goods
Industrial goods
Media/communications
Government
Technology
Chemicals
Transportation/logistics
Retail/hospitality
Oil/gas
MedTech
Other
3%
3%
7%
Source: Russell Reynolds Associates, board analysis of 180 board directors, April 2016 [Ref. 4]
13% of these with
experience only
in the pharma
industry
11
KEY POINTS FOR BOARDS
ɳɳ Think more strategically about board composition and evaluate carefully the gaps in competency and
functional experience among board members
ɳɳ Look for complementary capabilities among potential directors in the broader pharma and healthcare
space
ɳɳ Target the balance of hands-on pharma and commercial expertise that will most effectively equip the
board to advise the executive management team on strategic vision and implementation
PHARMA INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE OF BOARD DIRECTORS
Recent appointments of board directors show a trend towards those with hands-on experience in pharma—
primarily, general management or CEO background, followed by industry-specific R&D experience
Proportion of board directors with previous
pharma industry experience
Functional experience of recent appointments
with previous pharma experience
Appointment
more than
2 years ago
Appointments
in the last
2 years
19%
35%
Source: Russell Reynolds Associates, board analysis of 180 board directors, April 2016 [Ref. 4]
92%
75%
33%
17%
17%
8%
General management (other than CEO)
CEO (industry)
Finance
Marketing & sales
R&D industry
TechOps
In many cases, more than one functional
experience noted
12
5. Winning in emerging markets
ɳɳ Big pharma companies have realized for some time that their previous strategies for extending into non-
traditional pharma markets have not always been successful, and need to be revised with input and advice
from leaders with successful track records in those markets
ɳɳ Although the current economic challenges facing several of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) markets
are restricting their growth potential in the short term, in the longer term, emerging markets with growing
populations and increasing wealth are strategically critical to the pharmaceutical sector
ɳɳ Current board composition at top pharma companies therefore needs to better reflect emerging-market
perspectives and experience
GLOBAL SPENDING ON MEDICINES
Pharmerging markets are expected to show the highest growth rates to 2020, driven primarily by wider use of
medicines
SIGNIFICANCE OF EMERGING MARKETS FOR PHARMA BUSINESS
Average proportion of revenues generated in emerging markets by top 15 pharma companies, 2015
20%
Note: Majority from these six countries.
Source: Russell Reynolds Associates, financial analysis of top 15 pharma companies, April 2016 [Ref. 9]
1
Compound annual growth rate (CAGR), an average annual growth rate.
Source: IMS Health, market prognosis, Sep 2015. [Ref. 8].
2015 2020
1,068
1,365 – 1,455
684
135
249
870-900
150-180
345-375
Developed
Global
RoW
Pharmerging
4.8%
6.2%
5.2%
11.9%
3-6%
4-7%
1-4%
7-10%
2010-2015 2016-2020
CAGR1
Spending on medicines
US$ billion
13
KEY POINTS FOR BOARDS
ɳɳ Appoint board members with relevant emerging market experience who can guide the company in the
following:
– Optimizing talent strategies and extending talent pools—from the board level to country heads—to
make the most of opportunities in emerging markets
– Establishing an appropriate skillset by defining key competencies required for success in an emerging
market; determining competency gaps and tailoring the talent strategy (e.g., hiring, development)
accordingly
ɳɳ Extending “board diversity” definition to a broader meaning that reflects both a potentially large patient
base in emerging markets and the business acumen to work effectively in those markets—whether this
implies a variety of nationalities, a diversity of hands-on operating experience in emerging markets, or
global mindsets
KEY CHALLENGES TO FURTHER GROWTH IN
EMERGING MARKETS
Share of responses “most relevant” and “very
relevant”; multiple responses
REPRESENTATION OF OPERATIONAL
EXPERIENCE IN EMERGING MARKETS
ON TOP 15 PHARMA BOARDS
40% of top pharma companies have three or more
board directors with operational experience in
emerging markets
68%
67%
64%
59%
54%
52%
51%
51%
49%
43%
Lack of reimbursement and public funding
Lack of healthcare infrastructure
Lack of affordability
Price pressure
Local competition
Lack of IP protection
Challenging/non-transparent contracting and tenders
Talent issues (recruitment, development, retention)
Compliance challenges
Lengthy product registration processes
Source: Strategy& survey of executives from top 25 pharmaceutical
and generics companies, other industry experts, and members of
Strategy& global pharmaceutical practice. [Ref. 10]
22%
share of board seats held by
directors with operational
experience in emerging markets
Source: Russell Reynolds Associates, analysis of 180 board
directors, April 2016. [Ref. 4, 11]
60%
13%
27%
1-2 3-4 5+
0%
0
DIRECTORS WITH OPERATIONAL
EXPERIENCE IN EMERGING MARKETS
14
These five groups of insights provide a number of strategic action points for the boards of big pharma companies.
However, another insight should also be highlighted—the industry is moving rapidly towards a closer relationship
between pharma companies and the end consumer: the patient. While in the past, doctors have always acted as
intermediaries, in today’s market, patients are becoming more active in their own treatment plans. As a result,
consumer outreach is taking on increasing strategic importance for big pharma.
We note this insight was barely mentioned in our interviews with directors this time around; some even suggested
that too strong a focus on consumer marketing could represent a distraction from the focus on genuine,
breakthrough scientific innovation as the most important strategic imperative.
Nevertheless, we believe that big pharma companies, and in particular pure pharmaceutical groups, have
a growing need to understand the patient perspective. We therefore believe that boards have an increasing
requirement to recruit members with successful consumer goods and services leadership experience. This, with
the other skills and experience noted above, will help to create a truly diverse board, ready to take on the issues
inherent to today’s increasingly complex and challenging pharmaceutical market.
Final notes
15
References
1.	 Worldwide prescription drug sales. EvaluatePharma—World preview 2015, outlook to 2020. Evaluate, June
2015.
2.	 Board analysis of top 15 pharma companies. Russell Reynolds Associates, April 2016. Companies included in
the analysis: AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Gilead Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline,
Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, Teva.
3.	 Governing for the long term—Looking down the road with an eye on the rear-view mirror. PwC’s 2015 annual
corporate directors’ survey. PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2015.
4.	 Study of 180 executive and non-executive directors on the boards of the world’s top 15 pharmaceutical
companies by revenues. Russell Reynolds Associates, April 2016. Companies included in the analysis: AbbVie,
Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Gilead Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson,
Merck & Co., Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, Teva. Employee representatives not included. Data
collected from companies’ websites and BoardEx, status mid-April 2016.
5.	 A board director is considered as having digital experience, if s/he has (a) held an executive leadership role in
a digital pure-play company, (b) held an executive leadership role in a transformational digital function within
a traditional company, and/or (c) held two or more board positions in pure-play digital companies (since 2007).
6.	 2016 digital directors study. Russell Reynolds Associates, 2016. Top 100 organizations in the US, Europe and
Asia, respectively.
7.	 Digital NEDs—A view from the chair. Russell Reynolds Associates, 2015.
8.	 Global medicines use in 2020—Outlook and implications, IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, November
2015. Pharmerging countries include China (tier 1), Brazil, India, Russia (tier 2), Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh,
Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, S. Africa, Saudi
Arabia, Turkey, Vietnam (tier 3).
9.	 Financial analysis of 2015 product revenues of top 15 pharma companies. Russell Reynolds Associates, April
2016. Emerging markets are defined as all markets except North America, Western Europe, Australia, New
Zealand, and Japan.
10.	 Pharma emerging markets 2.0—How emerging markets are driving the transformation of the pharmaceutical
industry. Strategy&, originally published by Booz & Company, 2013.
11.	 Operational experience in emerging markets refers to general management or senior functional positions in a
country/region outside North America, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
16
AUTHORS
The paper was created by Russell Reynolds Associates’ global healthcare board practice team, specifically
authored by:
Christopher Burrows, an active member of the firm’s board practice, global healthcare sector and the digital
transformation practice. Based in London, he has advised clients on projects across Asia, Europe and North
America.
Saule Serikova, the firm’s global knowledge leader for the healthcare sector. Based in Amsterdam, she provides
insights and data-driven analysis on key talent challenges in the global pharmaceutical industry and other
healthcare-related market segments.
16
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Russell Reynolds Associates is a global leader in assessment, recruitment and succession planning for boards of directors, chief executive
officers and key roles within the C-suite. With more than 370 consultants in 46 offices around the world, we work closely with public,
private and nonprofit organizations across all industries and regions. We help our clients build teams of transformational leaders who can
meet today’s challenges and anticipate the digital, economic, environmental and political trends that are reshaping the global business
environment. Find out more at www.russellreynolds.com. Follow us on Twitter: @RRAonLeadership
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Insights into the future of top pharma boards_RRA_Jun 2016_print

  • 1. Insights into the future of top pharma boards
  • 2. 2 Introduction In our recent publication, “Trends in board composition at top pharmaceutical companies,” we reviewed the background, profiles and experience of board directors of the ten largest (by revenue) pharmaceutical companies in the US and Europe. We have now updated our dataset to include the top 15 of these companies and 180 of their directors. We also interviewed a number of these directors, both executive and non-executive, to gain insight into the ways in which board composition is changing and into the skills and competencies that will be required in the future. A few insights emerged consistently from these interviews, and from our ongoing consulting to the pharma industry. In this publication, we discuss these insights and their implications for leadership talent in general, and for board composition in particular, providing data-based evidence to support our findings and predictions whenever possible. These insights can be categorized under the headings: 1. Board remit and effectiveness 2. Evolutionary (not revolutionary) change 3. The digital opportunity 4. Greater need for hands-on pharma experience 5. Winning in emerging markets We hope this executive briefing document will resonate and even stimulate ideas on ways to enhance board effectiveness in the current market environment and in the face of the challenges we see ahead.
  • 3. 3 The driving forces behind healthcare in general, and the pharmaceutical industry in particular, have been challenging and enduring over the past few decades— technology, demographics, consumer expectations and affordability. Yet the current environment has brought accelerating change and complexity, and by implication, pharma companies need to look for innovative new approaches and cutting-edge strategies for success. The list of potential solutions and still-open questions facing the industry includes such topics as beyond-the-pill services, mobile health and finding new “centers of influence”—people and organizations that can boost market access and credibility—as well as the ways in which the industry will define the “end game” going forward, both as a group and for individual companies. Big pharma companies face an additional challenge as well: defending their market positions against emerging pharma and biotech businesses. According to EvaluatePharma, the top 15 pharma companies are expected to see their combined market share decline from 56% in 2014 to 48% by 2020. [Ref. 1] To survive—and even embrace—the changes, large pharma businesses need an honest self-assessment, asking themselves if they have the right mix of skills and experience at board level. This paper offers five key categories of insights into board structure and composition to help answer and resolve that question. Embracing change
  • 4. 4 1. Board remit and effectiveness ɳɳ Top pharma boards are performing—and need to perform—an increasingly vital role in debating and challenging company strategy ɳɳ Yet those directors we interviewed indicated that issues relating to governance and financial risk still seem to take up excessive amounts of the agenda and time in board meetings, leaving insufficient opportunity to discuss and debate strategy and innovation, which are the lifeblood of any successful organization ɳɳ An effective board enables a company to develop and execute robust strategic responses to arising and enduring challenges. Three elements will be important in defining a board’s effectiveness—corporate strategy, board composition and board structure and processes. The board culture connects these three elements together FOUR MODELS OF LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE HAVE EMERGED AMONG TOP 15 PHARMA BOARDS Executive chair/CEO Executive chair/CEO, lead director on board Non-executive chair, CEO on board Non-executive chair, CEO not on board Combined executive chair/CEO structure Responsibilities of executive chair/CEO: ɳɳ Provides leadership to the company’s executives ɳɳ Presides over board meetings ɳɳ Ensures that the firm’s duties to shareholders are being fulfilled ɳɳ Serves as link between the board and senior management Responsibilities of lead independent director: ɳɳ Chairs and plans board meetings ɳɳ Challenges the chair/CEO and/or senior management on behalf of shareholders’ interests when needed ɳɳ Serves mainly an administrative role—however, the role can evolve in times of crisis Responsibilities of non-executive chair: ɳɳ Clearly distinguishes roles of the board and management ɳɳ Allows CEO to focus on strategy, operations and organizational issues ɳɳ Eliminates conflicts of interest in areas such as performance evaluation, executive compensation, succession planning Lead director provides independent board leadership alongside chair; seen as alternative to splitting chair and CEO Non-executive chair independent from company’s management; CEO as a board member Non-executive chair independent from company’s management; CEO is not a board member 13% 27% 47% 13% Source: Russell Reynolds Associates, board analysis of top 15 pharma companies, April 2016. [Ref. 2]
  • 5. 5 THE EVOLUTION OF BOARDS DEFINING THE ELEMENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE BOARD An effective board can be defined across the following areas—strategy, people and composition, structure and processes. The board culture ties them together BOARD DIRECTORS WANT ADDITIONAL TIME AND FOCUS DEVOTED TO AREAS AFFECTING LONG-TERM SHAREHOLDER-VALUE CREATION Please indicate if you believe your board should change the amount of time it spends on the following In percent of responses; multiple responses ɳɳ World-class insights and global strategic outlook brought to bear on business strategy ɳɳ Board works together as a single unit, becoming a true strategic asset ɳɳ Diversity of views, experience and skills freely shared, resulting in outperforming the competition ɳɳ Complementary behaviors and trust engender constructive debate ɳɳ Effective executive mentoring ɳɳ Strong track record of growth ɳɳ Development needs addressed ɳɳ Core experience and technical capabilities identified and brought onto the board ɳɳ Experience and skillsets fit the medium- and long-term strategy ɳɳ Succession planning and gap analysis addressed regularly ɳɳ Compliant with basic corporate governance principles ɳɳ Essential committee processes defined and implemented ɳɳ Effective scheduling and information in place KEY POINTS FOR BOARDS ɳɳ Identify the overall strengths and weaknesses of the board and committees; develop insights to help them work more effectively ɳɳ Prioritize the challenges facing the board; make specific, actionable recommendations for enhancing each of the relevant areas ɳɳ Provide benchmarking against competitors and against leading regional and global companies Simple board Developing capabilities High performing World class Strategic planning 66% IT risks (incl. cybersecurity) Succession planning Talent management Risk management Industry competitors IT strategy Crisis management/planning Executive compensation 65% 51% 50% 47% 46% 46% 37% 24% Much more time and focus Some increase in time and focus Structure and processes People and composition Strategy CULTURE Key board elements ɳɳ Strategy: clarity, alignment, contribution ɳɳ Structure and processes: committees, meeting mechanics, agenda, investor benchmarks ɳɳ People and composition: competencies, diversity, individual/collective board performance Key cultural elements ɳɳ Open-mindedness ɳɳ Constructive challenge ɳɳ License to dissent ɳɳ Mutual respect ɳɳ Collaboration ɳɳ Transparency ɳɳ Performance orientation ɳɳ Independent mindset Board culture is the sum total of “how we work and how we do things” Degree of effectiveness and impact Source: PWC, annual corporate directors survey, 2015. [Ref. 3]
  • 6. 6 2. Evolutionary (not revolutionary) change ɳɳ The mix of challenges that big pharma companies face is rapidly increasing in complexity ɳɳ In response to particular threats and opportunities, the boards of big pharma companies must be able to bring a diverse set of competencies, experiences and perspectives to bear. They need board members who understand the current challenges and can steer both strategic development and company transformation ɳɳ Nonetheless, the majority of directors we interviewed feel it is unlikely that changes in board composition will be either revolutionary or dramatic. The size and scale of the top 15 pharma companies, as well as the conservative nature of the industry, lend themselves far more to evolutionary change BY GENDER The proportion of female board members has increased, though not across all top 15 boards, indicating further room for improvement BY AGE Up to 40% of top pharma board seats could turn over in the next few years; in most, 2-3 generations are represented on the board Top 15 pharma boards, composition by age Composition by age— a closer look Under 50 50-58 58-65 65+ 2% 24% 32% 42% YEARS 13% 24%14% Top 10 pharma 2009 Top 15 pharma 2016 Top 10 pharma 2004 11% 43% Min Median 5th percentile Max 84 53 74 64 45 YEARS Proportion of the entire board THE VAST MAJORITY OF DIRECTORS BELIEVE BOARD DIVERSITY POSITIVELY AFFECTS BOTH THE BOARD AND THE COMPANY To what extent do you believe the following regarding board diversity? In percent of responses; multiple responses Adding diversity is important Board diversity leads to enhanced board effectiveness Board diversity leads to enhanced company performance There are no significant impediments to increasing board diversity There are sufficient numbers of qualified diverse candidates Very much Somewhat 95% 84% 81% 80% 73% Source: PWC, annual corporate directors survey, 2015. [Ref. 3] Source: Russell Reynolds Associates, board analysis of 180 board directors, April 2016. [Ref. 4] 95th percentile Average female representation on top pharma boards Range of female board members at top 15 pharma Min Max
  • 7. 7 KEY POINTS FOR BOARDS ɳɳ Build a diverse board to help “future proof” the business—one that reflects the changes in the environment and the global patient base and embodies a wide range of skills ɳɳ Conduct regular director and board evaluations to help ensure that both individual directors’ performances and collective board counseling are aligned with the company’s strategic objectives ɳɳ Plan future board composition well in advance by defining future needs, as well as skill gaps in the current team. Focus first on the capabilities, experience and perspectives required to provide effective corporate oversight and governance BY NATIONALITY Top pharma companies (particularly those which are US-based) need to extend the talent sourcing pool for their board directors to reflect their patient base and geographical opportunities, in addition to their global capital structure BY TENURE A substantial number (24%) of directors have served on their board for more than 10 years Top 15 pharma board composition by nationality Top 15 pharma board composition by tenure <2 2-5 5-10 10-15 15+ YEARS 18% 23% 35% 13% 11% 89% 40% 11% 60% U.S.-based companies Europe-based companies Foreign (all other nationalities) National (HQ country) 34% share of board seats held by foreign directors, i.e., with nationality outside the HQ country average tenure on the board 7.2 years Source: Russell Reynolds Associates, board analysis of 180 board directors, April 2016. [Ref. 4]
  • 8. 8 3. The digital opportunity ɳɳ There is a clear appreciation among the board directors we interviewed that digital initiatives can and will radically change the way pharma companies conduct their business ɳɳ Yet, with some exceptions, the pharma industry has been relatively slow to recognize the importance of digital opportunities to its future, including the vital contribution of digital initiatives to its relationships with payors, physicians and patients ɳɳ Big pharma will need board members who can tackle not just the “why,” but the “how” of developing powerful, sophisticated data analytics and using social media to reach the patient community, to name just a few key areas DIGITAL/DATA IN PHARMA—INNOVATION LIFE CYCLE The pharmaceutical industry is approaching radical changes in business models and structural disruptions DIGITAL REPRESENTATION ON TOP 15 PHARMA BOARDS 40% of top pharma companies have one or more board directors with digital or technology experience— more than the average across all sectors (see F300 below) No digital representation Digital representation Highly digital boards 60% 20% 20% 78% 12% 10%F300 7% share of board seats held by directors with digital or technology experience 0 1 2+ Disruptive innovation Application innovation Product innovation Process innovation Marketing innovation Business model innovation Structural innovation TIME INDUSTRYREVENUEGROWTH Source: Russell Reynolds Associates, board analysis of 180 board directors, April 2016 [Ref. 4,5]; Russell Reynolds Associates, digital directors study, 2016. [Ref. 6] Top 15 pharma DIRECTORS WITH DIGITAL EXPERIENCE
  • 9. 9 KEY POINTS FOR BOARDS ɳɳ Learn and understand what “digital” means for the industry and the company specifically—and identify the board competencies required to foster this development ɳɳ Appoint board members with appropriate digital experience to challenge the leadership team and help them to capture the growth opportunity through digital THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS OF A “DIGITAL” BOARD DIRECTOR There is no single, standard profile of a digital director—as boards evaluate potential digital directors, they should keep the following trade-offs in mind Functional perspective Technology perspective Conceptual/pragmatic knowledge Traditional pure-play Established general manager, experience of complex P&Ls Limited general manager breadth Digital pure-play experience Traditional company background, experience in digital transformation “Digital upbringing”: career track in digital“Digital mindset”: conceptual awareness of digital issues Deep expertise, in particular digital technologies e.g., cloud, social, mobile, big data and analytics Less-specific digital technology expertise Background in other functions Background from specific technology role, e.g., CTO or CIO FOUR BROAD AREAS WHERE DIGITAL BOARD DIRECTORS CAN ADD VALUE Vision and strategy Stakeholders’ perspective Leadership and culture Commercial and investment acumen Ensure the business is developing a pipeline of digital talent and advising on cultural transformation Have a view on market dynamics, the latest digital trends and their implications for the business Contribute to assessment of investments in complex, capital- intensive technology projects Understand digital aspects of marketing, customer insight, analytics, and stakeholder engagement DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION STAKEHOLDERS ORGANIZATION General management weight
  • 10. 10 4. Greater need for hands-on pharma experience ɳɳ There is a strong feeling among directors that overall board makeup has evolved too far away from successful innovators and business leaders who are steeped in the industry ɳɳ While there is a relatively high proportion of broad scientific capability on the boards of big pharma, it is primarily offered by academic scientists rather than by experienced pharma-sector professionals ɳɳ This scarcity may have historically been the result of non-compete clauses in the contracts of former pharma executives, restricting their appointment to the board of a previous competitor. Following the relaxation of these restrictions, recent board hires in the top 15 pharma companies have included a greater number of seasoned commercial leaders from within the industry FUNCTIONAL EXPERIENCE OF BOARD DIRECTORS AT TOP 15 PHARMA COMPANIES Nearly two-thirds of board directors have previous general management experience, and nearly half have previous or current CEO experience of an industry, for-profit company In many cases, more than one functional experience noted INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE OF BOARD DIRECTORS AT TOP 15 PHARMA COMPANIES Only 22% of board directors in our analysis have some previous pharmaceutical industry experience In many cases, more than one industry background noted 27% 22% 19% 16% 13% 7% 7% 7% 5% 4% 4% 4% 63% 48% 31% 26% 16% 12% 7% 7% 6% 4% 2% 3% General management (other than CEO) CEO (industry) Finance Academia Other R&D academia Marketing & sales R&D industry CEO (non-profit) Legal Government TechOps Academia Pharma Financial services Professional services Consumer goods Industrial goods Media/communications Government Technology Chemicals Transportation/logistics Retail/hospitality Oil/gas MedTech Other 3% 3% 7% Source: Russell Reynolds Associates, board analysis of 180 board directors, April 2016 [Ref. 4] 13% of these with experience only in the pharma industry
  • 11. 11 KEY POINTS FOR BOARDS ɳɳ Think more strategically about board composition and evaluate carefully the gaps in competency and functional experience among board members ɳɳ Look for complementary capabilities among potential directors in the broader pharma and healthcare space ɳɳ Target the balance of hands-on pharma and commercial expertise that will most effectively equip the board to advise the executive management team on strategic vision and implementation PHARMA INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE OF BOARD DIRECTORS Recent appointments of board directors show a trend towards those with hands-on experience in pharma— primarily, general management or CEO background, followed by industry-specific R&D experience Proportion of board directors with previous pharma industry experience Functional experience of recent appointments with previous pharma experience Appointment more than 2 years ago Appointments in the last 2 years 19% 35% Source: Russell Reynolds Associates, board analysis of 180 board directors, April 2016 [Ref. 4] 92% 75% 33% 17% 17% 8% General management (other than CEO) CEO (industry) Finance Marketing & sales R&D industry TechOps In many cases, more than one functional experience noted
  • 12. 12 5. Winning in emerging markets ɳɳ Big pharma companies have realized for some time that their previous strategies for extending into non- traditional pharma markets have not always been successful, and need to be revised with input and advice from leaders with successful track records in those markets ɳɳ Although the current economic challenges facing several of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) markets are restricting their growth potential in the short term, in the longer term, emerging markets with growing populations and increasing wealth are strategically critical to the pharmaceutical sector ɳɳ Current board composition at top pharma companies therefore needs to better reflect emerging-market perspectives and experience GLOBAL SPENDING ON MEDICINES Pharmerging markets are expected to show the highest growth rates to 2020, driven primarily by wider use of medicines SIGNIFICANCE OF EMERGING MARKETS FOR PHARMA BUSINESS Average proportion of revenues generated in emerging markets by top 15 pharma companies, 2015 20% Note: Majority from these six countries. Source: Russell Reynolds Associates, financial analysis of top 15 pharma companies, April 2016 [Ref. 9] 1 Compound annual growth rate (CAGR), an average annual growth rate. Source: IMS Health, market prognosis, Sep 2015. [Ref. 8]. 2015 2020 1,068 1,365 – 1,455 684 135 249 870-900 150-180 345-375 Developed Global RoW Pharmerging 4.8% 6.2% 5.2% 11.9% 3-6% 4-7% 1-4% 7-10% 2010-2015 2016-2020 CAGR1 Spending on medicines US$ billion
  • 13. 13 KEY POINTS FOR BOARDS ɳɳ Appoint board members with relevant emerging market experience who can guide the company in the following: – Optimizing talent strategies and extending talent pools—from the board level to country heads—to make the most of opportunities in emerging markets – Establishing an appropriate skillset by defining key competencies required for success in an emerging market; determining competency gaps and tailoring the talent strategy (e.g., hiring, development) accordingly ɳɳ Extending “board diversity” definition to a broader meaning that reflects both a potentially large patient base in emerging markets and the business acumen to work effectively in those markets—whether this implies a variety of nationalities, a diversity of hands-on operating experience in emerging markets, or global mindsets KEY CHALLENGES TO FURTHER GROWTH IN EMERGING MARKETS Share of responses “most relevant” and “very relevant”; multiple responses REPRESENTATION OF OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN EMERGING MARKETS ON TOP 15 PHARMA BOARDS 40% of top pharma companies have three or more board directors with operational experience in emerging markets 68% 67% 64% 59% 54% 52% 51% 51% 49% 43% Lack of reimbursement and public funding Lack of healthcare infrastructure Lack of affordability Price pressure Local competition Lack of IP protection Challenging/non-transparent contracting and tenders Talent issues (recruitment, development, retention) Compliance challenges Lengthy product registration processes Source: Strategy& survey of executives from top 25 pharmaceutical and generics companies, other industry experts, and members of Strategy& global pharmaceutical practice. [Ref. 10] 22% share of board seats held by directors with operational experience in emerging markets Source: Russell Reynolds Associates, analysis of 180 board directors, April 2016. [Ref. 4, 11] 60% 13% 27% 1-2 3-4 5+ 0% 0 DIRECTORS WITH OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN EMERGING MARKETS
  • 14. 14 These five groups of insights provide a number of strategic action points for the boards of big pharma companies. However, another insight should also be highlighted—the industry is moving rapidly towards a closer relationship between pharma companies and the end consumer: the patient. While in the past, doctors have always acted as intermediaries, in today’s market, patients are becoming more active in their own treatment plans. As a result, consumer outreach is taking on increasing strategic importance for big pharma. We note this insight was barely mentioned in our interviews with directors this time around; some even suggested that too strong a focus on consumer marketing could represent a distraction from the focus on genuine, breakthrough scientific innovation as the most important strategic imperative. Nevertheless, we believe that big pharma companies, and in particular pure pharmaceutical groups, have a growing need to understand the patient perspective. We therefore believe that boards have an increasing requirement to recruit members with successful consumer goods and services leadership experience. This, with the other skills and experience noted above, will help to create a truly diverse board, ready to take on the issues inherent to today’s increasingly complex and challenging pharmaceutical market. Final notes
  • 15. 15 References 1. Worldwide prescription drug sales. EvaluatePharma—World preview 2015, outlook to 2020. Evaluate, June 2015. 2. Board analysis of top 15 pharma companies. Russell Reynolds Associates, April 2016. Companies included in the analysis: AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Gilead Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, Teva. 3. Governing for the long term—Looking down the road with an eye on the rear-view mirror. PwC’s 2015 annual corporate directors’ survey. PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2015. 4. Study of 180 executive and non-executive directors on the boards of the world’s top 15 pharmaceutical companies by revenues. Russell Reynolds Associates, April 2016. Companies included in the analysis: AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Gilead Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, Teva. Employee representatives not included. Data collected from companies’ websites and BoardEx, status mid-April 2016. 5. A board director is considered as having digital experience, if s/he has (a) held an executive leadership role in a digital pure-play company, (b) held an executive leadership role in a transformational digital function within a traditional company, and/or (c) held two or more board positions in pure-play digital companies (since 2007). 6. 2016 digital directors study. Russell Reynolds Associates, 2016. Top 100 organizations in the US, Europe and Asia, respectively. 7. Digital NEDs—A view from the chair. Russell Reynolds Associates, 2015. 8. Global medicines use in 2020—Outlook and implications, IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, November 2015. Pharmerging countries include China (tier 1), Brazil, India, Russia (tier 2), Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, S. Africa, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Vietnam (tier 3). 9. Financial analysis of 2015 product revenues of top 15 pharma companies. Russell Reynolds Associates, April 2016. Emerging markets are defined as all markets except North America, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. 10. Pharma emerging markets 2.0—How emerging markets are driving the transformation of the pharmaceutical industry. Strategy&, originally published by Booz & Company, 2013. 11. Operational experience in emerging markets refers to general management or senior functional positions in a country/region outside North America, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
  • 16. 16 AUTHORS The paper was created by Russell Reynolds Associates’ global healthcare board practice team, specifically authored by: Christopher Burrows, an active member of the firm’s board practice, global healthcare sector and the digital transformation practice. Based in London, he has advised clients on projects across Asia, Europe and North America. Saule Serikova, the firm’s global knowledge leader for the healthcare sector. Based in Amsterdam, she provides insights and data-driven analysis on key talent challenges in the global pharmaceutical industry and other healthcare-related market segments. 16
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