With its influence over key external and internal activities, Corporate Affairs – also known as Public Affairs - is an important function for organizations that must interact with external stakeholders and governmental bodies. Groups that often reside in Corporate Affairs include Policy, Government Affairs, Internal/External Communications and Patient Advocacy. This research project provides an overview of structural approaches to how Corporate Affairs groups are organized and factors influencing structural approaches. The study also includes a number of examples of different organizational models for Corporate Affairs across organizations large and small. Executives in Corporate Affairs can use this research to compare their structure and organizational approach with that of leading organizations.

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Corporate Affairs Excellence:
Optimizing Group Structure & Operations

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Table of Contents
•Project Blueprint – pg. 3
•Executive Summary: Benchmark Insights &
Research Participants– pg. 5
•Commercial Structures: Trends That Drive
Business Unit Structures & Evolution of
Corporate Affairs – pg. 11
•Novartis Case Study: Articulating Business
Units to Express Growth &Entrepreneurial
Spirit – pg. 17
TOC Continued
•Corporate Affairs Group Structures: Key
Trends & Drivers of Sub-group Evolution –
pg. 28
•Corporate Affairs Group Models &
Structures – pg. 32
•Corporate Affairs Group Services: Key
Trends In Service Levels & Priorities –
pg. 45
•Contact Information – pg. 50
Table of Contents

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Optimizing Structure Involves Integrated Practices & Approaches
There are no perfect structures. “Form follows function.” New market pressures and
lifecycle events compel structures to evolve. Optimizing structure reflects the integrated
management of units, people, process, technology, communications, incentives and other
management factors.
Corporate Affairs:
Accelerated Evolution
To Make the New
Structure Work
1. Realign to
Support New
Corporate
Goals,
Strategies 2. Fine-tune
Corporate
Affairs Sub-group
Structures
3. Establish Service
Levels to Reflect
Priorities & Resources
7. Drive Long-Term
Priorities & Respond
to Ad Hoc Issues
4. Integrate
Operations to
Bridge BUs,
Geographies &
Sub-Groups
5. Use
Funding /
Budgeting
Process to
Reaffirm
Alignments
8. Manage /
Coordinate Roles
for a Fully Integrated
Pharmaceutical
Network
10. Assess
Performance,
Refine &
Continuously
Improve
6. Refine
Talent
Management
Strategies &
Systems to Fit
New Structure
9. Optimize
Learning to
Enhance
Performance
“No institution can
possibly survive if it
needs geniuses or
supermen to manage it.
It must be organized in
such a way as to be
able to get along under
a leadership composed
of average human
beings.”
-Peter Drucker

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1. Abbott Laboratories
2. Amgen
3. Astellas Pharma, Inc.
4. Astra Zeneca
5. Boehringer Ingelheim
6. ConvaTec
7. DRI
8. Eisai, Inc
9. Eli Lilly and Company
10. Emirates
11. Genentech
12. Genomic Health
13. Genzyme
14. GlaxoSmithKline
15. Intas Pharma
16. MDS Nordion
17. Medtronic
18. Merck Sharp Dohme Turkey
19. MetLife
20. MSD
21. National Grid
22. Novo Nordisk
23. Pfizer
24. Purdue Pharma LP
25. Roche Diagnostics Diabetes Care
26. Solvay
27. Stiefel, a GSK Company
28. UCB
29. W. R. Grace & Co.
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Corporate Affairs Benchmark Research Participants
Participants in this benchmarking research included 28 corporate affairs executives
and managers at 27 leading bio-pharmaceutical, healthcare and non-healthcare
companies. Interview participants are underlined.

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Participants’ Job Titles Typically Director or Above
Research participants included Vice Presidents, Executive Directors, Medical
Executives, Directors and Managers. More than 69% of benchmark partners are
directors and VPs and 31% are managers. All work directly or indirectly in Corporate
Affairs functions.
JOB TITLE JOB TITLE
Assistant Director Government Affairs Manager
Associate Director Manager
Copy and Production Officer Manager
Director Manager
Director Manager
Director Manager
Director Manager,
Director Medical Executive
Director Project Manager
Director Senior Director
Director of Advocacy Sr. Director
Director, Communications Sr. Manager
European Director Vice President
Executive Director Vice President
Executive Director

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Functional Perspectives Circumscribe Corporate Affairs
Benchmark partners reflect functional experience that interacts directly or indirectly
with the Corporate Affairs function. Since Corporate Affairs resides in different places
across companies and sectors, diverse functions from Government Affairs, Corporate
Affairs, Communications, Medical Affairs and Advocacy participated in this study.
GROUP OR FUNCTION GROUP OR FUNCTION
Advocacy Relations / Corporate Communications Healthcare Alliance Development
Communications Marketing Communications
Communications and Government Affairs Medical Affairs
Communications, Brand, Interactive, Creative Medical Affairs
Corporate Affairs Medical Affairs
Corporate Communications Multi Channel Communications / Marketing
Corporate Communications Patient Advocacy
Corporate Communications Patient Advocacy Relations
CRM and Customer Experience Patient Services and Professional Relations
Customer Marketing Professional Relations, Public Affairs and Advocacy
General Medicine Public Policy and Advocacy
Global Advocacy Development Sales and Marketing Communication
Global Employee Communication and Brand Stakeholder Management
Government Affairs State Government Affairs
Government Strategy and Relations

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Hybrid Structure Most Common of Approaches
The multi-industry study group reflected diverse approaches to corporate commercial
structure. About one-third described their commercial operating structures as “hybrids.”
This reflects various characteristics designed to help them deal with growth, scale,
products and geographic complexity. About 47% of respondents said they evolved using
some form of decentralization.
Q4. Commercial Structure: Note the approach best describing your company's commercial
operations structure
(n=28)
Commercial Operating Structure
20%
17%
10%
30%
23%
Hybrid
Centralized
Decentralized by Product
Families / Divisions
Decentralized by
Geography
Decentralized by
Therapeutic Area
Percentage with Each Operating Structure
47% reflect
some form of
decentralization

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Corporate Affairs Group Structure – Mid-Cap Pharma
Hybrid Approach - A
Here, Corporate Affairs reports to the General Counsel with centralization at headquarters
and staff decentralization to product families with different regional headquarters. Business
units organized by therapeutic areas, product families, geography, product lifecycle and
customer segment. Corporate Affairs supports three blockbusters and 10 smaller products.

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Best Practices, LLC is a research and consulting firm that
conducts work based on the simple yet profound principle that
organizations can chart a course to superior economic
performance by studying the best business practices, operating
tactics and winning strategies of world-class companies
Best Practices, LLC
6350 Quadrangle Drive, Suite 200,
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
www.best-in-class.com
Telephone: 919-403-0251
About Best Practices, LLC
Link for Report: Corporate Affairs Excellence