Pharma, trying to transform itself, but must get out of its own way first, says Novartis digital chief

In the last couple of years, a number of big pharma companies have appointed chief digital officers, often from non-healthcare or otherwise unique settings, to lead transformation efforts spanning R&D and supply chain to manufacturing and marketing. They’re tasked with initiatives like unlocking the value of data, furthering patient-centricity and transitioning the old sales model of “carrying the bag” into non- personal connections with HCPs, in the midst of legal and regulatory barriers that often complicate those goals.