Contextual Intelligence Aktana

How should the Life Sciences industry think about content development in our rapidly changing world of digital transformation and AI? Learn from one of the nation's top media experts, Merrill Brown, who has been at the forefront of digital content innovation at a global scale for the last three decades. From his early days as a beat reporter at the Washington Post, through to his most recent role as editorial director of G/O Media -- parent company of The Onion, Gizmodo and much more -- hear how the news industry has evolved -- and get a media guru's insights on how to deliver meaningful and impactful content to your stakeholders and customers.

Merrill was our keynote guest at our inaugural Aktana Innovation Xchange (AIx) on September 26th in New York City. Our live AIx audience got an inside peek in this lively fireside chat of what really happens in the leading newsrooms in the world. We hope you enjoy this entertaining and informative discussion -- and don't miss hearing "Merrill in Context" when we learn what historical figure, Merrill, as a renowned journalist, would most like to interview.

Today’s guest is a ground-breaking and ceiling-smashing transformational leader who knows a thing or two about guiding top-10 pharma companies through periods of great change. In this episode, we’re joined by Eva Martins, the Global Head of Customer Engagement at Sanofi. Find out what she considers the greatest challenge in driving customer-centric global transformation. Learn how Sanofi uniquely tackles change management in delivering AI solutions globally. And hear how Eva has successfully navigated a male-dominated industry to reach professional pinnacles while inspiring and supporting women in life sciences and beyond. And don’t miss “Eva Martins in Context” where we learn about Eva’s secret aspiration of being a parachutist, her go-to music choices, and her ideal sushi dinner companions.

“What are other people doing?” It’s the biggest question at the start of any major project—and omnichannel is no exception. In this special episode of Contextual Intelligence, industry leaders from Biogen, Genentech and Novartis draw from their firsthand experience deploying AI programs to share what they’ve learned in a frank roundtable discussion from Aktana’s recent Masterclass event. Want to learn more? You can watch every session from Aktana's “Build Once, Deploy Many: Laying the Foundation for Omnichannel AI at Scale” masterclass HERE.

Today’s guest rose through the ranks of retail giants L’Oreal and Levi Strauss before landing his current role shaping data science strategy at one of the world’s leading biotech companies. In this episode, we’re joined by Youssef Idelcaid, the senior director of data science for Commercial, Medical and Government Affairs at Genentech. Listen as he shares what surprised him most about his transition from retail to life sciences, his best advice for getting started with AI, and how he decides when to stay in-house and when to outsource data science projects. And don’t miss “Youssef in Context,” where we discuss his greatest career inspiration, a new title for your must-read list, and who’s invited to Youssef’s ultimate bolognese dinner. 

The conversation continues with Dr. Wael Barsoum—a practicing orthopedic surgeon, the president and chief transformation officer of Health Outcomes Performance Co., and the former CEO of Cleveland Clinic Florida. We circle back to discuss what the life sciences industry can do to get its grade up to an “A” and discuss the evolving roles of pharmaceutical and medical device reps.

In today’s episode, we’re getting a firsthand progress report on the industry’s commercial transformation efforts from Dr. Wael Barsoum—a practicing orthopedic surgeon, the president and chief transformation officer of Health Outcomes Performance Co., and the former CEO of Cleveland Clinic Florida. Listen as he reflects on his best customer experiences as an HCP, unpacks the link between data-driven care and improved patient outcomes, and explores the shift to value-based care. And don’t miss “Wael Barsoum in Context,” where we discuss the life lesson that shaped his future in medicine, an alternate career in the courtroom and a fascinating miniseries to add to your watchlist.