Mobilizing for Competitive Success: How Diverse is Your Company’s “V Suite”?

On October 3, the Get Together Group (G2G) hosted its First Annual Leadership Conference in New Brunswick, NJ, drawing over 90 professionals from the Northeast region pharmal and biotech industries.  The G2G is a network of ethnically diverse professionals in the healthcare industry whose mission is fostering leadership and career development through networking, mentoring, education and access to industry leaders. 

To align with this mission, the G2G conference focused on amplifying leadership skills to succeed in a changing healthcare industry through three events consisting of two simultaneous facilitated workshops, an expert roundtable panel, and networking mixer.

Thomas Kolaras, President of G2G and VP/General Manager of the Urology Business Unit at Endo Pharma, rolled out the new G2G priorities for the next year.  “Our goal and mission is to provide mentoring and education to afford our members a pathway to the “V-Suite” (Vice President Level) within pharma and biotech firms,” Kolaras told the group.   During his  opening remarks, he explained how leadership within our industry can aim to be more ethnically diverse and what G2G members can do together to realize this objective.    

Ken Miller, Becton Dickinson

Bert Bruce, G2G Vice-President and Vice President, Global Commercial Development, Rare Disease, at Pfizer, served as chair of the day’s events. Christopher Boerner, President and Head of the US Commercial Operations for BMS, began with a keynote address centering on workplace lessons from his own career, current practice standards on talent development at BMS, and insights on how diversity can boost team performance and accentuate the organizational capacity to compete by anticipating change and embracing innovation.

Menassie Taddese, Pfizer

A practioner roundtable on leadership best practices was moderated by Pharm Exec Editor-in-Chief William Looney, and included two of Pharm Exec’s 2015 roster of Emerging Pharma Leaders:  Ken Miller, WorldwidePresident, Diabetes Care for Becton Dickinson, and Menassie Taddese, Vice President, CFO, Global Innovative Pharmaceuticals, North America at Pfizer. 

In their remarks, Miller noted the importance of self-awareness coupled with a sense of passion in building career momentum, while Taddese cited three character attributes that, in his view, are emblematic of a true leadership mindset: commitment; courage; and confidence.  The other panelists included Pamela Puryear, Senior Vice President, Chief Talent Officer for Pfizer;  Dr. Brent Smith, Associate Professor of Marketing and Director of Fellowships at Saint Joseph’s University; and Kathleen Cashman, Rutgers University and President of Cashman Consulting.  

G2G is interested in expanding awareness of its activities among professionals in pharma and biotech and welcomes inquiries from prospective members.  For more information go to www.gettogethergroup.org