As Executive Director of Pharmacovigilance at ADAMAS, it would be fair to assume that I am responsible for maintaining our Good Pharmacovigilance Practice (GVP) service provision and ensuring our clients’ needs are catered for. While that is true, it doesn’t just end there!
My obligations are not simply external to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies we serve. They are also internal to my team, and they are the real key to our success.
When people ask me what it takes to do my job, the answer is twofold. Of course there is the technical element of the role, but there is also the personnel management, which requires a totally different approach in our industry to the traditional management approaches often applied in others.
Instead of making a tangible product, with defined parameters and specifications, ADAMAS offers a service that is reactive and very often bespoke in nature to meet our clients’ changing needs. These needs are constantly evolving, and quite often quickly… at times on a daily basis.
To succeed, we must adapt and support each other through that ambiguity. Leading a team of exceptionally experienced and talented professionals in this regard is both challenging and rewarding; after all, if we look after our people they will look after our clients.
Our people are not the only reason for the strong reputation that ADAMAS enjoys. They are also what makes my job enjoyable. Growing my team, both in numbers and in personal development, brings me great satisfaction. It is inspiring to work with peers I have so much respect for, both within the GVP Practice and across the whole ADAMAS family.
At ADAMAS, we have built a highly skilled and broad group of Consultants, including former Competent Authority Inspectors, ex-industry professionals and individuals from other consultancy organisations and CROs. While expertise is expected in our sector, genuine experience really sets you apart from the competition, and that is what we have.
This is necessary because there are many challenges for our clients to overcome, maintaining compliance in an ever-changing landscape is no mean feat. Compliance never sleeps and regulatory requirements are constantly changing, which means it can be challenging to keep pace, let alone stay ahead.
Due to the breadth and depth of experience within our team, with backgrounds and first-hand knowledge in different fields, we can offer solutions for every situation our clients may encounter depending on their unique needs. By remaining fluid and mobile ourselves, we can help our clients to do the same.
Personally, my biggest achievement at ADAMAS has been developing the GVP practice and leading my team to establish it as a business unit in its own right. I am proud of all we have achieved as an entire company and particularly that despite the huge growth we have undertaken, especially in the last two years, our ethos remains the same; that we are a people-driven company, a family and a community.
In addition, I am proud of the genuine relationships we have built with our clients. I am fortunate enough to have been involved in many global projects for our clients, who range from the small and medium to the top 10 pharma and biotech organisations. Several of these projects have been ongoing for a number of years, which is testament to the value and contribution our people bring to the table – assisting our clients to continuously develop and successfully meet their compliance requirements.
We look forward to the continued success of these relationships, both existing and new, in the years to come. Likewise, we are excited about the continued development of the GVP Practice, for which we have witnessed exceptional growth since it was established in 2014. We are continuing our expansion globally, most recently with a particular emphasis on team development, and things are going from strength to strength.
I have worked in Pharmacovigilance for over 14 years now. I have earned a Masters Degree in the subject from the University of Hertfordshire, where I also hold the position of Visiting Lecturer & Research Supervisor. Working at ADAMAS gives me the opportunity to further develop my skills alongside like-minded people, and to grow both personally and professionally.
If you are considering a career in this field, and have both the technical and interpersonal skills to do so, I would say go for it and believe in your own abilities. And I can definitely recommend working for a company like ADAMAS, which can provide an environment that is both challenging and rewarding.
As well as boasting the best colleagues and the most tight-knit team, of course!
To find out more about what I do at ADAMAS, or the company itself, feel free to email me or visit www.adamasconsulting.com.
