2024 Breakout Discussions

Back by popular demand, the value of these interactive sessions cannot be overstated. These lively exchanges not only enhance learning, but they also create a vibrant networking environment, fostering community and inspiring future collaborations.

TABLE 1: Project Prioritization Frameworks for Investment Decision Making and Allocating Resources
Elayne Ko, Director, Portfolio Decision Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline
Helen Merianos, PhD, Head, R&D Portfolio Strategy, Sanofi
Gregory Wayne, PhD, Senior Director, Decision Sciences Group, AbbVie, Inc.

• What analysis do you use to evaluate investments and resource planning?
• How do you prioritize resources when evaluating both internal and external projects against each other?

TABLE  2: Achieving The Right Balance Between Top-Down (Strategic & Enterprise) Driven and Bottom-Up (Asset-Focused) Driven Decision Making
Leslie Lippard Senior Director, Portfolio Analytics, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

• What processes do you have for making asset-level decisions and for making portfolio-level decisions?
• How does optimizing the asset level impact the portfolio level, and vice versa?
• What are the best practices that allow companies to achieve balance at both the asset-level and the enterprise level, at a reasonable level of time and energy spent on analytics and oversight?

TABLE  3: Building Partnerships between Project Management, Resource Management, Functional Management, and Finance to Drive Productivity
Stephen Cho, PhD, Senior Vice President & Head, Portfolio Strategy & Analytics, Strategy & Growth, Novartis
Michelle Shogren, CEO & Owner, Innovate in What You Do!; former Senior Director of Innovation, Pharma R&D Clinical Operations, Bayer
Joe Stalder, Vice President, Program Management, Zentalis Pharmaceuticals

• What are the pitfalls to avoid when trying to develop partnerships internally?
• What is an “engagement model” to use to establish trust, uncover real resource needs, and maintain a strong relationship with each department?

TABLE 4: Balancing Internal R&D Investments and Resources with External Collaborations
Gregory Wayne, PhD, Senior Director, Decision Sciences Group, AbbVie, Inc.
Elayne Ko, Director, Portfolio Decision Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline

• What analysis do you use to evaluate investments and resource planning?
• How do you prioritize resources when evaluating both internal and external projects against each other?

TABLE 5: Applicability of AI within Project Decision-Making and Portfolio Management: Where and When would AI Be Relevant and Applicable
Helen Merianos, PhD, Head, R&D Portfolio Strategy, Sanof
Joe Stalder, Vice President, Program Management, Zentalis Pharmaceuticals

• Where have you seen application of AI in decision making and project management?
• At what specific areas and stages is AI likely to bring significant value?
• What potential pitfalls and roadblocks should teams be on the lookout for?

TABLE 6: Influencing, Initiating and Executing Organizational Change Management
Stephen Cho, PhD, Senior Vice President & Head, Portfolio Strategy & Analytics, Strategy & Growth, Novartis
Paul B. Cook, PhD, Senior Director, Program Management, Generation Bio
Leslie Lippard Senior Director, Portfolio Analytics, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

• How do you identify sources of the organizations pain points?
• How to say “no” or “not now” to all of the great ideas and proposed projects
• What are the differences between project management and change management, and how do you integrate them to deliver positive outcome to the organization?