Publicis Health recently appointed Brion Brandes as EVP of business development.
Brandes most recently served in the same role at Spectra BioPharma Selling Solutions, a contract sales organization, and is the former head of North America business development for commercial solutions at what is now QuintilesIMS.
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He succeeds Tom Clark, who remains with Publicis as general manager and national sales director. In his new role, Brandes reports to Michelle Keefe, group president at Publicis Health.
“His skills fit nicely with the growing business development strategy across Publicis Health,” said Keefe in a news release.
One of the biggest attractions to Publicis for Brandes was the culture. It’s a culture of diversity and respect for their people which encourages strong innovative thinking, he said.
The network’s core marketing strategy is not changing this year, but the look and feel of the company is evolving. “We are in the process of rebranding some of the core businesses to change our visual identity and make it more cohesive,” Brandes explained.
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Brandes, who has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for more than 28 years, predicted that one of the biggest challenges for the firm will be navigating an industry that is changing quickly. The business development team has six employees.
“When you cross over to becoming a trusted partner, you are seen as much more than a vendor and in a much more consultative light,” said Brandes. “People want to bring you in and meet with you about the challenges they are facing because they value your experience, expertise, and innovative thinking as a company.”
