Pharma Veterans

Inauthentic Leader – What It Really Means – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1110 Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1110 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to pharmaveterans2017@gmail.com  for publishing your contributions here. Credit: Thirdman Credit: Yan Krukau Preamble In an era where transparency an d vulnerability are championed in leadership conversations, the mantra of "being authentic" has become a badge of honor. From leadership seminars to TED Talks, leaders are constantly told to bring their true selves to work. But what does authenticity in leadership actually mean—and can being "too authentic" actually be counterproductive? The thought-provoking article "Don’t Be an 'Authentic' Leader" by Graham Ward, published by INSEAD Knowledge, challenges the oversimplified view of authenticity. It argues that while staying true to one...

Gen Z Approach to Healthcare – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1109 Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1109 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com . Please email to pharmaveterans2017@gmail.com   for publishing your contributions here. Erin Li Credit: Kaboompics Credit: RDNE Stock Project Preamble The healthcare landscape is undergoing a major shift, not only due to technological advancements and pandemic-induced reforms, but also because of changing consumer behaviors. At the center of this evolution is Generation Z, the cohort born between 1996 and 2010. As the first truly digital-native generation, Gen Z is redefining how healthcare is consumed, understood, and accessed. Unlike previous generations, Gen Z approaches healthcare with a tech-first mindset. This generation lives online — they socialize, learn, shop, and increasingly, manage their health via digital platforms. Their expect...

Outliers – Strengths, Struggles, and Strategies for Success – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1108 Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1108 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to pharmaveterans2017@gmail.com   for publishing your contributions here. Credit: Engin Deniz Kopan Frida Kahlo Frida Kahlo Credit: Olga Kalinina Richard Feynman Serena Williams Preamble In every field — from science to sports, business to art — there exist individuals who defy convention, exceed expectations, and operate at a level that sets them apart. These are the ‘outliers’; the people who don’t just follow the standard path, they carve new ones. They are visionaries, rebels, deep thinkers, and relentless doers. Malcolm Gladwell, in his bestselling book ‘Outliers’, popularized the term to describe people whose success is so exceptional that it cannot be explained by ordinary measures. But being...

Understanding and Resolving Gender Pay Gap – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1107 Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1107 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to pharmaveterans2017@gmail.com  for publishing your contributions here. Credit: Ivan Samkov Credit: Ketut Subiyanto Credit: Mehmet Turgut Kirkgoz Preamble Despite decades of progress in gender equality, a significant earnings gap between men and women continues to persist in the workforce. The latest report by the McKinsey Global Institute, ‘Tough Trade-offs: How Time and Career Choices Shape the Gender Pay Gap’, offers a fresh, data-driven perspective on why this disparity endures. By analyzing more than 86,000 real-life career trajectories of U.S. workers, the study presents a compelling case: nearly 80% of the gender pay gap stems from differences in how work experience is accumulated, and the types of career pa...

Broken Rung for Women in the Workplace – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1106 Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1106 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to pharmaveterans2017@gmail.com  for publishing your contributions here. Credit: Antoni Shkraba Studio Credit: RDNE Stock Project Credit: Vlada Karpovich Preamble The journey of professional advancement is rarely linear, especially for women. Despite strides in education and employment, one stubborn barrier continues to hinder women’s rise in the workplace: the broken rung. This metaphorical broken step on the career ladder represents the first critical promotion from entry-level roles to management—and it is where women’s progress often falters. In their insightful book, *The Broken Rung: When the Career Ladder Breaks for Women—and How They Can Succeed in Spite of It*, McKinsey senior partners Kweilin Ellingrud, Larein...

The Inside-Out Leadership – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1105 Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1105 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to pharmaveterans2017@gmail.com  for publishing your contributions here. Credit: Christina Morillo Credit: RDNE Stock Project Credit: Thirdman Preamble In a world marked by complexity, disruption, and rapidly shifting societal expectations, the demands on leadership have never been greater. Particularly in the public sector and mission-driven organizations, leaders are being called upon to do more than execute strategies and manage teams—they are expected to embody purpose, demonstrate authenticity, and cultivate environments where people can thrive. Traditional, hierarchical models of leadership are proving insufficient. What’s needed is a shift from the outside-in focus on skills and outputs to an inside-out approach centered on p...

Changes in Global Trade Patterns – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1104 Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1104 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to pharmaveterans2017@gmail.com  for publishing your contributions here. Credit: Jeffry S.S. Credit: Wolfgang Weiser Credit: Wolfgang Weiser This blogpost is based on ‘The McKinsey Global Institute's January 2025 report, *Geopolitics and the Geometry of Global Trade: 2025 Update’. Link at the end. An excerpt from interview wit Robert Hormats is also included. Mr. Hormats is the former Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment. Preamble Geopolitical dynamics are reshaping global trade patterns. Analyzing 2024 data, the report highlights a continued trend of countries reconfiguring trade relationships along geopolitical lines. The trend had been coming for long though. I had noted that immediatel...

Pharmaceutical Marketing – Stuck in the Past – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1103 Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1103 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to pharmaveterans2017@gmail.com  for publishing your contributions here. Credit: Antoni Shkraba Credit: Eva Bronzini Credit: Leeloo The First Preamble The pharmaceutical industry is among the most scientifically advanced sectors in the world. It leads in innovation, from cutting-edge drug development to biotech breakthroughs and AI-driven clinical trials. Yet, when it comes to marketing, many companies continue to follow the same old beaten path. The strategies are repetitive, execution is formulaic, and innovation is often conspicuously absent. Despite changing customer behaviors, digital disruption, and growing demand for personalized engagement, pharmaceutical marketing often remains locked in outdated paradigm...

AI and Machine Learning in Pharmaceutical Drug Development – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1102 Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1102 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to pharmaveterans2017@gmail.com  for publishing your contributions here. Credit: cottonbro studio Credit: Rui Dias Credit: YI REN This blogpost is inspired by interview of GSK’s Global Head of AI and Machine Learning, Kim Branson, by McKinsey panel. Link at the end Preamble The pharmaceutical industry is undergoing a profound transformation. With rising R&D costs, extended development timelines, and increasing regulatory scrutiny, innovation is no longer optional—it is essential. Among the most disruptive enablers of this transformation are Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). These technologies are rapidly changing the way drugs are discovered, developed, and delivered. From e...