– Written By Saritha Chamarthi, Director, Global Clinical Programming & Analytics, Fortrea

Saritha Chamarthi is a computer science postgraduate and an IIMB alumna with 18+ years of experience. She has spent 16+ years managing global studies in supplying solutions for end-to-end clinical programming and analytics. Saritha has been Director – Global Clinical Programming & Analytics at Fortrea for six years, leading a global team of 150 technical clinical professionals who work on end-to-end deliverables with technologies which include programming, analytics, and testing teams.

Saritha is a dynamic leader with a proven record of driving efficiencies by setting up processes and executing and delivering them seamlessly. She delivers thought-provoking content/abstracts at global forums such as the PHUSE EU Connect, SCDM and ConSPIC, and she is an active volunteer/member of PHUSE, HBA and SCDM. Saritha believes in empowering teams with tools and technologies so they can share and implement with shareholders innovative ideas for process improvements.

Before joining Fortrea, Saritha spent a decade working at IQVIA as an EDC designer, SDTM programmer, technical SME, data acquisition specialist, report programmer, migrations lead, project lead, and study design and data acquisitions operations lead. She has also held leadership roles in delivering therapeutic area studies for a global sponsor. Saritha is based in Bengaluru, India and loves travelling, connecting with people and is an enthusiastic trainer.

1. What attracted you to your current position?

In my role as Director of Global Clinical Programming & Analytics, I work with multiple global teams, supporting technological/process-oriented solutions to make clinical trial execution more efficient and faster. Every day is challenging with new things. People amaze me – I see different perspectives and get to work as a team to be part of improving human lives with technology advancements.

2. If you could offer one piece of advice to someone just starting out in the pharmaceutical industry and another to someone well established in their career, what would you say?

If you’re just starting out, you’re in the right place: the opportunities are endless, especially if you are passionate about technology making a difference in people’s lives. You do not need to be a doctor to have that direct impact :).

If you’re well established in your career, keep rocking – because it’s not easy to establish yourself. Support those who need help, be it big or small: a short email/response/guidance, which might take only a few minutes of your time, can mean the world to people.

3. How would you describe your leadership style in just a few words?

Empathic, organised, caring, leader (some would say fighter).

4. If you weren’t doing this job, then what would you be doing?

I would be a teacher/trainer for sure, as I truly believe teaching inspires and motivates people to realise their potential. I enjoy training and helping people by empowering them with the guidance they need.

5. Reflecting on your career journey, what professional achievement are you most proud of, and how has it shaped your approach to leadership and innovation?

My first professional achievement was in the early days of my career, when I won business by representing a leading CRO with one of the most demanding, critical sponsors. The learning experience of this process made me understand end-to-end operations/business. It was very tough. However, it was a highly rewarding experience with a lot of learning, which has made me realise my core strengths in handling tough stakeholders and delivering project outcomes with quality.

6. Can you share a challenging decision you’ve had to make recently and how you navigated it?

A challenging decision I’ve had to make has been realigning the teams and implementing new strategies for efficiently managing project outcomes. Listening to the teams, understanding their perspectives, and addressing them in the right way was key to ensuring these decisions would get the best out of each team member and improve efficiency. Having multiple team meetings, 1:1s with employees to clearly explain the objectives, plans of actions, and providing the required support is an ongoing effort to achieving successful results. Understanding the teams is crucial to addressing everyone with empathy and explaining the common goals.

7. In what ways do you see the pharmaceutical industry evolving in the next decade, and how are you preparing for those changes?

This is very interesting. The technology revolution has been at the centre of the pharmaceutical industry. There is so much buzz around AI/ML/NLP, and they are going to make significant impact in the next decade on traditional work, which will be beneficial for us all. It is important to embrace the change and upskill with emerging trends/technologies to be relevant and efficient in the industry.

8. Managing a global team of 150 technical clinical professionals is a significant responsibility. Can you share some strategies you employ to ensure effective communication, collaboration and productivity across such a diverse group?

It is important to have an inclusive and safe culture so everyone receives the same communication. We listen to everyone’s ideas to value one another and work as a global team. Small things such as leaders meeting at the same time rather than having separate meetings with regional managers – and the same with team members for knowledge sharing sessions – brings everyone together. By having mentors across regions, we respect and learn from one another and share best practices.

9. As an active participant and speaker at global forums, what advice can you offer to professionals looking to improve their presentation and public speaking skills?

Be clear and precise on the topic of your presentation based on the time provided. This will help you feel confident. Feel free to seek support and do a mock session with your colleagues to help with improvisation and to gain feedback. Everyone has their own style of presenting, so observe presenters and adapt their styles to yours. It is a blessing to have a group of colleagues/friends who give you the right feedback and encourage you when you are participating. As the saying goes, everything will become better with practice, so don’t be afraid to take the first step. You will never look back.

10. Working in clinical programming often requires close collaboration with other departments such as biostatistics, clinical research and regulatory affairs. How do you foster effective cross-functional collaboration to ensure successful project outcomes?

The clinical programming team alone cannot deliver anything as our activities fall in between. We have close collaborations and high-level cross-functional training so the team are aware of what each of these departments does. We also have a recurring schedule of meetings with other departments at various stages to discuss project health, upcoming milestones, priorities, etc. to understand their perspectives and dependencies and to support one another to get the final project outcomes.