– Written By Dipti Rawal, PHUSE Volunteer
The recent PHUSE Leadership Summit in Hyderabad marked an important moment for India’s growing pharmaceutical sector. The summit drew 40 leaders from 19 prominent companies, including global pharmaceutical giants and contract research organisations (CROs), to discuss the future of the industry. The timing was significant, as Hyderabad is emerging as a central hub in India’s expanding life sciences sector, known for its strong pharma and biotech clusters.
Strategic Workforce Planning
The summit kicked off with a focus on strategic workforce planning, addressing the evolving landscape of clinical trials. Innovations in trial methods and regulatory changes are reshaping the industry’s talent needs. Discussions centred on identifying future skill requirements and strategising workforce development to keep pace with these advancements. This session highlighted the necessity of preparing for a dynamic future, suggesting that continuous learning and adaptation are key to staying relevant.
Technology Impact
In the Technology Impact stream, leaders explored the integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and large language models (LLMs). This discussion detailed how these technologies are set to revolutionise the pharma industry, changing operational methodologies and the skills needed to navigate the technology landscape. The consensus was that the future workforce must be talented in technology but also possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills to leverage these advancements effectively.
Building a Skilled Workforce
The Building a Skilled Workforce stream tackled the challenges of intense competition for talent among pharma and CROs. This session highlighted collaborative strategies to mitigate the ‘war for talent’ such as joint training programmes, shared learning platforms, and standardising skill requirements across the industry. By nurturing a cooperative rather than competitive environment, the industry aims to enhance the overall quality and availability of skilled professionals.
The PHUSE Leadership Summit facilitated a broader dialogue in these important areas. Discussions were made stronger with case studies and interactive sessions, enabling leaders to share insights and best practices extensively.
The outcomes from this summit are expected to guide strategic decisions in workforce planning, technology adaptation, and talent development – important for steering the pharma industry towards a more innovative and efficient future.
Hyderabad’s role as a leading centre for pharma and biotechnology research highlights the importance of such summits. As the city continues to attract significant investments and talent, the need for a skilled workforce is ever-growing. The strong job market and the presence of numerous multinational companies in the region highlight the strategic importance of focusing on innovative workforce solutions and technology integration to sustain and enhance the city’s – and India’s –position in the global pharmaceutical market. Overall, the summit in Hyderabad was an important step forward in addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing industry leaders today. These discussions need to continue, with leaders actively involved, ensuring that the momentum gained is not only maintained but also used to further innovation and collaboration within the industry.