About us

Previously working in commissioning for University Hospitals Birmingham James moved over to market access consultancy with Bridgehead International (acquired by GfK and subsequently IPSOS), working on a variety of access projects including pricing, reimbursement, payer engagement, health economic modelling, due diligence, advisory boards, clinical trial support and payer research. Most recently James has been working as a global market access lead for Norgine , responsible for assets in both hepatology and oncology with the latter from pre-launch to launch planning and execution. James has been responsible for pricing strategy, reimbursement and HTA across Europe, HEOR strategy, payer engagement tools/ rollout, life cycle management and due diligence of potential new assets. James has led and supported on a number of successful HTA submissions in Europe. More recently James has also supported wider commercial activities, leading on brand campaign development and global marketing materials.

“I am driven by striking a fair balance between demand and supply in healthcare systems”

Eleanor has experience in Market Access and Health Management, including roles in Market Access Consulting and strategic change management projects for the NHS (Gynaecology, Kings College hospital London and Emergency Department and Trauma, Royal London Hospital). Her current research interest is on rare diseases and Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) and the complex challenges they present to the current global HTA and payer infrastructure.
Eleanor is experienced in the development of pricing and market landscape assessments and launch strategy in the EU markets, including Central and Eastern Europe and US. Other projects include the development of global payer value messages, price optimization, development of a global master pricing database and literature review for PMA assessment.

Eleanor is well-practised in primary and secondary qualitative and quantitative research including systematic literature review and stakeholder interviews.

Most recently, she worked as a Senior Analyst at Remap Consulting, delivering global launch and price optimisation strategy for new medicines. Recent engagements include the assessment of commercial opportunity in EU5 and Central and Eastern European countries including payer research to inform global launch strategies. Eleanor has also authored an ISPOR poster on the impact of the modified NICE cancer drugs fund process on patient access to novel oncology drugs in England.

Eleanor obtained her MSc Health Management from City, University of London, and has led a systematic literature review with the Global Health WC2 Network, regarding interventions for social isolation and loneliness in older people

“Utilisation of primary research, engaging expert stakeholders, to explore the current treatment landscape from all perspectives (payer, physician, patient, payer, political) is key to ensuring innovative medicines reach those who need them in a timely manner”

Nasos has experience in Health Economics and Market Access, including roles in consulting and the pharmaceutical industry.

Most recently, he worked as an Analyst in the Health Economics and Outcomes Research team in IQVIA, where he gained experience in economic evaluations, modelling and primary & secondary research. Nasos has also provided support in the development of value and access strategies across global healthcare systems and has been directly involved in HTA submissions. This has included preparing health economic analyses for the EU5 healthcare systems. Prior to this, he worked with GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines in the Value Evidence and Market Access department providing support with economic evaluations and primary research.

Nasos obtained his Master in Healthcare Management, Economics and Policy from the Bocconi University in Milan and holds a Bachelor in Economics from the University of Athens.

“I am motivated by the vision of accelerating patient access to novel and beneficial health technologies while ensuring fair pricing and commercial viability”

Most recently, Nancy completed her BSc Biochemistry degree at the University of Manchester. During her University career, she completed a literature review on the role of immune checkpoints in cancer and checkpoint inhibitors approved by the FDA for immunotherapy, and a project on intracellular protein trafficking and tethering at the Golgi. Nancy also studied abroad at Stony Brook University in New York and at Imperial College London. Here she worked with a research group at the Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, studying the molecular mechanisms of Salmonella infection which can cause both gastroenteritis and Typhoid. Gaining valuable experience in the lab, this work gave her real insight into the world of scientific research and she was able to see first-hand how scientific advancements can translate to progress in tackling human disease.

“I am excited to be a part of the work to help our clients understand the market landscape to ensure that innovative new therapies and potentially life-saving treatments are available to those who need them”

After Graduating from Portsmouth University with a degree in Television and Film Production, Alice built up her logistical and operational experience with 10 years in the Creative industry. Transferring those skills of ensuring the delivery of multiple projects across timezones, she now splits her time between recruitment and the Platform to ensure it delivers informative and insightful data from physicians and payers across the world.

“It is my aim to grow the Platform to exceed our clients needs and expectations”

Charlotte is a communications professional with over 10 years pharma industry and healthcare communications experience.

Charlotte’s breadth of experience ranges from global corporate communications and crisis management to product communications, policy, patient advocacy and internal communications and employee engagement.

“I am passionate about the power of great communication and am motivated by delivering impactful programmes that benefit the most important stakeholder of all, patients”

As Chairman of Bridgehead International, a market access consultancy acquired by GfK and subsequently IPSOS, David has spent the last two decades championing an effective dialogue between industry and payers. He is concerned that innovations should find their right place in the diagnosis and treatment of patients and that benefits from research are fully realised.

“I am using my experience to establish, with my colleagues, an efficient platform for product pricing to ensure timely access for patients.”

As Founder and Director of Bridgehead International, an international pricing consultancy divested to GfK, Fiona helped clients to identify, assess and adopt innovative technologies. She uses her experience to support the development of new drugs and medical devices for the benefit of innovators, health systems and patients.

“I see a real need to improve the efficiency of collection and analysis of market access data, from rapid early insights to in-depth studies”

Peter is an experienced senior consultant with expertise across the spectrum of pharmaceutical commercial activities.

In Peter’s past experience he has been the UK Pharma General Manager (Fujisawa, now Astellas), and EU/Global Managing Director at Pharma Agencies (Grey, ESL, Solaris).

Peter has specific recent UK and EU reimbursement/market access experience across a variety of disease areas and specialises in combining the activities of multiple functions within a life sciences company.

Jim Furniss is an independent consultant advising companies on market access for pharmaceuticals in Europe, North America and the rest of the world.

Jim was a senior official in the UK Department of Health, responsible for the operation of the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme and for the NHS drug budget. He was also a member of the European Commission’s Pharmaceutical Pricing Transparency Committee.

Jim has subsequently spent 20 years in consultancy in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry, working on a large number of pharmaceutical pricing, reimbursement and market access projects. This has included all major therapy areas, but with an emphasis on oncology and orphan drugs , including treatments for multiple myeloma – specifically lenalidomide and bortezomib.

Stuart has over thirty years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry. During this time, he has worked across sales, marketing, public affairs and market access. Stuart started his pharmaceutical career as a Regional Manager with Servier before moving to Astra (before the merger with Zeneca) where his roles included NHS Facilitator (an early market access role) and regional controller.

Stuart had a number of roles at Pfizer, starting in Sales Management before setting up the Market Access team, one of the first in the UK at the time. Stuart then moved to Pfizer’s Government Affairs team in Brussels, before joining Eli Lilly as Head of European Public Affairs. There he was responsible for a cross-functional team covering Government Affairs, Communications, Policy Development, Patient Advocacy and Corporate Responsibility.

More recently, Stuart has focussed on rare diseases. Firstly with Synageva as VP, European Market Access & Government Affairs, where he took an ultra-orphan medicine from phase III results to being ready for pricing & reimbursement submission in all major markets in nine months. He then joined Akcea as Head of Global Market Access, Pricing and Reimbursement and established the function at global and country level, prior to the launch of an ultra-orphan in mid-2019.

Stuart is now working as an Independent Consultant supporting biotech companies looking to commercialise medicines for rare diseases internationally. His work includes commercial strategy & sequencing, global market access capacity and competency development, market access due diligence and talent acquisition.

Dr Frances Macdonald has a broad background in product development, market access and commercial leadership.

Dr Macdonald was a member of the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC), the Scottish HTA agency, for 7 years as the lead industry representative, sponsored by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). She chaired the joint SMC/industry user group forum, ensuring industry input and collaboration on the evolution of SMC processes and methods.

Earlier in her career, Dr Macdonald spent 7 years leading European Global Health Economic and Outcomes Research groups in Syntex (UK) followed by Roche (Basel). Within Roche, her team provided strategic advice plus operational support on health economics and pricing throughout the company, from basic research through to the commercial affiliates.

Dr Macdonald has also worked in a range of roles in clinical development, including Project Management, Clinical Pharmacology, and European Regulatory Affairs and led a Global Lifecycle team within the Roche oncology franchise. Frances also established and led the UK and Irish commercial subsidiary of Actelion as UK Managing Director. Dr Macdonald holds a PhD in Physiology from Glasgow University.

Dr Owens served as the Vice President of Medical Management and Policy at Independence Blue Cross (IBC) for 22 years with responsibilities for medical and pharmacy management, technology evaluation and medical policy.

Among his accomplishments at IBC was the development of their medical policy process with on-line access, and the launch of a coordinated care management approach to medical and pharmacy management. He was also in charge of the 2006 launch of FutureScripts, IBC’s wholly owned Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM). Forming his own consulting practice in 2007, Dr Owens provides strategic and tactical consulting services to a wide range of clients including pharmaceutical manufacturers, device manufacturers and other developers of new technology.

He has presented extensively on managed care, including at conferences of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), the National Association of Managed Care Physicians (NAMCP), and the Association for Value-Based Cancer Care. He has written 120 articles and editorials on managed care, pharmacy, and biotechnology, which have been published in American Health and Drug Benefits, The Journal of Managed Care Medicine, The American Journal of Managed Care, Journal of Managed Care and Speciality Pharmacy and Disease Management.

Dr Owens is the Past Chair of the Arthritis Foundation of Eastern PA and he was a former member of the Foundation’s Northeast Regional Board of Directors. Dr Owens was the first physician to serve (2014-2018) as a Board member of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy.