Decision Making in Pharma: How Big Decisions Shape the Pharmaceutical Industry

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This episode explores pharma management solutions through expert experience

Decision-making in pharma is the focus of this episode. Our guest is John Faulks, co-founder of PPMLD, a consulting company he helped establish 20 years ago.

Before launching his consulting company, John worked as a pharma scientist with global pharmaceutical management organizations. He brings particular insight into leadership, mentoring, and pharma management within the pharmaceutical industry.

John is also a committee member of PIPMG, the UK's prestigious PPM pharma network association. His experience spans pharmacy systems, tender management, and contract management across multiple decades.

Key takeaways from this pharma management solutions discussion

1. Cross-functional project teams drive pharmaceutical industry success. Drug development requires chemistry, clinical trials, and safety testing experts working together under a single project manager who owns the commercial and scientific goals.

2. Pharma project managers lead without direct authority. Unlike other industries, pharma management requires influencing specialists who report to functional managers while serving on multiple projects simultaneously.

3. Drug development timelines span 12 years on average. This extended duration requires management solutions that handle long-term resource allocation, pricing considerations, and supply chain coordination.

4. Portfolio decisions rely on three criteria. Commercial return potential, probability of technical success, and estimated development costs guide which projects advance. Advanced technologies and management system tools support these decisions in 2026.

5. Uncertainty separates pharma from other industries. Of 250 early-stage initiatives, perhaps one or two reach market. This reality demands robust pharmacy technology and inventory optimization processes.

How John's processes led him from scientist to pharma management consultant

John started in the pharmaceutical industry as a scientist working on medical diagnostics at a subsidiary of what became GSK. After years in hard science, he realized he preferred the people side of the business.

He moved into human resources and learning development, serving as an internal business partner for one of the science divisions. When GSK began outsourcing training work, John took a package and became a consultant.

He worked for GSK and other companies, specializing in pharma's project structure. John witnessed the creation of the first project teams and helped build the management system frameworks still used today. His work includes team building, helping project managers address their unique leadership roles, and partnership working with companies forging alliances.

Project managers and functional specialists meet different goals in pharma solutions

Pharmaceutical companies contain numerous specialist functions. Chemistry, clinical trials, and safety testing each require specific technologies and facilities, making it practical to group specialists together in dedicated departments.

The pharma management model sends representatives from each function to work on cross-functional projects. The project manager owns the commercial and scientific goals. Functional senior management maintains quality standards and keeps their teams at the leading edge of their disciplines.

These two areas, functional departments and temporary projects, work together to bring drugs to market. The system requires clear processes for efficiency in resource allocation and decision-making.

How project managers meet collaboration challenges in the pharmaceutical industry

Early on, functional representatives viewed project managers with suspicion. Line managers in each function held authority, and project managers had to lead without direct command, an arrangement sometimes called an "unholy marriage."

One peculiarity of pharma: projects take 12 years from initial research to market. During this time, functional experts may have little activity on a given project while waiting for other phases to complete. This means specialists often sit on four different projects with four different project managers.

Project managers must influence and negotiate for time from shared resources. Portfolio prioritization adds complexity, since some projects matter more based on potential sales and market impact. The role demands high tolerance for uncertainty and strong management solutions.

Pharma management solutions address unique decision-making processes

Pharma shares some decision-making characteristics with construction and IT: large capital commitments, risk management, and careful schedule scrutiny. The difference lies in technical certainty.

In construction, teams know they can build something; the question is whether they should and what returns to expect. In pharma, teams working on early-stage drug projects cannot be certain they can succeed technically. Of 250 early initiatives at any big company, perhaps one or two will reach market.

Scientists weigh in with opinions about what they believe should move forward. Without discipline, this creates an argumentative environment. Structured pharmacy systems and management system tools help organizations make data-driven decisions.

Portfolio management solutions guide go/no-go decisions in pharma

Organizations judge each portfolio asset against at least three criteria. First: likely commercial return if the product reaches market. Commercial teams analyze World Health Organization data on disease processes and examine competitor activity to project sales potential and pricing strategies.

Second: probability of technical success. Scientists estimate confidence levels for each project. New areas of science may have lower probability but higher potential return. Similar-to-market drugs show higher early probability but lower commercial upside.

Third: estimated cost to reach market. Clinical trial requirements vary by disease type and can drive significant budget differences. Senior management reviews plots of these criteria, receives presentations from scientists, and makes go/no-go decisions. The process involves calculated risk, balancing efficiency with thoroughness.

Modern pharmacy technology platforms support this decision-making with real-time data, supply chain visibility, and inventory optimization capabilities. In 2026, these technologies continue to evolve.

Find out more about pharmaceutical industry solutions

Learn more about Project Portfolio Management Software for Life Sciences.

Learn more about John's consulting company, PPMLD, at ppmld.com.

Meet Cora Systems: request a demo of our pharma management solutions

Pharmaceutical companies face unique challenges: long development timelines, technical uncertainty, cross-functional coordination, and high-stakes portfolio decisions. Cora Systems delivers the management solutions your organization needs to succeed.

Our platform supports tender management, contract management, and portfolio decision-making with real-time visibility across your entire drug development pipeline. In 2026, leading pharmaceutical organizations rely on Cora for efficiency gains and better decision outcomes.

Ready to improve your pharma management processes? Request a demo and meet our team to see how Cora can support your pharmaceutical industry goals.