Pharmaceutical Market Europe • July/August 2021 • 46
PEOPLE
Q&A
STEPHANIE HALL
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
The prospect of a strong cup of coffee, feeding my Labradors and a high energy Peloton ride.
What’s the best thing about working in healthcare comms?
I love working across a range of pharma/biotech clients, each with different cultures and ways of working. The variety is amazing and I never stop learning.
What’s the worst thing about working in healthcare comms?
Probably juggling the desire to do a really great job with pressures on time, deadlines, moving goalposts and clients who can’t agree on a decision or direction of travel!
What’s your favourite bar or eatery?
Caldesi in Campagna in Bray, Berkshire, owned by Giancarlo Caldesi, where they serve wonderful, authentic Tuscan food and wine.
Which buzzwords/office jargon get on your nerves?
Paradigm shift, we’re on a journey, no offence but, and poor spelling and grammar! I studied modern languages at university and taught English as a foreign language and I have a real love of clear and eloquent writing in business.
Which book/film would you recommend above all others and why?
The #1 New York Times bestseller, The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. This is a 12-month journal with amazing supporting research, wise and kind words and so relevant to today’s world.
Which person, living or dead, do you admire the most and why?
The super-successful Meryl Streep – she’s been working in the movies consistently since 1978 and has been described as a master of character, accents and genres.
Who is your healthcare comms hero/heroine?
Sarah Matthew, who has had a great career running pharma communications agencies before setting up The Vibrant Company to inspire vibrant people, teams and organisations as an Executive Coach. She has always taken the time to share her experience with me and to offer encouragement over the years.
What has been your career highlight to date?
Winning our first PMEA award in 2013 for a transformational marketing excellence programme – it was our first award submission and we were a much smaller team but full of plans and aspirations!
What’s your golden rule/piece of advice for someone starting a career in healthcare comms?If you’re just starting out in healthcare consulting, make sure you join an organisation which will invest in your training and development, where there are members of the senior team who genuinely care about you and where there are opportunities to work across a range of large clients and therapy areas. Check out the organisation’s values, purpose and corporate social responsibility activity.
Stephanie Hall is Founder and Managing Director of Uptake Strategies