OLD Case Study #9: Data Strategy

Data Strategy

Transforming the Data Strategy at a Top 10 Pharma Company

Situation: A Chief Data Officer (CDO) at a top 10 global pharmaceutical company had a bold vision: to shift the organization’s mindset and operations from treating data as a technical asset to embracing it as a strategic asset. Despite having vast data resources, business stakeholders viewed the CDO office as an IT gatekeeper rather than a partner in innovation. The challenge was to redesign the operating model to unlock data’s full potential—especially in the context of accelerating AI adoption across clinical and commercial functions.
Action:
- Partnered with the CDO to reimagine the data operating model, embedding analytics capabilities into core workflows and decision-making processes.

Establishing cross-functional data pods to support business units with tailored insights
Integrating AI-powered analytics platforms to enable predictive modeling and real-time decision support
Creating governance frameworks that balanced innovation with compliance, communication, and stakeholder alignment
Deeply examined use case scenarios in simulation, patient cohort identification, and market forecasting

The redesigned model empowered business teams to treat data as fuel for strategic decisions rather than a technical hurdle.
Analytical tools run by the CDO office helped answer high-priority questions faster and with greater precision.
The perception of the CDO office shifted dramatically—from a bottleneck to an enabler for stakeholders on the business side.