Nicolas Delwaide - Participant 2021-2022
“I have expanded my horizon, adopted a new way of seeing things and acquired a ton of new skills”.
Role
Nicolas was part of the launch team of Bimekizumab, a new UCB treatment option in the moderate to severe psoriasis market segment in Canada.
Responsibilities
Nicolas’s task consisted in supporting the Canadian team and leading key projects aligned to the pre-launch strategic plan. The objective was to build a comprehensive brand plan for the new product, creating a clear framework for its launch, with an emphasis on digital technology as a key enabler of the Patient Value Strategy. This included market research programs and contributing to the marketing approach of the medical program.
How he benefited
Nicolas gained professional maturity and strengthened his resilience thanks to this new international challenge. He had to change and adapt his ways of working, collaborating with various cross-functional teams and hierarchical levels. “In terms of hard skills, being immersed in this business environment has improved my strategic planning, as well as financial projections and forecasts”, he says. It has also reinforced his ‘execution skills’, i.e., learning how to transform a project into reality.
The company – UCB
Since its inception in 1928, UCB has transformed into a global biopharma company, with a focus on neurology and immunology, and other areas in which its expertise and innovation are required. Today it assists thousands of patients living with severe diseases in more than 80 countries. This success is driven by the approximately 8,600 people working in its headquarters in Belgium and across nearly 40 countries worldwide.
“Nicolas exceeded every objective in terms of contributing to our business. He was able to anticipate problems in many situations. This kind of strategic thinking was impressive as he had not worked in a traditional company structure before and did not have any pharmaceutical experience.”