If you don’t evolve you may be left behind

Day One Podcast: Insights Room 101 

Episode 19: Vijay Chand 

In Room 101, a guest describes three of their worst insight industry pet peeves and aims to lock one of them away forever in Room 101, much like the popular British TV show. Our guest on this episode is Vijay Chand, who is Director of Global Reporting on the Global Insights, Analytics and Commercial Excellence team at AstraZeneca. Vijay is an ambitious and versatile leader with a proven track record in commercial data strategy, contracting and platform program management. His visionary approach has driven the creation of impactful performance KPIs and the seamless integration of multi-channel reporting across primary market research, secondary data and internal assets. He thrives on turning challenges into opportunities and excels in transforming complex data landscapes into informed decisions. Vijay joins us on The Day One podcast to share what things in the industry he’d like to see banished to Room 101 forever. The main pet peeves Vijay describes are: the notion of an infinite number of KPIs, short-term working relationships, and the false thinking that AI is not going to disrupt the future. Vijay provides meaningful criticism during our conversation, and we hope you enjoy it. 

The conversation begins with Vijay sharing the “roll of the decision” that led to his journey into the pharmaceutical industry and market research. Vijay discusses the diverse opportunities and different avenues one can take in the pharma sector, emphasising that you don’t need a medical background. The versatility and impact of the industry are highlighted, and Vijay encourages listeners to consider a career in this dynamic field. 

When considering on his nominations for Room 101, Vijay decided to have one proposal each from the categories of “data, people, and the future”. His first nomination for Room 101 is “the notion of an infinite number of KPIs”. Vijay and Hannah explore if there is a right number of KPIs to track. How do we know what we should be tracking? Vijay examines the importance of having a fixed number of KPIs to track, ensuring scalability, and avoiding unnecessary data correlation. The issue of new leaders adding on to existing KPIs without reevaluating their relevance is also discussed.  

For his second proposal for banishment to Room 101, Vijay has chosen “short-term thinking with quick wins over long-term relationships”. Vijay emphasizes the importance of fostering long-term relationships in the pharmaceutical industry. The need to focus on building strong connections with peers, colleagues, and agency partners, rather than solely pursuing short-term wins and quick savings is explored. Highlighting the negative effects of being overly aggressive or difficult to work with, Vijay shares how it can harm one’s reputation and relationships. Collaboration and treating people with respect are key factors in achieving success in the industry. 

Looking to the future, the third and final nomination for Room 101 is “the false thinking that AI is not going to disrupt the future”. Vijay highlights the importance of staying informed and evolving our skillsets to adapt to this technology, debunking the false belief that AI will not have a significant impact. Vijay discusses the potential job displacement and the need to embrace AI to remain competitive. Different ways that AI can be adopted in the pharma research industry are also explored. 

Vijay and Hannah agree to banish the false thinking that AI is not going to disrupt the future to Room 101.  We enjoyed the conversation, and we hope you do, too. 

About – Vijay Chand: 

Vijay Chand is Director of Global Reporting on the Global Insights, Analytics and Commercial Excellence team at AstraZeneca. Vijay is an ambitious and versatile leader with a proven track record in commercial data strategy, contracting and platform program management. His visionary approach has driven the creation of impactful performance KPIs and the seamless integration of multi-channel reporting across primary market research, secondary data and internal assets. He thrives on turning challenges into opportunities and excels in transforming complex data landscapes into informed decisions. 

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