30 CHEMICALS KNOWLEDGE HUB Issue 2 / October 2025 Attendees don’t just walk away with new leads – they leave with insights, partners and often a renewed sense of belonging to a truly global community. This is also how I realise we’re doing our job right, when we’re able to provide the platform that enables new partnerships to flourish. ES. It showed me that outside of the sales pitches and exhibition booths, everyone at CPHI is a real person with real challenges. When every booth is competing for attention, marketers are under huge pressure to differentiate and often with limited resources. That experience made me see our role not just as an agency, but as a specialist partner for life sciences marketers. Someone who understands their world, speaks their language and knows how to cut through the noise with messages that are sharp, credible and deliver results. OA. That first event completely reframed CPHI’s value for me. It’s not just about the immediate ROI or the number of new contacts collected – it’s about the long-term strength of the relationships built there. Some of the contacts I first met in 2021 only recently came on board to ramarketing, but that’s a testament to the fact that CPHI lays the groundwork for trust and partnership. It taught me that the ‘pay off’ from attending is measured in years, not weeks, and that’s why CPHI is critical for service-based businesses. Were there any lasting relationships or business opportunities that emerged from that encounter? TD. Yes, the companies involved later shared that their partnership allowed them to accelerate development timelines significantly. For me, it was tangible proof of the ripple effect that one introduction at CPHI can have across the supply chain and, ultimately, for patients. ES. Yes, absolutely. That initial chat built trust and later turned into a long-term partnership. What stood out was that it didn’t begin with a pitch; it began with a conversation. That’s exactly how we approach our client relationships: we start with understanding before building campaigns that actually work for their needs. From there, we worked together to transform their complex, highly technical offering into a marketing strategy that gave them both confidence and visibility. It’s a good reminder that the most valuable opportunities often start with empathy rather than an RFP where the deliverables are already tightly defined. OA. Absolutely. CPHI has been central to nurturing long-term relationships with both clients and industry peers. For example, in Frankfurt 2022, we hosted a client dinner that helped strengthen partnerships and led to expanded services yearon-year. The timing of CPHI, just as businesses are finalising their strategies for the following year, makes it a perfect space to connect meaningfully. If you could relive one CPHI moment, which would it be and why? TD. I would relive the first time we brought the global community back together in person after the pandemic. It wasn’t an easy year, I think the whole industry was still adapting to the ‘new normal’, but the sense of energy, relief, and optimism was unlike anything else. You could see how much it meant to people to reconnect face-to-face. It reaffirmed why we do what we do, and how there is really no substitute for that human connection. ES. If I could relive one moment at CPHI, it would be one of the previous years’ awards ceremonies. We’ve had the privilege of helping clients prepare their submissions throughout the years and it’s incredibly rewarding to see them walk up on stage and be recognised for their work. For me, it’s not just about the shortlist or the win, it’s knowing that we were able to articulate their story clearly enough for the judges to see the impact of their science. Those moments are powerful because they highlight exactly why we do what we do: giving innovative life sciences companies the recognition they deserve. OA. If I could relive one moment, it would be the Wednesday afternoon networking hours. After a long day moving between halls, pausing to share a drink or laugh with clients always stands out. As Head of Client Services, I value those moments where the formality falls away, and it’s just people connecting. However, another highlight is spending time with my own team. CPHI is one of the rare occasions we’re all together in one place, passing the baton on media interviews and supporting each other across meetings. That shared team energy always makes the week special. What made that conversation/connection so memorable compared to others you’ve had at events? TD. Nobody expected the pandemic, and it was one of my most challenging periods professionally, ROUNDTABLE
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjY2OTA4MA==