Early Career Achiever in Healthcare Communications

Summary of work

Tamara Ghanem is senior strategist and head of new business at GCI Health. She has a medical degree and leads a team of 20 on the AstraZeneca oncology portfolio. In her three years at GCI she has driven over 20 pitches, losing only two, and expanded the AZ oncology business to include policy, medical education and corporate communications.

In 2021, Tamara was mentor to eight colleagues, helping seven achieve their goals – five were promoted and two moved to more specialist roles within the agency. She was key in setting up and developing a new offering in Dubai, helping secure four new clients for GCI Middle East. Tamara also helped the wider GCI team grow existing accounts by running sessions on strategy and planning.

Tamara has led a raft of new initiatives for AZ oncology in 2021, including a campaign using Spotify to target black men about the importance of testing for prostate cancer.

Tamara says her most significant achievement to date is heading the award-winning New Normal, Same Cancer campaign, which has been launched in 68 countries across the world, encouraging people with or worried about cancer to re-engage with their local health service, following global inaction during the pandemic.

Judges' comments

The judges recognised Tamara’s maverick tendencies outlined in her approaches. They admired her aspirations for clients, as Tamara highlighted her want to constantly think of bigger and better ways to support them. Her energy is commendable in trying to push for a braver world outlook on what she and her team are achieving.