Excellence in Capability Development

Summary of work

How the NHS operates today presents significant challenges to pharmaceutical companies. With budgets tight, and decisions made by groups of people with differing priorities, there is now a level of complexity where the traditional selling model is now ineffective.

Sanofi’s Primary Care Business Unit (PCBU) asked Rubica to help it overcome this challenge and deliver on its new strategic direction by adopting an unconventional approach to Key Account Excellence (KAE). This would see the organisation embed a new capability that would change its culture and ways of working. In doing this, more influential, profitable and sustainable customer relationships would be built that would deliver more and ultimately improve NHS patient health.

Since launching KAE, PCBU is now experiencing significant benefits from its new capabilities. The benefits of which are evident internally and externally:

• £6m increase in Business Operating Income in 2018 vs 2017
• 47.4% and 130.1% volume growth in respective key geographies for its cholesterol drug
• Market research shows 62% of diabetes drug customers experiencing a positive difference in how Sanofi interacted with them compared to 2017
• 81.5% individuals (since adopting KAE) feel empowered and responsible for making PCBU a sustainable business for the long term.

Judges' comments

Rubica and Sanofi have creative a programme with good insights, key account excellence and provided ongoing support to ensure success. They have recognised changes in the marketplace and stepped up to the challenge.