Read the Conversation
Meeting highlights:
- Expansion of Therapies: Daniel aims to expand Johnson & Johnson’s footprint in Colombia by introducing seven new therapies in the next three years, ensuring patient access to innovative treatments while shifting the healthcare view from “cost” to “investment.”
- Colombia as a Strategic Hub: Sees Colombia as a strategic hub for LatAm North operations, with over 1,000 employees, strong clinical trial activity, and significant local health equity investment.
- Patient-Centric Approach: Stresses patient-centric decision-making, building trust with stakeholders, and leveraging his background in market access and regulatory affairs to improve affordability and reimbursement.
- Technology & AI in Healthcare: Highlights the role of technology and AI in accelerating diagnosis, improving treatment adherence, and bridging healthcare access gaps in remote regions.
- Focus on Neuroscience & Mental Health: Identifies neuroscience and mental health, particularly Alzheimer’s, as urgent unmet needs, calling for the same level of innovation achieved in oncology and HIV to be applied in these areas.
EF: What mission did you set for yourself when you were appointed? How is it going after 10 months?
DD: The way Colombia welcomed me has been incredible, and I’m truly happy here. After just a couple of months, I found myself telling people that my home is now in Bogotá. That means a lot to me and my family.
Professionally, it’s been an enriching experience. I’ve worked in the pharmaceutical industry for over 20 years, most of that time in Brazil, in roles ranging from regulatory affairs to market access and commercial operations. When I arrived in Colombia, my first months were focused on understanding the country, its economy, and its healthcare system. Every nation has its characteristics. That knowledge is essential for maintaining the strong footprint Johnson & Johnson has built here. Globally, the company has more than 140 years of history, and in Colombia, we’ve been present for almost 70 years. This opportunity enabled me to identify differences and leverage my experience from Brazil to contribute to strengthening the Colombian healthcare system.
We want to continue growing our presence here as an innovative company. The best way to do that is by bringing our latest innovations to Colombia. Globally, by 2030, we expect to introduce more than 70 innovations across various therapeutic areas. In Colombia, over the next three years, our goal is to bring in eight additional therapies in Oncology, Hematology, Immunology, and Neuroscience. This is part of how we work with the government to ensure patients receive the treatments they deserve. Our aim is always to prevent what can be prevented, treat what cannot be stopped, and in some cases, such as multiple myeloma, offer a path to a cure. Thinking back on these first few months, I’ve focused on strengthening Johnson & Johnson’s presence in Colombia and making sure every patient who needs our therapies can get the best care possible.
EF: From your perspective and J&J, how do you see 2025?
DD: We see 2025 as a period of transformation in Colombia. We often emphasize the importance of building on the strong foundation we already have. Our healthcare system is good, and we understand there can be room to make it better. The focus should be on how we improve and, more importantly, on how we support everyone involved in this transformation, making sure that every decision puts patients first.
Patients have to be at the center of every change. The main goal of healthcare is to improve outcomes for patients, their families, and the wider community, but we also have to recognize the economic impact it brings. We need to change the way we see it, moving from the idea that healthcare is a cost to understanding it as an investment. For every dollar put into healthcare, the economy can see a return of up to four dollars. The figures make that clear. For example, when a patient with rheumatoid arthritis receives proper treatment, 75% show no disease progression, and the costs for exams can fall by 15%.
This is where we want to be part of the conversation, to contribute our experience. In 140 years, we’ve faced many situations across different countries, geographies, and environments globally. Those experiences have taught us how to lead and navigate periods of change, always to care not just for the patients we have today, but for those we will serve tomorrow. That’s one of our key purposes here.
EF: Why does J&J feel this responsibility to play a bigger role in pushing the industry forward?
DD: J&J is healthcare’s leading, most comprehensive innovation powerhouse. But what truly stands out is that we have some of the most passionate people in healthcare. As a pharmacist myself, this work is personal to me. Driven by our Credo, which states our first responsibility is to our patients, we are focusing our efforts to deliver breakthrough medicines and therapies that can help save and improve their lives, creating the most meaningful impact we can.
EF: How would you define the strategic significance of Colombia to J&J? What’s your hypothetical pitch to the company as to why they should spend a dollar in Colombia over a dollar somewhere else?
DD: Colombia is a very important country for J&J. As you mentioned, it serves as the base for Latin America North, which includes Peru and Ecuador. This region has more than 25,000 patients who have benefited from our products. In Colombia alone, we have over 1,000 employees, and for every one of them, the economic impact multiplies by three additional jobs in the economy.
When I think about our innovation journey, the first steps involve development, and Colombia plays a key role as a hub for clinical trials. Right now, more than 700 patients in Colombia are being treated with our medicines for multiple myeloma and lung cancer at leading institutions such as the Central Military Hospital and the Colombian Cardiovascular Foundation.
Colombia is also significant in terms of investment. At present, we are investing around 1.2 billion Colombian pesos in local health equity initiatives. We have been here for nearly 70 years, and we intend to be here for at least another 70. We want to continue leading this journey, strengthening our position as the main pharmaceutical company, and staying true to the mission we hold today.
EF: How are you leveraging your past in market access and regulatory affairs in your new role and making sure you are driving access?
DD: One of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had has been being part of this journey, from working in innovation and regulatory affairs to my current role as managing director. In market access, whenever I have conversations or reach agreements with key stakeholders, everything starts with trust. If we build strong, trusting relationships and keep the patient at the center, I’m confident we can find the best solutions for them.
We need to simplify the affordability and reimbursement process and have open discussions with everyone involved. It starts with shifting the view of healthcare from being a cost to seeing it as an investment. What we do is much more than a commercial transaction or the sale of a medicine or solution. It’s about creating real impact through collaboration. By working together with all stakeholders, we can deliver better results and find the best possible solutions for healthcare. Each country has its own unique needs, and J&J understands those perspectives in order to propose solutions that benefit everyone.
EF: How do you apply useful applications of AI to benefit patients?
DD: This kind of innovation helps us be more intentional and precise in everything we do. These technologies work alongside our innovations in medicine, allowing us to improve them. The question is, how can we bring together all the information available today, including diagnostic support programs, biomarkers, and more, to help physicians make the best decisions? We have a program for that. Once a patient is identified and the treatment is chosen, how can we make sure they get the full benefit? That means supporting them with compliance, ensuring they receive the medicine, and helping them use it correctly. All of this is supported by the technologies we’re talking about.
For example, virtual consultations in Colombia work well in urban areas like Bogotá and Medellín, and in Peru too. But when we move to more remote regions, such as the Amazon or the coast, it becomes more challenging. This is why technology plays such a crucial role; it speeds up diagnosis and treatment for patients who need it most.
EF: For you, is there an area that the company is looking at that excites you that will have a profound impact in the region you are in, with the numerous treatments J&J wants to launch by 2030?
DD: One of the things I value most about J&J is that we focus on where we can make the biggest impact. It starts with understanding where the unmet need is, and then asking ourselves, as J&J, where we can offer the best solution. That’s when we begin.
When I first started working in the pharmaceutical industry, for example, the life expectancy for a patient with multiple myeloma was about two years. Today, with diverse therapies, we are talking about the possibility of a functional cure in 10 to 15 years, which is a huge leap. In oncology and hematology, as I mentioned, we’ve seen remarkable progress, and the same is true in other areas like immunology and neuroscience. There are also new treatments for depression and neuroscience. These are the main therapeutic areas we are investing in, with the ultimate goal of finding a cure for diseases. It’s not simple, but it’s how we decide where to put our efforts and resources so that patients receive the best possible treatment.
Of course, commercial availability is important, but if we look earlier in the process, during development, patients cannot wait. That’s why bringing clinical trials to Colombia is so important; it ensures patients can access these treatments when they need them most. Clinical trials are often for critical diseases where patients may have only months or a few years to live, so the benefit to them is clear.
We also gain valuable knowledge through these trials. Physicians and healthcare providers learn about the new therapies, and we prepare the healthcare system to receive these innovations. We are moving toward personalized treatments, and the approach for a pill or tablet is very different from that for a CAR-T therapy. This means we need to prepare physicians and the healthcare environment itself to be ready for these kinds of breakthroughs.
EF: How do you think we can build more trust between the public and private sectors in Colombia? How can we build that trust to push towards the common goal of improving the lives of patients?
DD: First, our shared goal must be the patients and what is best for them. Second, we need to keep the conversation open. If everyone agrees that the priority is the patient’s well-being, I’m confident we can build trust.
From my experience in the pharmaceutical industry, I’ve seen situations like this in other parts of the world. When there is common ground, real change is possible. Being a global company means we can bring knowledge from many different contexts, from highly developed countries to those in transition, and even to places facing conflicts. This allows us to share what we believe works best for each geography, while recognizing the unique aspects of Colombia’s healthcare system. The aim is to maintain open dialogue so everyone can understand the value the pharmaceutical industry brings.
EF: How do you instill the passion you have into your team? How do you make sure that when they come to work, they are driven by that and that they want to make a difference every day?
DD: When we talk about patients, there’s one thing we can be sure of: one day, we will be the patients. That’s why it’s crucial to be our best and do our best, ensuring patients receive the best possible therapy. I don’t know when I might be on the other side of the table, needing that kind of help or care.
When it comes to our employees, our evaluations often focus on what we can do, but just as important is how we do it. Part of that is developing our people. This is rooted in our Credo, which speaks clearly about patients, providers, the environment, and the people who work with us. Developing our teams means helping them understand their accountability and responsibility to the patients we serve. It’s easy to inspire our teams when we can connect their work to its impact on patient care. Every time we have the chance to meet a patient and see firsthand how we’ve changed their life, it’s deeply fulfilling. It’s a clear reminder to all of us of the value of our work and the difference we make.
EF: What kind of legacy are you building as an executive in the country, and when people talk about you in Brazil and Colombia, what will they say your leadership style is?
DD: The legacy I want to leave here isn’t just one thing. It’s making sure that today’s patients receive the best possible treatment, and that tomorrow’s patients have the same opportunities we have now. From an internal perspective, I believe that in five years, few people will remember the sales figures. What will matter is that I helped someone here become the best version of themselves, grow, and gain more knowledge. If you ask me, I’d like to be remembered for the impact I’ve had not only on patients, but also on the employees we have here in Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador.
EF: If you have to challenge the sector with one thing, what would it be? What would you like to challenge the other executives to discuss further in Colombia?
DD: Right now, we’re seeing unprecedented outcomes in cancer treatment. Patients are living much longer lives. But I’m not sure our minds are fully prepared for that reality. For me, a clear unmet need is in neuroscience conditions like Alzheimer’s and similar diseases. We need to move faster in advancing research, developing new molecules, and finding new therapeutic targets, so that we can achieve in neuroscience what we’ve accomplished over the last decade for HIV, cancer, and other diseases. That’s my view: we need to have more conversations about neuroscience.
EF: What is your final message that you want to deliver to the sector, colleagues, and the readers?
DD: I want to ensure that this information reaches everyone, so they understand the true impact and benefits of our work. Representing J&J here is both an honor and a responsibility. My message is centered on shifting the conversation about healthcare from cost to investment. The impact extends beyond patient health outcomes, also affecting the economy. Every dollar invested in healthcare can return up to four dollars to the economy. People need to see the full picture, not just the clinical benefits.
In Colombia, we have more than 1,000 employees, and our focus is on continuing to grow and expand our footprint. Colombia has been, is, and will remain a very important country for J&J. We are committed to growth and to doing everything possible to ensure our continued expansion. Our purpose is simple but powerful: to make sure the patients of tomorrow have the same opportunities as patients have today. My goal is to deliver the best work we can here in Colombia. To do that, we must stay calm, understand the situation, and make the best decisions possible. I always put myself in the right frame of mind so that I make decisions thoughtfully and without emotion because those decisions affect many people.
