Read the Conversation
Meeting highlights:
- Key Challenges in Colombian Healthcare: Johanna identified three main challenges: inequity in healthcare access between urban and rural areas, the financial sustainability crisis of the system, and the urgent need to improve cancer care.
- MSD's Strategic Vision for Colombia: Colombia is MSD's second most important country for clinical trials. Johanna emphasized the country's strong infrastructure, talent pool, and potential to become a regional innovation hub.
- Collaborative Approach: MSD invests heavily in public-private partnerships like "Alianzas para la Vida" to expand access, especially in underserved communities. Initiatives include HPV vaccination programs and new partnerships like one with UNICEF to impact 60,000+ individuals.
- Portfolio Priorities and Use of Data: MSD is focused on oncology, vaccines, and rare diseases. Johanna highlighted the strategic role of data and digital transformation in enhancing patient insights, access, and operational efficiency.
- Leadership and Long-Term Commitment: As MSD's first female GM in Colombia and Ecuador, Johanna promotes skill-based leadership, inclusive empowerment, and resilience. She reaffirmed MSD's long-term commitment to Colombia, regardless of political or economic turbulence.
EF: From your perspective, how do you see 2025?
JB: Where there's a challenge, there's always an opportunity as well. I want to take a balanced approach here, as this is an important year for Colombia. I see three important challenges.
The first one is equity and access in healthcare. There's a significant disparity in Colombia regarding healthcare access between urban centers and rural or remote areas.
The second very important challenge is the financial sustainability of the full system. The healthcare system faces challenges in securing adequate and consistent funding. This isn't new; it's always been like that, but now it's getting even worse. It has reached the point where it's impacting the quality and availability of services.
The third point is cancer care, and why I’m calling out cancer care specifically is because the fight against cancer is a pressing issue in terms of public health. It requires an ongoing commitment from the healthcare system, all stakeholders, and industry. We are increasingly seeing patients who need a second chance at life. We need to have clinical research programs here in Colombia. Here at MSD, for instance, we have 66% of our programs dedicated to oncology. It's worth mentioning because we're investigating cutting-edge therapeutic solutions that can make a meaningful difference for our oncology patients.
In terms of opportunities, as I mentioned, where there is a challenge, there is an opportunity. It's essential to consider that, despite this challenging year, when viewed from a broader perspective, Colombia is globally the second most significant country for MSD in terms of clinical trials. This presents us with great potential, based on three key opportunities.
First, I want to see Colombia become an innovation hub. I’ve only been here for a year, but I already feel Colombian at heart. This country has what it takes. Colombia boasts a robust clinical research infrastructure, featuring state-of-the-art trial centers, high-quality standards, and a pool of highly skilled professionals. Colombia leads the region in clinical trials. From every four trials, one is from MSD in Colombia. Being number one comes with responsibility, but it also sends a message to others that it's possible to reach this level.
Second, there’s an opportunity to strengthen our value proposition to improve access to healthcare. I already mentioned that there was a gap in access, which then becomes an opportunity. It takes a collaborative effort, bringing together all players in the system to break down access barriers and improve health outcomes across Colombia’s diverse population. That also includes expanding our treatment portfolio to meet more needs. We want to strengthen MSD's presence in Colombia. We’ve been here for nearly 80 years, and this remains a strong investment market. I believe it remains an attractive investment market. In Colombia, we're fostering innovation, access, and equity in healthcare nationwide. I intend for this balanced approach to succeed.
EF: Could you elaborate on the collaborative front and how MSD is working with various entities to advance this narrative?
JB: Nothing happens overnight. It takes time and a clear strategy, especially since we strongly believe in strategic alliances. That's something we consider essential. Let me share a few examples. Over the past two years, we've worked to strengthen our position as a trusted partner. We refer to ourselves as the partner of choice for both public and private stakeholders in the healthcare sector. We strongly believe in the importance of both private and public alliances within the healthcare ecosystem.
An example of that is the Life Partnership Program. It's called "Alianzas para la Vida," a life partnership program or alliance. We launched it in 2022 with a firm commitment to support Colombia's public health priorities. It was part of our plan for the period from 2022 to 2026. We have invested around $40 million in that program. This program ensures timely and sustainable access to innovative healthcare solutions that address the pressing needs we have identified. It collaborates with various partners, including academia, government, NGOs, and public and private entities. To give you a sense of what we're doing, we're focusing on four main pillars: health and prevention, clinical research, equity in cancer, and sustainability. I would like to share a few highlights from each of them.
Let's start with HPV. To put things into perspective, seven women die each day in Colombia from cervical cancer. That's particularly alarming because it's a preventable disease. What's even more concerning is how this compares to countries like Ecuador or Chile, where the rate is about three per day. That's why we've made this a major focus area through prevention and awareness campaigns, as well as school vaccination programs. So far, we've carried this out in 16 regions using what we call a territorial approach.
We've also trained over 700 community leaders on HPV and how to prevent it. We've taken it a step further, targeting HPV awareness and health programs in Indigenous communities. More than 2,000 women from the Arhuaco community, for example, have been reached through culturally adapted outreach. That includes communicating in their language and respecting their customs and ways of life.
Partnerships play a big role in this work. We've been deeply involved in the national HPV alliance, Abrázame, which means "hug me." It's the largest initiative of its kind in the world, with more than 80 participating organizations, and we were one of the founding members. There's also LCCC and a breast cancer coalition we're part of, which brings together a wide range of public and private actors.
And here's some breaking news: we're partnering with UNICEF on the rollout of the Healthy Communities program. This will reach more than 60,000 people from indigenous and Afro-descendant communities across Colombia. That launch is happening soon. All of this is part of what we mean when we talk about strategic alliances creating real impact in rural areas and with underserved populations. That's how we expand access to care where it's needed most.
EF: Why is Colombia attractive to MSD, and why the continued investment? What is your hypothetical pitch to collect resources for Columbia?
JB: This is a complex topic. Colombia has high-level infrastructure, an incredible amount of talent, and the right expertise. I want to return to clinical trials because that's where the opportunity stands out, and it's where we're choosing to invest our resources. It's a win-win. To put things into perspective, we invest approximately $13 million annually in clinical trials and research here in Colombia. That investment is possible because of the strength of the talent pool. And Colombia is attractive not just for its expertise, but also for its diversity, geographically and demographically. That makes it an ideal location for clinical research.
Colombia ranks second in clinical trial operations within MSD, just after the United States. We're ahead of much larger markets, such as Brazil and Mexico, which typically top the list due to their larger population sizes. However, Colombia's edge comes from its people, infrastructure, and potential. That's why we're committed to continuing along this path.
Also worth noting, MSD in Colombia doesn't just manage local operations. We're home to one of only five global clinical data management centers for MSD worldwide. That means Colombia is playing a vital role in our international operations, not just local ones. We don't only hire Colombians for the Colombian business; our teams are contributing to work that impacts patients around the world. That reflects our high regard for Colombian talent.
Currently, we have over 1,000 employees in Colombia. We're the largest MSD office in the region in terms of headcount. And more than 800 of those roles are tied to research and innovation on a global scale. That's a powerful indicator of the value we see here and the level of trust we place in our people's capabilities. All of this—talent, infrastructure, and investment—sends a clear message: we believe in Colombia.
EF: Could you provide us with an overview of the portfolio and explain how it is making a difference? Looking ahead, are there different therapeutic areas that MSD has in the pipeline that will make a real impact in the future?
JB: Firstly, the innovative pharmaceutical industry as a whole invests heavily in talent, resources, and research. We invest significantly more in R&D than other industries, approximately seven times more than the aerospace industry, because our core purpose is to develop innovative solutions for complex and specific diseases. Our key strategic pillars are vaccines and oncology. Cancer care will continue to be a significant burden on healthcare systems. We anticipate seeing more cases, many of which will be highly specialized, so we'll continue to deepen our focus in that area.
Another important area is rare diseases. We're preparing to enter that space and see it as one of the highest-potential opportunities, mainly because of the direct impact it has on patients' lives. Our work is centered on them. They are the reason we do what we do. We're committed to finding solutions for specific, unmet medical needs, particularly those that are rare or highly specialized. The more we address these challenges, the better we can create outcomes and brighter futures for patients. That's how we see our future investments across therapeutic areas.
EF: How do you see the importance of data and digital tools implementation in your operations to reduce the timelines of drug development and in your internal work? What does data mean to you, and how are you implementing it in MSD?
JB: What matters is that data on its own doesn't help much, not unless you can turn it into insights and use those insights to make better, informed decisions and take action. When we discuss digital transformation, it extends beyond just data science. The broader digital shift we've seen, especially since the pandemic, has helped us understand patient needs in ways we couldn't before. We've faced various market challenges, but digital transformation has provided us with visibility that we didn't have in the past.
One major shift has been moving away from traditional marketing to an omnichannel strategy. Digital is now a key channel in our 360-degree approach. It allows us to deliver prevention messages quickly, in different languages, and tailored to specific communities. That's incredibly valuable, and it's something that will remain a lasting legacy.
It also enables us to identify trends early and respond more quickly, whether we're in the pharmaceuticals industry or any other sector. This is the message of smartly utilizing digitalization, adopting it because it will be helpful. This includes artificial intelligence, telemedicine, and personalized medicine. Ultimately, we need to find the right balance. We cannot fully transition to a digital platform for everything. However, it is quite helpful, and the innovations that we have are transforming and will continue to transform what we know about diagnosis, comprehensive care, and treatment. And that transformation isn't slowing down; it will only continue to grow based on the trends we're already seeing.
EF: If you were to give three pieces of advice to the younger generation of female leaders who would like to follow in your footsteps, what advice would you give them?
JB: I’m the first woman here, and I’ve been the first in many areas, which comes with a lot of responsibility. My first message is this: let’s stop framing everything in terms of being a man or a woman. These conversations need to evolve. We have to break the stereotypes, because talent doesn’t have a gender or an age. That’s easier said than done, of course, but it’s the message I want to pass on to the next generation. We need to shift the focus to skills and competencies.
That’s the first piece of advice I give. If you start the conversation by saying, “I’m a woman, and I deserve this or that,” it’s not strong enough. The conversation should instead be, What does the role require? What are the needed competencies, and how do I develop them, whether I’m a man or a woman? That’s where equity comes in. It’s not about giving the same to everyone; it’s about asking, What do I need in my case to get there? Equity means understanding your unique path and being prepared when opportunities arise. You have to shift your mindset and focus on the right things, both as a woman and as a leader.
Second, remember the power of your voice. Use it. Be specific. One thing that helped me a lot was treating my career like a project. In any project, we work with objectives, strategies, stakeholder mapping, and planning for outcomes. You have plans A, B, and C. Not everything goes as expected, and the same applies to careers. Seeing my career this way helped me reshape conversations, refocus my priorities, and adapt my goals.
Adaptability is a key message. And being vocal means having honest conversations. That includes clearly stating where you want to go, what your limits are, what is non-negotiable, and what support you need to succeed. These conversations don’t only happen at work. They have to happen at home, too. Being a woman, regardless of your dream, comes with additional roles. I’m a mother of twins, and it hasn’t been easy. You need to define your priorities and build a support system both at work and at home. That way, you’re not forced to choose one or the other. You can do both. That’s my general advice. Keep your focus clear, know what you need, and don’t be afraid to ask for it.
EF: If you were to create a legacy, how would you want your employees to remember you?
JB: I have evolved my leadership style over the past 20 years, adapting to the various experiences I've had. I have been in seven other countries, and each country taught me something different about leadership and how to shape my leadership style. Now I am more mature, grounded, and human rather than old. I bring a balanced approach. I'm focused and results-oriented, and I've learned the value of discipline and taking action. But I also want to be remembered for maintaining a sense of balance, being direct, and taking a personal approach.
I care deeply about my people and their career paths. I believe in diversity and inclusion, and I truly mean it when I say that every voice matters. Everyone has talent. The real point is to identify it and help them bring out the best in themselves. I would like them to remember me as the person who was the catalyst, who helped them become better versions of themselves.
EF: What message would you like to convey to other executives or the sector about Colombia, MSD, and the country's overall healthcare ecosystem?
JB: I want to share two messages. The first is to believe in Colombia. This country is very attractive, and we're here to stay. I hope everyone shares that mindset; we're in this for the good times and the tough ones. It's like a marriage. You can't just show up when things are easy. The road ahead will be bumpy. That's a given. But we're not going anywhere. We are here to stay, and we need to surf the waves as they come. We need to adopt a strategic and empathetic mindset as we lead through storms. As leaders, we cannot lose our direction. We must each remain true to our beliefs, true to our passion, and true to our commitments to the country, our patients, and our employees. That is my message from a corporate perspective.
From a leadership perspective, we need to shift the focus away from gender and toward skills. We need to create an environment of trust where talent can grow. I've seen real progress in the industry, and I consider myself one example of that, just like many of my colleagues here in Colombia. There's strong female representation in our field. But we still need a strategic approach, one that also shows empathy for our teams. Leadership isn't something you impose. It should be inspirational. To be effective, we need to lead more humanely. Those are my two main messages.
