Q: Tell me about yourself and your journey so far in the space of Launch Excellence?

Sherif: I am a pharmacist by graduation, holding an MBA from Strathclyde, certified as a PMP from PMI US and a Six Sigma Black Belt. With over 22 years of experience in Sales, Marketing, Commercial, and Project Management roles. I focus on launch readiness for countries and brands across Emerging Markets, starting from prioritisation exercises that impact strategic growth plans for the organisation. I connect cross-functional teams from the commercial development stage to regulatory and supply departments, lead launch excellence workshops and launch planning tools at both country and regional levels and monitor launch performance and brand investments through advanced business models. The launch excellence role is quite exciting as I interact with almost all functions, all therapy areas and it keeps evolving every day, providing a broad exposure and opportunities for networking both horizontally and vertically.

In my experience the key pitfalls are usually around thinking too narrowly, not considering all the edge cases and other systems or balancing that will be affected with this change. It's important to take a step back and consider the ask, consider the ripple effects noting down any risks or unknowns and raising those with stakeholders before committing. That way everyone can be fully aligned on the consequences and take any additional overhead into account when planning the work, and you can aim to mitigate any risk in the design from the get-go rather than frantically plug the holes as you go. 

That and also adding a metagame feature just for the sake of it, because it's trendy. Don't lose sight of what makes your game unique and your target audience. Just because you've seen a feature garner great engagement in other games doesn't mean it works for your game, it might even detract from it if it feels out of tune with your core pillars and flavour. Instead try to analyse the root of why said feature was successful in those games, and see if you can give it your own spin on your project to reach similar goals.

Q: What strategic shifts do you foresee in how pharma companies approach launches over the next 5–10 years?

Sherif: In the past we used to have Global blueprints to follow while launching products, nowadays markets are shifting into local adaptation to the dynamics of each market, which could be defined as the eco-system approach.

In emerging regions such as the GCC, Africa, and parts of Asia, launch success will depend on speed, localisation, and partnership networks rather than scale alone. Launches will become more agile and cross-functional, with early integration of medical, access, regulatory, supply and digital teams long before product approval.

As an example In the Gulf, few companies have started building joint digital medical education platforms with ministries of health to prepare prescribers months before launch. 

Q: What role will AI, machine learning, and predictive analytics play in future launch strategies?

Sherif: We always face the challenge that emerging markets are highly diverse and dynamic; data is often scattered and incomplete but that’s exactly where AI can help fill the gaps and speed up progress.

The algorithm can be used to predict HCP adoption curves, patient journey must-win moments and channel engagement ROI, even micro-segmentation can be extended to stakeholders' management.

Machine learning will be used to optimise supply chains, simulate market access pathways, test pricing, tendering, and policy responses virtually before execution.

In the Middle East, predictive models are already being used to forecast tender outcomes. Certainly, AI will define how launch teams take future decisions.

Q: What regulatory or access-related disruptions do you anticipate, and how can teams proactively prepare?

Sherif: We tend to see now faster-then-usual requests to approve products in many countries. Access models are getting more familiar with innovative approaches as value-based agreements, HTA assessments are coming on the way, teams must integrate access planning from day one, building early health-economic evidence and strong local partnerships.

Regulatory agility and proactive engagement with authorities at early stage will define the winners. Saudi Arabia’s SFDA is adopting accelerated digital submission pathways, rewarding companies that prepare real-world evidence early.

Egypt’s national unified procurement system now prioritises products with local packaging or manufacturing, pushing multinationals to invest locally if they want early market access.

Q: How are stakeholders, patients, HCPs, and payers’ expectations changing, and how should launch teams adapt?

Sherif: Stakeholders today are evidence and budget-oriented; they are expecting measurable outcomes and proof rather than mere promotions on pharma products.

HCPs prefer concise, data-driven education, patients demand affordable access, and payers focus on budget predictability.

Launch teams should work cross-functionally to provide an integral approach where we combine medical credibility with digital agility.

In the UAE, oncologists increasingly rely on peer-to-peer webinars and real-world data dashboards instead of rep visits forcing launch teams to create digital value tools.

In Indonesia, patient communities on WhatsApp and Telegram are shaping drug perception, so companies now co-create educational campaigns with advocacy groups before launch.

Q: What are you looking to at the upcoming Pharmaceutical Launch Excellence Summit?

Sherif: I want to build on last year’s approach, where we were introduced to many internal processes on how companies handle launch excellence. I’m looking forward to hearing how regional leaders are building launch excellence in fast-moving, high-growth environments with more local case studies where local constraints are overcome to build strong brands capitalising on the strength of cross-functional collaboration and innovative approaches.