CEO Today United Kingdom Awards

www.ceotodaymagazine.com 40 CEO Today United Kingdom Awards 2018 COMMUNICATIONS PAUL TAAFFE CEO of Huntsworth FIRM PROFILE Huntsworth PLC is an international healthcare and communications group. Huntsworth PLC is an international healthcare and communications group. The Group’s principal area of focus is Health, which provides marketing and medical communications services to healthcare clients, which are primarily large and mid-size pharmaceutical and biotech companies. It also has a smaller Communications group, which provides a wide range of communications and advisory services including strategic communications, public affairs, investor relations and consumer marketing. Huntsworth Health has three main divisions. Medical focuses on communicating evidence on new scientific and drug developments and educating healthcare professionals and payers on the appropriate use of therapy. Marketing focuses on post-approval marketing of drugs to payers, healthcare professionals and consumers, primarily in the US. Immersive provides live experiences, communications and interactive content. Communications contains three main communication and advisory agencies. Grayling is a global integrated communications network, covering public relations and public affairs. Citigate Dewe Rogerson is an international financial and corporate public relations consultancy. Red is a strategic communications consultancy offering PR, digital and content expertise. Huntsworth acquires, creates and develops specialist agencies that deliver marketing and communication services. The shared objective of all of our Group agencies is to deliver high-value solutions to clients through the integration of our creative and technical expertise along with the quality and speed of our implementation. In so doing we aim to gain further market share. When this is optimised the result is a faster-growing, higher-margin business, which generates a better return for shareholders. WE HAVE 3 KEY STRATEGIC PRIORITIES: Strengthen the Group’s focus on Healthcare marketing services The Healthcare indus- try has a good long-term outlook, underpinned by strong fundamentals, including an ageing population and a rise in chronic health conditions. At the same time it is becoming increasingly competitive with the established pharma companies facing challenges from small biotech firms and other niche players. In this environment, Healthcare marketing services have an increas- ingly important role to play. Extend and grow our capabilities and services The lines between traditional marketing, advertising, communications and public relations are becoming increasingly blurred. With clients critically reviewing the solutions available to them, and with a premium placed on innovative solutions, it is important to continually review our service offering and to extend and develop new capabilities and services. Improve profitability across the Group The Group has made significant progress over the past two years in improving its profitability but we aim to drive further operational and cost efficiencies, as well as focusing on higher value-add services, in order to deliver market-leading margins. ABOUT PAUL TAAFFE Paul Taaffe was appointed as CEO of Huntsworth on 7 April 2015. Paul has wide experi- ence in communications and marketing, most recently as the Director of Communica- tions at Groupon, the interna- tional e-commerce company. Prior to that, he enjoyed a 20 year career with Hill & Knowl- ton Inc, the global communi- cations consultancy and sub- sidiary of WPP plc, including nine years as its Chairman and CEO. Throughout this time he advised many Blue Chip and international clients across all geographies and services.