Gerety Talks: Health and Pharma Advertising Episode 3

Gerety Talks Health & Pharma Advertising Episode 3. Tuesday June 4th.

The panel includes:

• Rob Fuller, head of planning, VCCP Health
• Chessa Williams, senior creative director, Open X Health
• Tash Beecher, creative director, Syneos Health

With a special thanks to event partners The Industry Club, Adobe, CreativeBrief, RoastBrief and AdsofBrands.

Just like the award show, the Gerety Talks series puts some of the marketing and creative industries true changemakers in the spotlight and at the centre of the conversation for a refreshing take on what leadership looks like.

In this third episode of Gerety Talks Health & Pharma, industry experts Chessa Williams, Rob Fuller and Tash Beecher discuss the challenges and opportunities of working in health and Pharma advertising. They touch on the importance of regulatory frameworks, particularly in relation to AI, and the need for creativity within these boundaries. The speakers also emphasise the value of asking good questions, having diverse backgrounds, and embracing new technologies to stay competitive. They also tap on the importance of collaboration and creativity in a remote working environment. As for the role of humour in advertising, the speakers highlight the need to approach it with sensitivity and care and the importance of finding the appropriate balance and resonating universally. Overall, the speakers express their passion for the industry and the impact it can have on people's lives.

Rob has nearly 20 years of healthcare and pharma experience, and currently leads Strategy and stares down bears for VCCP Health globally, challenging conventions, clients and himself to push beyond the expected and obvious in healthcare marketing. Having graduated from Oxford with a master’s in chemistry, Rob began his career client-side working for the likes of Merck, J&J Consumer Health and Reckitt Benckiser across regulatory, medical and marketing functions, before moving to Havas Lynx, where his leadership and drive was instrumental in achieving global recognition, including Cannes Lions Agency of the Year in 2018. Subsequently, Rob led strategy for McCann Health London and Europe, driving year-on-year commercial and reputational growth. At VCCP Health, Rob leads a diverse team of strategists and sits on an agency leadership team who are wholly committed to changing people’s lives for the better. A skilled workshop facilitator and strong presenter, he is passionate about the craft and effectiveness of planning in healthcare, the power of language, the potency of culture and the development of young strategic talent.

Chessa Williams is the senior creative director at Open X Health, part of the Open Health Group. Her career started as a designer within consumer advertising, before finding her home working within health and pharma. Chessa is passionate about the positive impact a big idea can have within the industry, and how when partnered with beautiful craft, a big idea can be pushed to even bigger heights. She loves a conversation about creativity and ideas, and nurturing talent and creative teams to reach their potential.

She has had the privilege of serving on several juries, both within Health and Pharma, and outside the industry for design and craft. Chessa’s work has been awarded with multiple awards, including Cannes Lions.

Tash has been in the creative comms industry as a writer, editor, radio presenter and marketeer for over 17 years. She has created award-winning work for global brands and has spent time crafting concepts and multi-channel campaigns at some of the best healthcare advertising agencies in the world: DDB Remedy, Langland, Ogilvy Health, Pollen Health & Tank Worldwide/Grey to name but a handful. She champions inclusive advertising in all forms, and has judged global awards such as Cannes Lions, D&AD, the Outvertising Awards, the Creative Circle Awards and the Effie’s. Most recently she was Jury President for Health at Eurobest and will serve on the inaugural 2024 Jury for D&AD Health & Wellness and Pharma. A former Creative Equals x Campaign Future Leader One to Watch, Tash is Creative Director at Syneos Health, and an Executive Creative Director at Pocc.

You may spot her leading the walks and birdwatching with birding group Flock Together, binoculars in hand... or riding bikes with her dog Brodie on her back, which many say is the best thing they have ever seen.