Excellence In Pharma Blog Post - Georgina Fihosy

Georgina Fihosy

Strategic Account Manager, Novartis

Georgina Fihosy is a Strategic Account Manager at Novartis, specialising in value and access. She is currently undertaking an international assignment as an Immunology Value and Access Lead, supporting global access strategy. With a background in pharmacy, she focuses on partnerships and strategies that enable earlier diagnosis, equitable access and improved patient outcomes.

Her work focuses on bridging healthcare systems, evidence and access, engaging with stakeholders to support earlier diagnosis, equitable access and the sustainable adoption of innovative therapies.

How did you first enter the pharmaceutical or life sciences industry, and what initially drew you to this field?

I had never really considered entering the pharmaceutical industry; to be honest, I didn’t know much about the different roles within it. I built my foundation as a pharmacist in the NHS across various sectors and, after returning to a commissioning role following maternity leave, found myself feeling somewhat uncertain. After a conversation with a colleague who asked, “Have you ever thought about pharma?”, my curiosity was sparked. After spending over an hour with a Director of Market Access, I was hooked. At that time, Patient Access roles were evolving, and what initially drew me in was the opportunity to work at a broader system level, helping to shape the conditions that enable better access, earlier intervention and more integrated services for entire populations. It felt like a natural next step.

What does doing a really good job look like in your role, and why does it matter beyond your immediate responsibilities?

Delivering high-quality work in my role requires being credible, thoughtful and genuinely partnership-led. It involves balancing strong technical understanding with human insight, knowing when to listen, when to challenge and when to adapt.

I have always been guided by a set of personal values I describe as B.L.A.C.K: Benevolence, Learning, Authenticity, Creativity and Kindness. These are not abstract principles, but standards I actively apply in both my personal life and career. Benevolence and kindness shape how I build trust and work with others, particularly in complex system environments where relationships and credibility are critical. Learning keeps me open and curious, recognising that no single perspective has all the answers. Authenticity ensures I show up consistently and speak with integrity, even when navigating competing priorities. Creativity allows me to think beyond standard approaches, particularly when addressing system-level challenges or inequalities in access.

High-quality work in this role is not just about execution; it is about judgement, integrity and long-term impact. When done well, it supports better collaboration, more informed decision-making and ultimately improved outcomes for patients and the health systems we serve.

Describe a decision or responsibility that strengthened your professional judgement. What was at stake, and how did you navigate it?

A defining moment for me was choosing to lead a cardiovascular health inequalities project that sat above brand and focused on a co-defined system challenge, enabling earlier diagnosis and access for communities at high risk of cardiovascular disease.

It was a calculated risk. The work required navigating complex internal and external stakeholder environments, aligning priorities across the organisation while building trust and credibility with system partners. There was no established blueprint, which meant operating with a high degree of ambiguity while ensuring the work remained grounded in genuine system need.

What was at stake was not just delivery, but trust. It was essential that the work was seen as a meaningful contribution rather than a commercial initiative. That required careful judgement,knowing when to lead, when to listen and how to ensure that the support offered was appropriate and proportionate.

The experience strengthened my ability to operate across complexity and reinforced the importance of partnership-led thinking. It was also recognised through the Pharma Field Future Leaders Award, but more importantly, it demonstrated that impact comes from aligning with system priorities and contributing in a way that is both responsible and relevant

What complexity or pressure in your role is often underestimated , and how has it shaped the way you operate?

What is often underestimated in my role is the complexity of operating across multiple layers of the system, balancing external partnership working with internal alignment, often in environments where there is no clear precedent.

This has been further amplified during my current international secondment in value and access, where I am supporting global access strategy across diverse markets. It has reinforced the challenge of translating global ambition into locally relevant solutions while navigating different healthcare systems, evidence expectations and stakeholder priorities.

This level of complexity requires strong judgement, adaptability and the ability to operate with ambiguity. It has shaped how I work, encouraging a more deliberate, collaborative approach and a focus on ensuring that any contribution is both contextually appropriate and genuinely valuable.

Where do you consciously raise standards , even when it would be easier not to?

I consciously raise standards in how I show up in partnership settings, particularly in relation to trust, integrity and how value is defined. Even when it would be easier to remain at a surface level, I push myself to go deeper, to ask better questions, listen more carefully and ensure that the work being done is genuinely meaningful.

I also place a strong emphasis on how underserved communities are considered. That means not defaulting to standard approaches, but thinking more creatively about how solutions are designed and who they are truly reaching. It requires curiosity, honesty and, at times, the willingness to challenge constructively.

For me, raising the bar is not about doing more for the sake of it. It is about being intentional and consistent in how I contribute, even when that is not the easiest path.

What belief about success in pharma has evolved for you over time?

Over time, my understanding of success in pharma has evolved. Earlier in my career, success often looked like expertise, delivery and strong commercial performance. While those still matter, I now see success more holistically.

I believe real success in this sector is about how you combine knowledge with humanity. It is about remaining open to learning, being authentic in how you engage, and having the creativity to think beyond established ways of working, particularly in systems under pressure.

Most importantly, it is about how we treat people. The quality of our thinking matters, but so does the intent behind it and how it is applied. In a system as complex as healthcare, impact is not created in isolation. It is built through trust, partnership and a shared commitment to doing what is right for patients and the populations we serve.