Kurt Arco
- Launch excellence expert from Trilations, a strategic marketing consultancy that has been involved in major drug launches in over 40 countries and over 15 therapy areas.
- Formerly with MSD (Merck & Co), where he led several major brand launches, Kurt Arco has 20 years of international launch experience within big and small pharma/biotech companies.
Kurt Arco & Leen Helsloot
- Launch excellence experts from Trilations, a strategic marketing consultancy that has been involved in major drug launches in over 40 countries and over 15 therapy areas.
- Formerly with MSD (Merck & Co), where he led several major brand launches, Kurt Arco has 20 years of international launch experience within big and small pharma/biotech companies.
- Leen Helsloot has 10+ years’ experience in advising major pharma companies on Global and European launch programmes for strategic brands, in different regions and therapy areas.
Learn
- A comprehensive overview of the launch process: From discovery/development up to maturity.
- The 4 launch types: Selecting the right launch strategy based on your brand’s profile.
- A structured roadmap with detailed steps to plan your full cross-functional launch process.
- The market and customer insights that are crucial for defining the launch strategy and plan.
- How to use the patient journey and leverage points to define and prioritise customer segments.
- How to design an omni-channel launch strategy to engage with the right key stakeholders.
- How to organise internally in order to be optimally prepared for launch.
- Best practices drawn from real-world examples of successful and failed launches.
Additional Benefits
- You will be able to put theory into practice during group work on real-world case studies.
- You will receive handy take-home templates and models.
- Cross-check your approach and experiences during cross-functional discussions with industry peers.
Why You Should Attend
In the last decade, pharmaceutical companies have seen rapid changes in the market environment for their new brand launches. While austerity measures in many countries are increasing local and national hurdles for market access, drug launches are becoming more numerous, smaller, and more competitive. It has never been more important for pharmaceutical companies to crack the art of launching new products. YOU ONLY CAN DO IT ONCE!
The Content: The course content builds on the combined expertise and experience that the experts have accumulated over the last 20 years in advising and implementing major product launches in EMEA across major therapy areas: Oncology (incl. Immunotherapy), Immunology, CNS, CVS, Metabolic Disorders, … . It covers all concepts and evidence-based tools for effective strategic decision-making and planning in the process up to launch, with a focus on what will determine the brand’s commercial success.
The Experts: Kurt Arco combines the academic rigour of Trilations, a strategic marketing consultancy he joined in 2016, with best practice within big pharma. When he was with MSD (Merck & Co), from 2005 to 2015, he led several major product launches in many geographical areas and contributed to, and piloted, major marketing & sales excellence projects. After starting her career at one of the global leading consulting companies, Leen Helsloot has gained + 10 years of experience at Trilations in advising major pharma companies on Global and European Launch programmes for strategic brands. Trilations is a strategy consultancy agency that works closely with most of the major pharmaceutical and medical device companies in more than 40 countries worldwide (e.g. Johnson & Johnson, MSD, Roche, Pfizer, Boston Scientific, …).
The Strategy & Planning for Commercial Launch Success in Pharma course is the only available public training course delivered by Kurt Arco and Leen Helsloot on the topic of Commercial Launch in Pharma.
Agenda of Strategy & Planning for Commercial Launch Success in Pharma
The below agenda is for the face-to-face format. The online version of this course will cover the same modules, but the format and timing will be adapted to suit the online training setting.
Timing of the online course on both days will be:
- AM: 10-12 CET
- PM: 13-17 CET
Day 1
10:00 | Welcome & Audience Expectations |
10:45 | Launch Excellence Fundamentals in Pharma: “From one-size-fits-all to a tailored approach” |
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| 11:30 | Coffee Break |
11:45 | Launch Excellence Fundamentals in Pharma - Continued |
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12:15 | The Commercial Launch Process: The Road to Success |
Plenary discussion: learning from a launch success and a launch failure within the Oncology market. | |
| 13:00 | Lunch |
13:45 | The Commercial Launch Process - Continued |
14:30 | The Critical Market Insights to Boost Tomorrow’s Brand Performance |
To illustrate the theory, the business case used in the group exercise hereafter will be used to build the set of critical insights required for the exercise. | |
| 15:45 | Coffee Break |
16:00 | Group Exercise on a Launch Business Case |
Using a fictitious business case (based on a recently launched Rx pharmaceutical), delegates will work in groups to analyse and discuss the strategic implications of critical insights in a country, where a recently launched competitor failed in terms of market uptake. The objective of the exercise is to address the Country Manager’s strategic concerns and propose recommendations. This interactive session includes group presentation and sharing key learnings. | |
17:15 | Close of Day 1 |
Group Dinner
Day 2
08:30 | Defining the Core Communication Strategy: Segmentation - Targeting - Positioning |
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| 10:15 | Coffee Break |
10:30 | Group Exercise on Segmentation - Targeting – Positioning |
| Using a business case, participants will need to assess an existing segmentation model, identify areas for improvement, prioritise segments, define an appropriate positioning and design an optimal communication strategy by segment. |
11:15 | Engaging Key Stakeholders for Launch |
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| 12:15 | Lunch |
13:15 | Designing an Omni-Channel Interaction Launch Strategy |
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14:15 | Group Exercise on Omni-Channel Interaction Strategy |
Using a real-life business case, participants will run through a step-by-step simulation exercise to design a multi-channel interaction strategy for a successful launch. | |
| 14:45 | Coffee Break |
15:00 | Preparing the Cross-Functional Launch Team: Organisational Challenges |
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15:45 | Wrap-up |
16:00 | Close |
>> Click here if you wish to receive the PDF brochure of this course
Learning Methodology
Interactive lectures, which include real-world launch cases in a variety of therapy areas, alternate with group exercises during which you will be able to work on a hypothetical drug launch that runs throughout the different modules.
The group exercises not only enable you to apply the theory and decision-making tools, but also offer the invaluable opportunity to discuss issues and exchange points of view and experiences with your peers from other functions and companies.
One of the most valuable aspects of attending any CELforPharma course is not only being able to have your specific questions answered by a leading expert, but also having the opportunity to share experiences and have in-depth discussions with your international peers.
 | The typical audience size of our courses ranges from 6 to 24 (max) participants. |
Who Should Attend?
A cross-functional launch team typically consists of executives from Marketing, Sales, Medical, Market Access, External Affairs and Business Intelligence. This course is a must-attend for all members of any cross-functional launch team that needs to launch a brand in the coming 1-3 years. In particular, all executives responsible for building, executing and measuring a launch plan.
As this course is delivered by Kurt Arco and Leen Helsloot from Trilations, a strategic marketing consultancy, executives from other professional service agencies should request approval prior to registering for this course. Please contact Inge Cornelis, Director Commercial Communications, for more information (inge.cornelis@celforpharma.com, tel +32 (0)2 709 01 43).
Past Participants
Below is a non-exhaustive list of past participants who have benefited from attending this course.
Job Title | Company | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Manager Late Stage Development | 4SC | Germany |
| Head Corporate Marketing | Acino Pharma | Switzerland |
| Senior Medical Science Manager | Actelion | Switzerland |
| Associate Product Manager | Alexion | Australia |
| Product Manager Transplant | Astellas | Netherlands |
| Head of Sales/Marketing Manager | Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals | Switzerland |
| Project Leader Development Projects| Corp. Project + Portfolio Management | Biotest | Germany |
| Sr. Launch Readiness Manager | Boehringer Ingelheim | Germany |
| LATAM Regional Manager | Bracco Altana | Switzerland |
| Associate Director, Operations | Diaceutics | United Kingdom |
| Brand Manager | Eisai | Switzerland |
| Global Strategic Market Intelligence Lead | Ferring | Switzerland |
| Senior Director Alliance Management | Galapagos | Belgium |
| Product Manager Oncology (D-A-CH) | Ipsen | Germany |
| Learning and Development Manager | Janssen | Germany |
| Supply Chain Manager New Product Launch | Johnson & Johnson | Switzerland |
| Global Market Access Lead, Rare Diseases | LEO Pharma | Denmark |
| EMAC NPI Launch Lead Acute Care, Regional Portfolio Management Team | Merck Sharp & Dohme | Switzerland |
| Sales Manager /PhDr. | Mundipharma | Slovakia |
| Brand Director Ophthalmology | Novartis | Germany |
| Head, Operations & Executional Excellence, Social Media | Novartis | Switzerland |
| Product Manager | Novo Nordisk | Hungary |
| Manager - Business Information | Novo Nordisk | Germany |
| Business Manager | Orion | Finland |
| Global Brand Manager | Orion | Sweden |
| Brand Manager | Oy Verman | Finland |
| Product Manager | Pierre Fabre | Germany |
| Senior Product Manager | Sanofi | Russian Federation |
| Brand Manager | Sanofi | Belgium |
| Global Commercial Lead | Shire | United States of America |
| Franchise Head CNS | Teva | Germany |
| Launch Solution Lab Lead | UCB | Belgium |
| Marketing Manager | Vifor Pharma | Switzerland |
Testimonials
Dates & Locations
17-18 December 2020, live online
2-3 March 2021, live online
15-16 June 2021, live online
5-6 October 2021, in Brussels or Zurich, or live online
16-17 December 2021, in Brussels or Zurich, or live online
Hotel Booking Assistance
Having built a strong relationship with each hotel, CELforPharma has secured preferential room rates for our delegates who book their accommodation three weeks or more prior to the course. Upon your registration, we will help you make your hotel booking. For any assistance in this matter please do not hesitate to contact Sarah Nissen, Senior Programme Coordinator (sarah.nissen@celforpharma.com, tel +32 (0)2 709 01 46).
Included in the Registration Fee for the live online course
- Access to an expert led course in real-time, using an interactive platform for break-out rooms, whiteboard exercises, polling, plenary discussions and chats
- Course material, which will be provided to you in both digital format (by email) and in hard copy (by post, so you can make notes during the course)
- Certificate of attendance signed by the expert and CELforPharma
- Flexible transfer option
Included in the Registration Fee for the face-to-face course
- Course Material (Digital & Print Versions)
- Coffee, Tea & Refreshments During the Course
- Lunch During the Course
- A Group Dinner on the First Day
- Certificate of Attendance Signed by the Experts
- Flexible Transfer Option
- Optimal Safety: Small Groups (16 max) and Spacious Seating
Group Discounts
Team discounts can be offered to 3 or more delegates from the same company.
Contact Inge Cornelis, Director Commercial Communications, (inge.cornelis@celforpharma.com) for more details.
How to Register
- Click the "Register Here" button on this page.
- Choose a course date, then fill out your personal details and company / invoicing details.
- Choose to pay via bank transfer or by credit card.
- Click "Confirm Registration". You will be sent an automatic email confirming your registration followed by a personal email containing an invoice and further payment instructions.
For assistance in registering, raising a PO or invoicing, please do not hesitate to contact Kealeigh Steel.
(email: kealeigh.steel@celforpharma.com or call: +32 2 709 01 45)
Transfer & Cancellation Policy
Flexible Transfer
- If a registrant cannot attend the scheduled course, he/she can avoid any cancellation charge by sending a suitable replacement participant.
- Alternatively, the registrant can transfer once at no extra cost, until 3 weeks prior to the event, to another course held before 31 December 2021.
Participant Cancellation
- Up to 6 weeks prior to the course: cancellation fee of € 400 per participant.
- Up to 5 weeks prior to the course: 25% of the invoiced registration fee.
- Up to 4 weeks prior to the course: 50% of the invoiced registration fee.
- Up to 3 weeks prior to the course: 75% of the invoiced registration fee.
- Fewer than 3 weeks or if no notification received: registrant liable to pay invoiced registration fee.
- If a registrant postpones his/her participation to a future course, and cancels again, no refund can be claimed for registration fees.
Related Course
Does your team need training or do you have questions regarding this course?
Contact Inge Cornelis on +32 (0)2 709 01 43 or send an email