Walid Halawa

I help companies drive profits, increase market share and build exceptional brands, by enabling them to unlock the “How”, “What”, and “Why” by leading diverse cross-functional teams, and implementing effective marketing and commercial strategies. 

A visionary senior executive, offering more than two decades of global general management and marketing experience across the Pharma & Biotech space, working with leading international companies across Europe, Middle East, Africa, and the US markets. 

An exceptional project manager with specialist expertise across Portfolio Management, Product Launches, Market & Competitor Intelligence, Strategic Business Planning, Developing & Implementing Effective Go-To-Market Strategies, System Implementations & Integration, and overall P&L/General Management. 

A thought leader and critical thinker with a demonstrated ability to collaborate with cross-functional, multi-cultural teams to deliver results while partnering with business operations to achieve company objectives. Holds a proven track record of cultivating a high-performance culture, underpinned, and driven by a high level of integrity and ethical standards.

Areas Of Expertise. 

Taiba Rare Middle East | September 2023 – Present

Taiba Rare is dedicated to making life better for people with rare disease in the MENA Region. Focused on developing advanced treatments and creative solutions that push the boundaries of what is possible to provide hope and healing to patients facing rare disease 

Regional General Manager Taiba Rare, Dubai UAE | September 2023 – Present

• Full P&L accountability that guaranteed business success
• Oversaw day-to-day operations of the business by managing and coordinating functions of different departmental heads
• Designed and implemented strategy and set goals for growth of the business annually
• Developed annual budgets and financial plans both long term and short term
• Implemented, monitored and advised on the success of the approved budgets
• Directed the financial, operational and human resource policies and processes to guide the operations of the company
• Guaranteed employees work productively and develop professionally through a formal performance management and development framework
• Oversaw recruitment and training of new employees
• Developed regular reports as required for the shareholders representatives and the Board of Directors
• Guaranteed compliance with all laws and relevant legislation applicable to the business, including the broader Group policies
• Advised the Board of Directors on challenges, risks and solutions to issues that may affect the business (e.g. profit decline, employee conflicts, loss of business to competitors)
• Led all discussions with partners on strategy & business
• Supervised customer expectations keeping the patient in the center of focus
• Crafted models to assess future profitability of identified opportunities

Takeda, US & UAE | Various Positions Held | November 2016 – September 2022

Takeda is a leading global pharmaceutical company working within the areas of Oncology, Rare Diseases, Neuroscience and Vaccines.

Director Global Marketing Oncology, Boston USA | August 2020 – September 2022

• Oversaw overall business operations and led the brand planning process for the Oncology TA within established and upcoming products. 
• Based upon insights and input from key focus markets, developed an integrated and comprehensive brand strategy, plan and campaign evolution liaising with Medical, Access, Commercial Excellence and other relevant functions for input building and alignment.
• Led the execution of product strategy and operational plan and roll out, along with continuous evaluation and evolution of the global brand strategy and tactics, making course corrections as needed.
• Accountable for working with regions and key markets to ensure both launch readiness / commercial excellence and ambition is achieved.
• Worked with external key disease experts and policy collaborators’ relationships in line with brand team objectives - represent the view of the customer and patient in global teams.
• Accountable for commercial component of strategic options and strategies supporting Investment decisions for future product opportunities.
• Created innovative market development and product programs in collaboration with broader CVRM Initiatives.
• Developed digital capabilities and new digital collaborations / tools to support management and market growth.

Oncology & GI Franchise Head Middle East & Africa, Turkey, India & CIS (ICMEA), Dubai UAE | April 2019 – July 2020

• Developed the Oncology & GI strategy and implemented initiatives that will ensure brilliant commercial execution and excellent business outcomes in the commercial organization.
• Developed marketing strategy to maximize products values and profits for short and middle term.
• Managed the analysis and planning of strategies as well as the sales force to have strong execution with specialized scientific knowledge and selling skills.
• Implemented appropriate structures and operation models to enhance the delivery.
• Led the team to build strong partnership and engage with local and global cross-functional partners.
• Responsible for the overall development of sales and marketing capabilities, effective measures to track progress, identify gaps, and implement and accelerate improvement.

Oncology Franchise Head Near East, Middle East & Africa, Dubai UAE | November 2016 – March 2019

• Established partnerships with LOCs and supervised planning stage of patient access initiatives. 
• Headed Brand Planning process, supervised and partnered with markets to forecast Oncology NEMEA portfolio considering the epi model, market access, competitive analysis, and costing. 
• Initiated launch preparations and first market in EM to assign resources in Turkey both medically and commercially, liaising with team to devise resourcing template. 
• Devised NEMEA Oncology Network cross functional team, to share oncology-related issues, frequent updates, best practices with other NEMEA LOCs.
• Founded NEMEA Oncology Sharing Best Practice Forum and NEMEA Eye on Oncology Newsletter.
• Joined the NEMEA EXCOM team and NEMEA Oncology Network ensuring successful launch, by educating people about the illness area, the brand, competitive intelligence, and the winning strategy.

Julphar, Dubai UAE | Global Adult Primary Care Business Lead | December 2015 – October 2016

Julphar is a leading international pharmaceutical company with an extensive portfolio of generic medicines, branded generics, and over-the-counter medicines. 

• Directed operations and planning of $85M portfolio and implemented business growth strategy for existing and new brands. 
• Operated cross-functionally with a team of two global brand managers to accomplish business goals. 

GSK, London / UAE / Cyprus / Egypt | Various Positions Held | January 1999 – November 2015

GSK are a global biopharma company with a focus on four therapeutic areas: infectious diseases, HIV, immunology, respiratory and oncology. 

Global Marketing Director Oncology, London | July 2011 – November 2015

• Facilitated development and execution of promotional plans and programs, ensuring consistency with global strategic brand plan.
• Participated in the annual brand / operating plan process by shaping the strategic plan and creating the tactical plan as well as the budget required to achieve brand objectives.
• Cultivated relationships with customers, develop deep market insights, and customize commercial strategies across various customer segments.
• Provided strategic leadership and work collaboratively with internal stakeholders and agency/vendor partners to identify and implement market analyses, competitive benchmarking, and other key analyses to inform marketing tactics and programs.
• Led identification, development, and execution of key HCP stakeholder initiatives.
• Partnered cross-functionally and with external partners to define KPIs and analyse performance of key commercial programs on an ongoing basis.
• Partnered with regulatory, medical, compliance and legal through the development and approval phases of to ensure all materials are held to the highest standards.

Oncology & Critical Care Therapy Area Director MEA, Dubai UAE | September 2007 – June 2011

• Founded and expanded GSK Oncology business from £7M - £25M in 3 years in the Middle East and Africa, including Pakistan while serving as member of Oncology & Avodart Asia Pac, Japan & Emerging Markets.
• Oversaw Oncology portfolio's brand strategy and launch readiness. 

Marketing Manager Gulf & Near East, Dubai UAE | April 2006 – August 2007

Product Manager Gulf & Near East, Dubai UAE | December 2003 – March 2006

Product Manager Near East, Cyprus | March 2001 – November 2003 

Institutional Business Coordinator & Clinical Research Associate, Cairo Egypt | January 1999 – February 2001

Marketing Post Graduate Diploma, Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK

Corporate Management & Strategic Planning Post Graduate Diploma, Cyprus Institute of Marketing, Cyprus

Bachelor’s degree in surgery and Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine; Ain Shams University, Egypt