Women in Pharma: The Final Chapter of 2025

Our monthly Women in Pharma series highlights the influential lives and work of impactful women working across the pharmaceutical industry, and how the industry can work towards making the healthcare industry and workplace more equitable and inclusive.

Sofia: I think what I’ve taken away from this series are lessons applicable to both work and my personal life. Interviewing such incredible women has taught me not only about industry issues and insights, but also ideas that I can apply at work and in my personal life. 

Working on this series, I have learned the importance and need for communication, not only within a team, but also within the industry. This was a recurring theme throughout the series this year: collaboration. Effective collaboration is a powerful tool that breaks down silos and accelerates innovation, reminding us that the most impactful solutions arise when we work together rather than in isolation. 

One of my personal highlights of the year would be our interview with Valentina Milanova. I personally feel that we're not taught enough about women's health, and being able to sit down and meet someone who not only openly and passionately discusses the issues in women's health, but also actively seeks solutions, was definitely a highlight of my career, as well as a learning moment. It was incredibly eye-opening, not only as a woman, but as a professional working in an industry that has the power to drive meaningful change in healthcare. 

Vivian: Having dedicated the past two years to working on this series, I’ve not only deepened my understanding of the nuanced and multifaceted issues surrounding diversity and equity in the broader healthcare sector, but I’ve also been profoundly inspired by the groundbreaking innovations and tireless efforts led by women striving to address these challenges. This journey has been a transformative experience, offering me a front-row seat to the incredible work being done to create a more inclusive and equitable healthcare landscape. 

One particularly memorable moment was our interview with Dr Lengwe Sinkala, which proved to be an especially eye-opening and thought-provoking experience. Delving into the global challenges surrounding medical devices and pharmaceutical packaging, such as CPAP machines failing to meet critical environmental and patient-specific requirements, provided me with a deeper appreciation for the complexities of healthcare innovation. Dr Sinkala’s insights underscored the urgent need to place equity at the very heart of innovation, ensuring that solutions are not only effective but also accessible and inclusive. Her passionate call for collaboration across continents resonated deeply with me, as it aligns with a larger, overarching theme in both the industry and my own work: the pursuit of healthcare accessibility and equity for all, regardless of geography or circumstance. 

It has also been a pleasure to witness the growth of CPHI-led initiatives such as the ‘CPHI Women’ workshops held on-site in Tokyo during CPHI Japan. Working with our global CPHI teams has driven home the message of collaboration, and how important it is in pushing for actionable change. 

Throughout this journey, I’ve been inspired by the growing number of conversations taking place within the industry. Our Women in Pharma series has been an invaluable platform for fostering and amplifying these discussions, allowing them to flourish and reach new audiences. It has been a privilege to witness first-hand the incredible work being done by women like Dr Sinkala, whose dedication and ingenuity are driving meaningful change. This experience has also reinforced the importance of collaboration – not only within my own team but also with the remarkable individuals we’ve had the honour of interviewing. Learning about their groundbreaking efforts has been nothing short of inspiring, not just for my own career but, I am certain, for countless others who are equally passionate about advancing equity and innovation in healthcare and pharma. 

Relive some key Women in Pharma highlights from the past year by catching up on the below: 

Women in Pharma: Manufacturing personal and team success 

We sat down with Dr Susanne Lemaine, President at Vetter Development Services USA. Heading the company’s clinical manufacturing facility in Chicago, Illinois, Lemaine discusses her career spanning the globe and the pharmaceutical supply chain, and how to work both towards leadership positions and in a leadership capacity itself. 

Women in Pharma: Building from the ground up together 

Dr Rima Balanaškienė, CEO, and Vytautė Balanaškaitė-Šatė, COO, and Akvilė Viliute, Head of innovation development and purchasing department of Aconitum, discuss starting as a family business, and Rima's varied career in leading a pharmaceutical service provider of both pharmaceuticals and herbal medicines and nutraceuticals industries. 

Women in Pharma: Celebrating Two Years and Wisdom for the Future 

For our 2-year anniversary, we celebrate what we have learned from the incredible women who have shared their wisdom and knowledge with us. The infographic below showcases common themes and unique insights from the women who have taught us what it means to be a Woman in Pharma.