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Suresh Martha, Head of Data Driven Innovations and Analytics, EMD Serono

Describe your career to date

I am a subject matter expert and have 18 years of experience within the field of data, analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI). Through my experiences, I have demonstrated leadership abilities by successfully leading multidisciplinary teams achieving common business goals.  

Currently, I am the Head of Data Driven Innovations and Analytics at EMD Serono, leading three critical teams. My team is entrusted with pioneering data-driven solutions, leveraging analytics, and advancing AI and machine learning.  

I engineered Enterprise Business Intelligence system at different organizations, processing vast internal and external data to share company strategy, pinpoint new market opportunities, and boost sales.  

During the 2010 FIFA world cup, my team and I designed a web-based event management System used for accreditation, ticketing, transportation, and to support the entire event. 

My commitment to leadership in engineering is demonstrated through my involvement in the greater professional community.  

 

Data literacy is a key enabler of the value and impact from data. How are you approaching this within your organization? 

Employee training programs: Provide comprehensive training programs for employees at all levels, focusing on data analysis, interpretation, and visualization. 
Data literacy workshops: Conduct workshops and seminars to enhance employees’ understanding of data concepts and tools. 

Data access and visualization: Implement user-friendly data visualization tools that allow employees to explore data without extensive technical skills. 
Dashboards: Develop interactive dashboards that present key metrics and trends in a visually appealing manner, making it easier for employees to comprehend complex data. 

Fostering a data-driven culture: Ensure that organizational leaders emphasize the importance of data-driven decision-making and actively participate in related initiatives. 

Recognition and rewards: Acknowledge and reward employees who demonstrate exceptional data literacy and contribute significantly to data-driven outcomes. 

Promote self-service analytics: Implement self-service analytics tools that empower employees to explore data and generate insights without heavy reliance on IT or data experts. 

What role do you play in building and delivering conventional artificial intelligence solutions, including machine learning models? Are you also involved in your organization’s adoption of generative AI?   

My team and I develop AI and machine learning solutions aimed at discovering new opportunities within our healthcare business. Additionally, we focus on monitoring customer retention and utilizing statistical analysis to pinpoint customers at the risk of dropping out. To enhance sales force effectiveness, we employ an advanced machine learning-based HCP targeting solution to target high-propensity writers and implement personalized messaging. Our approach involves machine learning-based anomaly detection and threshold-based alerting, enabling the sales team to receive proactive alerts when market share trends experience disruptions. This proactive approach allows both field and home office teams to swiftly course-correct, minimizing risks and capitalizing on market opportunities. 

How are you preparing your organization for AI adoption and change management? 

We have successfully utilized conventional AI methods to discover new opportunities and nurture our existing market since 2019. With the emergence of advanced generative AI (genAI) technologies, we have approached this development cautiously, prioritizing data privacy and security. Currently, our strategy involves leveraging established vendor solutions rather than creating new ones from the ground up. Many of these vendor solutions ensure data security, privacy, and compliance with regulations like HIPAA. This approach simplifies the process of convincing our organization to adopt these solutions, allowing us to capitalize on the benefits they offer. 

Suresh Martha
has been included in:
  • 100 Brands 2024 (USA)

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