Naveed Afzal, Head of Data Science at Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, speaks with Dominic Sartorio, VP, Product Marketing, Denodo, in a video interview about his professional trajectory, role, and responsibilities at Takeda, creating value using data and AI, having the right data strategy, and establishing qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate the strategy’s impact.

Takeda is a leading values-based, R&D-driven global biopharmaceutical company.

Shedding light on his professional trajectory, Afzal shares that his journey started with a master’s in advanced software engineering from the University of Sheffield. This was followed by a PhD in natural language processing (NLP) from the University of Wolverhampton.

Afzal’s career has spanned research, academia, and industry in Europe, the Middle East, and the U.S. He mentions contributing to the broader healthcare sector through organizations such as the Mayo Clinic, Walter’s Global, and Humana before joining Takeda.

Adding on, Afzal states that these experiences have been incredibly rewarding, and he appreciates colleagues and mentors who have guided him along the way.

At Takeda, his role is multidimensional and closely integrated with organizational goals and the CEO’s vision of making Takeda a leading data-driven biopharmaceutical company. Afzal notes that his responsibility is to develop and implement a comprehensive data science strategy that aligns with this vision.

Emphasizing his responsibilities, Afzal mentions building and managing a diverse team of talented data scientists spread across Europe, North America, India, and the Asia-Pacific region.  Core to his responsibilities is mentoring and expanding this team, fostering an innovative and collaborative work environment.

Additionally, Afzal ensures that the data science projects are completed on time and generate tangible business value, and this requires a detailed eye and solid focus on driving value through work.

A significant portion of his role involves spearheading research and development efforts, particularly in the rapidly evolving field of generative AI. Another key aspect is collaboration. Afzal works closely with different business units to understand their needs and align data science initiatives to streamline operations and drive meaningful insights.

Next, Afzal states that given the fast-paced evolution of data science and AI, staying ahead of industry trends is crucial. To that end, he engages in continuous learning, regularly publishing blogs on the latest data and AI advancements.

At Takeda, Afzal has set up a community of practice for data science and AI to share research developments and stay relevant to what happens in the broader spectrum of the landscape. Further, as the head of data science, performance monitoring is another crucial aspect of his role.

This ensures that the initiatives are driving business value, and sharing feedback also drives value. Afzal states that it is integral for a data scientist to effectively communicate complex insights in a way that business understands and can appreciate and leverage the power of data and AI.

Furthermore, he oversees resource allocation, internal and external stakeholder engagement, and operational efficiency, making sure that data science initiatives maximize impact while staying within budget.

Moving forward, Afzal states that data is an invaluable organizational asset, and both data and AI are transformative forces that enable agility, innovation, and competitiveness. While every organization aims to create value using data and AI, it is critical to have the right mindset while pursuing value creation.

Having the right strategy is essential, says Afzal, and while the specifics will vary across business sectors, the first step is to have clearly defined business objectives. There must be a clear data strategy based on the business objectives.

This includes determining data sources, implementing data quality mechanisms, ensuring data security, and maintaining proper governance, all of which enable a structured and unified approach to analysis.

The next step involves data collection and integration. Once these foundational elements are in place, organizations can fully leverage data analytics and machine learning to extract insights and drive business value. However, the process does not end there. It is essential to utilize data and AI to optimize processes and workflows, ensuring that their impact is realized.

For instance, organizations can assess how to apply these insights to capacity planning, supply chain optimization, and resource allocation and build decision support systems around these insights. Thereafter, a mechanism for continuous improvement should be in place, including feedback loops and effective change management processes.

Through this approach, insights are integrated across the organization through structured change management. On top of that, with the increased attention to responsible AI, organizations must address ethical considerations related to data privacy, compliance, and regulations.

However, having a strategy alone is not sufficient. What cannot be measured cannot be controlled, says Afzal. Therefore, it is essential to establish qualitative and quantitative methods for evaluating the strategy’s impact, he adds.

This involves identifying key performance indicators (KPIs) and setting a baseline to compare pre-and post-implementation results. Both qualitative and quantitative assessments should be conducted to measure improvements.

Quantitative metrics include brand analysis, cost-benefit analysis, return on investment (ROI), and research return on investment. On the qualitative side, engaging with stakeholders and gathering their feedback helps assess improvements, says Afzal.

Moreover, selecting specific use cases that demonstrate the successful adoption of data and AI initiatives can be beneficial. A continuous feedback loop should be established to identify pain points and areas requiring further refinement, he maintains.

Concluding, Afzal states that data and AI play a fundamental role in modern value creation, driving growth, enhancing experiences, and optimizing operations. Regarding the pharmaceutical industry, he affirms the same methodology and strategic approach remain applicable and effective in achieving impact.

CDO Magazine appreciates Naveed Afzal for sharing his insights with our global community.