As part of our ongoing celebration of ten years of GMDP Academy, we’re spotlighting alumni whose Medical Affairs leadership reflects what our programs were built to cultivate. First up: Dr Epaïnète GAWA.

Dr Epaïnète GAWA, Global Medical Lead at Opella

Dr. Epaïnète Gawa is a Global Medical Leader with 10+ years of experience in pharmaceutical industries across different therapeutic areas at Sanofi and then Opella Healthcare Group, driving global medical strategy across major consumer healthcare portfolios. As medical doctor with a master’s in health marketing and an Executive MBA, he leads evidence generation, lifecycle management, and scientific excellence initiatives with global impact.

Dr. GAWA is passionate about improving science by placing patients at the heart of his strategy while engaging healthcare professionals as key partners.

Eleven years in the pharmaceutical industry teaches you a great deal. It teaches you the science, the systems, the rhythms of drug development. What it doesn’t always teach you is how to lead at a global level — how to hold scientific rigor and business strategy in the same hand and act on both at once. That kind of thinking has to be cultivated deliberately.

Dr. Epaïnète GAWA has cultivated it. Today, he serves as Global Medical Lead at Opella Healthcare, where he shapes evidence-based strategies, guides global medical initiatives, and drives cross-functional collaboration across the full brand lifecycle. It’s a role that demands both depth and breadth — the ability to move fluidly between scientific direction and organizational decision-making, often within the same conversation.

His path to that role ran through the GMDP Academy’s Certification in Medicines Development. For Dr. GAWA, the program wasn’t a stepping stone — it was a sharpening. He came in with nearly a decade of pharmaceutical experience and left with a more precise understanding of what strategic Medical Affairs leadership actually requires: aligned objectives, disciplined timelines, and an evidence-generation approach grounded in both clinical rigor and competitive awareness.

What he shares below isn’t a retrospective on a course. It’s a firsthand account of what it looks like when professional development meets professional ambition — and how the right framework can help someone move from expert contributor to global leader.

What Medical Affairs leadership actually requires (in his own words):

1. What would you like to share about where you are now in your career?

I have been working in the pharmaceutical industry for 11 years, and I currently serve as Global Medical Lead at Opella Healthcare. In this strategic role, I combine scientific expertise with strong business acumen to guide global medical initiatives, shape evidence-based strategies, and support cross-functional projects across the brand lifecycle. This position allows me to influence both scientific direction and organizational decision-making at a global level.

2. How has your experience with the GMDP Academy contributed to your professional growth or opportunities?

The GMDP Academy significantly strengthened my understanding of clinical drug development and deepened my appreciation of the strategic importance of Medical Affairs in insight generation and evidence evaluation. It reinforced the need for Medical Affairs initiatives to be fully aligned with brand objectives and broader business priorities.

Thanks to the program, I successfully transitioned from an expert-focused role to a more strategic leadership position — one that requires a comprehensive understanding of business needs, cross-functional collaboration, and long-term brand planning.

3. What is one insight, skill, or perspective from the Academy that continues to influence your work today?

One of the key insights that continues to guide my work is the importance of scientific leadership combined with strong business acumen. This means not only mastering clinical study design, data interpretation, and relevant therapeutic guidelines, but also understanding the competitive landscape and unmet needs of both consumers and HCPs.

This approach forms the foundation of any evidence-generation strategy and ensures differentiated, credible medical communication. Additionally, the program strengthened my strategic thinking — especially the need for a clear SWOT analysis and for every medical activity to align with strategic priorities, have well-defined objectives, and follow disciplined timelines.

4. What advice would you give to current or future Academy participants about making the most of the program?

I recommend actively seeking feedback from peers to better understand strengths, development areas, and how to apply the program’s content to real-world responsibilities. Building a personalized development plan before starting the program is essential to identify which modules will bring the most value to one’s role.

Because Medical Affairs roles vary across organizations, participants should continuously reflect on how each concept applies to their daily activities and where skill gaps remain. Finally, success in the program is much easier with strong managerial and organizational support — ideally through a proactively discussed career development plan focused on skills that will benefit both the individual and the company.

Dr Epaïnète GAWA, Global Medical Lead at Opella.

Disclaimers

  • The material in these reviews is from various public open access sources, meant for educational and informational purposes only
  • Any personal opinions expressed are those of only the author(s) and are not intended to represent the position of any organization(s)
  • No official support by any organization(s) has been provided or should be inferred