Ashfield Healthcare Communications rebrands as Ashfield Health, launches two new global agencies and appoints former McCann Health Americas head as Global President.

January 25, 2021

Following a healthcare communications career spanning over two decades of leadership in five countries, Amar Urhekar takes the helm as Global President of the >1,450 strong network that is rebranding from Ashfield Healthcare Communications to Ashfield Health. Since joining, Amar Urhekar has led the network through the challenges of COVID-19, resulting in continued growth, and has put a new strategy in place, which sees Ashfield Health emerge as a new agile, dynamic network – data and technology driven, creative, and diverse.

“Ashfield Health is now designed to respond better and quicker to the new challenges our clients face. We encourage independence and entrepreneurialism in our specialist agency teams but also have the unique ability to work as one team when needed. By unifying around our common purpose of make it matter, we have stronger connections that enable us to scale rapidly and provide our clients with tailored expert teams. We can truly deliver life-changing work that matters,” said Amar Urhekar, Global President of Ashfield Health.

Central to Ashfield Health’s new strategy has been a merging of some of the network’s standout acquisitions from the past 10 years to form two exciting new global agencies - Mind+Matter and Ashfield MedComms.

Mind+Matter is a new 250-strong global creative communications agency blending data and technology with emotion to create meaningful experiences. Formed through the merging of three successful Ashfield Health agencies – US-based Cambridge BioMarketing, UK-based Ashfield Digital and Creative and Pegasus – Mind+Matter will span the breadth of health from consumer wellness through to established pharma and rare and novel therapies.  Mind+Matter will be led by former President of Cambridge BioMarketing, Ben Beckley.

“We’re already using data and descriptive analytics to predict behaviour before it happens, but Mind+Matter will be breaking new ground by significantly investing in new data talent and technology and combining this with emotionally powerful creativity. By bringing these three individual agencies together, we have built a new team that can operate globally and uniquely apply this across the full spectrum of health– aperfect example of how Ashfield Health is answering the big challenges our clients have,” comments Urhekar.

Ashfield MedComms brings together over 700 creatives, scientists, strategists, and client partners to form one of the largest scientific and medical communications agencies in the world. Ashfield MedComms’ work will continue to span new medicines for diseases where no treatment existed, to paradigm-shifting advances, to precision medicines, real-world evidence and patient-relevant outcomes, to technologies and diagnostics. This new global powerhouse will be headed up by regional Ashfield Health Presidents Richard Lawrence (International) and Matt Jacobson (North America), reporting into Amar Urhekar.

 

“The scientific strength and leadership in our individual agencies has been built over decades, but the creation of Ashfield MedComms signals our ability to evolve for today. By bringing our agencies together and investing heavily in strategic and creative talent, our clients will have a unrivalled global partner that can help them play a bigger role in shaping the future of healthcare and ultimately patient’s lives,” said Urhekar.

The Ashfield Health network has grown rapidly in recent years following a series of select – specialist acquisitions, including CanaleComms, CreateNYC, Galliard, Incisive Health, and MicroMass in addition to the former Cambridge BioMarketing and Pegasus agencies.  All Ashfield Health agencies are united by a new brand identity and shared purpose to make it matter.  

“Central to connecting this great network of agencies is a shared purpose,” explains Urhekar.  “Our drive to ‘make it matter’ inspires us to grow, adapt, be more creative and work smarter than anyone else to deliver work that is truly life changing. From making discoveries to making a difference, we will take every opportunity to challenge convention and spark change for better health – this is something that you will see in every Ashfield Health agency.”

The new strategy has seen several new positions created to support capability development, growth and innovation – an example of this is the appointment of former Business Unit Head with responsibility for Ashfield Digital and Creative and Pegasus, Simon Hackett, into the role of Global Growth Director, Ashfield Health.

Visit www.ashfieldhealth.com to find out more – live on 26th January 2021.

ENDS

About Ashfield Health

Ashfield Health, part of UDG Healthcare plc, is global health communications network incorporating >1,450 people across four countries (United States, Germany, United Kingdom, and Belgium).  Spanning big pharma, emerging pharma and biotech, animal health, consumer health and healthcare delivery our business is better health. The group includes:

  • Ashfield MedComms, a new 700 people-strong global medical and scientific communications powerhouse. The agency has 12 offices across the US, UK and Germany.
  • Canale Comms, a San Diego-based communication partner that springs strategy into action for emerging companies.
  • CreateNYC, a New York-based and remote agency that helps clients deliver creative tactics more effectively and efficiently.
  • Galliard, a London-based PR and communications agency that delivers scientific storytelling with passion and creativity.
  • Incisive Health, a London and Brussels-based agency which looks to change government policy and transform lives. 
  • MicroMass, a North Carolina-based full-service marketing agency with expertise in changing health behavior.
  • Mind+Matter, a new global creative communications agency based in Boston (US), New York (US), Oakland (US), Brighton (UK) and Manchester (UK) with over 240 marketing specialists utilising the world of data and technology, to create meaningful experiences. 

For more information, please go to www.ashfieldhealth.com – live 26th January 2021.

About Ashfield

Ashfield, part of UDG, is an integrated healthcare services partner, offering a breadth of services across strategic consulting, benchmarking, commercialisation, customer engagement, events, marketing and communications.

 

 

Ashfield comprises of three clearly defined, integrated business units: Ashfield Advisory, Ashfield Engage and Ashfield Health. Together, the Ashfield team uses imagination, strategy and action to redefine and deepen client partnerships, reimagine health and improve lives. 

Ashfield Advisory, Ashfield Engage and Ashfield Health. Together, the Ashfield team uses imagination, strategy and action to redefine and deepen client partnerships, reimagine health and improve lives.  

Ashfield has carefully curated its business through the acquisition of 22 companies and is committed to offering streamlined services to best meet its clients’ needs. With a presence in more than 50 countries, over 7,000 employees strive to provide best-in-class service for more than 300 clients, including the top 30 global pharmaceutical companies.

For more information, go to www.oneashfield.com 

 

Contact Information

For further information or to arrange interviews with Amar Urhekar or any Ashfield Health agency leaders please contact:

PR agency Lara Lovenbury, ramarketing | lara@ramarketingpr.com | +44 773 268 1275

Global: Simon Hackett, +44 7775 881484, simon.hackett@ashfieldhealthcare.com

UK: Laura Cook. +44 7828 172491, laura.cook@thisispegasus.co.uk

US: Chad Benditz, +1 919 917 3325, chad.benditz@micromass.com