How Pharma is Expanding its Global Footprint to Advance Clinical Research

Nikki Amaratunge is a Vice President within the Clinical Development Operations at AbbVie, serving as the global head of the Clinical Site Management (CSM) organization.  With more than 25 years industry experience with posts in Europe, the United States, and China, Nikki’s expertise spans pharmaceutic and medical device clinical operations, including study, program, and therapeutic leadership as well as regional oversight and country management. Previously, Nikki served as Vice President of Clinical Study Leadership at AbbVie, overseeing multidisciplinary teams across Aesthetics, Eyecare, and Specialty therapeutic areas.  Earlier in her career, she was Head of Clinical Operations for Europe, Middle East, and Africa region at AbbVie and previously to that the Head of China Development Operations at Allergan.  She also has experience in academic research, working on Nikki’s leadership is distinguished by her ability to drive innovation, build effective global teams, and deliver high-impact results in complex environments. She has a strong track record of leading with a patient and site centric mindset, pioneering effective operating models and novel approaches to trial delivery within organizations she has led.

Marta Arias-Salgado was appointed Vice President and Global Head of Global Clinical Trial Operations (GCTO) Regions and Regional Operations (RRO) in April 2025. She manages the GCTO RRO leadership team in managing clinical operations, including trial execution and support functions.Marta began her career at Merck in 1998 and has held various leadership roles, focusing on quality improvement, regulatory inspections, and clinical supply chain management.Marta received a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from UAM University in Madrid, Spain. She also holds a Master of Science degree in Research & Development from Navarra University.

David Carruthers joined AstraZeneca in 2024 and is the Vice President of BioPharmaceuticals and Global Head of Clinical Operations. David leads global operations related to the conduct and delivery of AstraZeneca Biopharmaceuticals Clinical Trials. David is also responsible for data management and insights across the AstraZeneca Clinical Trials portfolio. With a career in the biopharmaceutical industry, David brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role, leading a global team dedicated to advancing clinical operations and delivering innovative treatments to patients worldwide.David's leadership is characterized by his commitment to excellence in clinical trial execution and patient-centric approaches. His strategic vision and collaborative mindset drive the development of integrated clinical operations teams that work across disciplines to achieve holistic and impactful outcomes.Throughout his career, David has been devoted to reimagining clinical trial execution and engaging with clinicians and patients to design and deliver inclusive clinical trials. This commitment to inclusivity and innovation is reflected in AstraZeneca's increasingly complex portfolio of trials, which aim to improve patient outcomes through novel disease endpoints and enable greater engagement with healthcare professionals.David's commitment to patient care is deeply influenced by his research background, which consistently puts patients first in his work. From study enrollment to post-trial access, he is driven to make it easier and faster for patients to access treatments and improve the clinical trial experience. His dedication to clinical excellence and patient care is a hallmark of his leadership at AstraZeneca.In addition to his role at AstraZeneca, David has held executive positions at leading biopharmaceutical companies including AbbVie and Allergan, where he has contributed to the advancement of clinical operations and drug development. His extensive experience and strong links to academia and industry make him a respected collaborator in the field.David is proud to lead an exceptional global team at AstraZeneca, working together to push the boundaries of science and transform care for patients. His steadfast commitment to patients and clinical excellence continues to drive the development of new medicines and innovative approaches to clinical trials.

Melika Davis is SVP and Global Head of Clinical Operations at BeOne Medicines. She is an accomplished and highly experienced drug development professional leading a team of ~1,700 associates around the world who are responsible for the planning and execution of all clinical trial activities at BeOne, including trial and country/site management, compliance, global clinical supply chain, and implementation of innovative technologies. With a robust background of over 30 years in clinical research and quality assurance, Melika has been instrumental in designing and building successful global organizations. She has leveraged her operations expertise to instill efficiency, reduce costs, build a culture of quality, set standards, and satisfy both external/internal customers' needs.Melika and her teams have brought 30+ products to the worldwide market over the past 15 years, mainly in oncology, vaccines, and anti-infectives. She has managed a portfolio of ~1,500 clinical trials a year. Prior to joining BeOne, Melika held numerous positions at Novartis and Schering-Plough Research Institute, with increasing responsibilities across the R&D organizations in oncology, transplant, anti-infective, respiratory, and vaccine development. Melika has also been active in various clinical development professional associations, holding leadership roles in multiple committees and initiatives. She holds a master’s degree in molecular biology from Texas Woman’s University in Dallas, Texas, and a Licence de Physiologie from the University of Sciences in Nice, France.

Peyton Howell is Chief Executive Officer of Parexel and a member of the company’s Board of Directors. She has more than 30 years of pharma services and healthcare industry experience. Peyton served most recently as Chief Operating and Growth Officer responsible for Parexel’s operational delivery, strategy and growth. From 2018 to 2022 she was the company’s Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer, implementing its patient-focused strategy and launching its Biotech business unit. During her tenure Peyton has made a significant impact in growing Parexel’s customer relationships, delivering strong growth in gross new business awards during a period of significant change in the life sciences industry. Peyton’s healthcare industry experience includes senior leadership positions with AmerisourceBergen (now Cencora), a Fortune 20 company, most recently as President for Health Systems and Specialty Care Solutions, a $50 billion business unit. Prior to AmerisourceBergen, she was a founder of Lash Group, growing the company from an early innovator of patient access services to nearly 5,000 employees and serving as President for nearly 10 years following its acquisition by AmerisourceBergen. Peyton serves on the Board of Directors of Tandem Diabetes Care (NASDAQ: TNDM), a medical device manufacturer. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) and was its Chairperson in 2024. She holds a Master of Healthcare Administration from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Health Communications from the University of Illinois. In 2022, Peyton was recognized with PharmaVoice’s highest distinction as a Red Jacket honoree, which distinguishes an elite group of leaders viewed as the most inspiring in the life sciences industry.

Dr. Janelle A. Sabo is a recognized leader in drug development, clinical research, and product delivery.  Her unique background has driven a strong patient focus and desire to find innovative ways to deliver new therapies faster to patients and the global medical community.Janelle is currently Senior Vice President of Clinical Capabilities at Eli Lilly and Company. Her organization encompasses over 1500 employees across the globe delivering over 500 clinical trials. Clinical Capabilities is responsible for the delivery of clinical studies, including investigator engagement, trial capabilities, clinical labs and systems, clinical trial material, ancillaries and related supply planning/delivery, clinical development systems, clinical research services, clinical innovation and digital health.Janelle started her career in clinical development and has held key leadership roles across clinical development, chemistry manufacturing and controls, portfolio management and led drug development and brand teams from early discovery to launch. In each role, Dr. Sabo has driven innovative designs, delivery and transformation leading to accelerated drug development and savings over a $1 billion dollars. As an example, she transformed the clinical supply chain to be end to end resulting in 15-20% faster cycle times and a savings of over $200M. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Janelle led the COVID-19 Therapeutics Platform which delivered multiple neutralizing antibodies in under 12 months from discovery to market and utilized novel approaches for clinical and commercial delivery. Dr. Sabo recipient of multiple awards at Eli Lilly and in the industry.  She has been named to the Global Product Development President’s Council, twice honored with the Lilly Research Laboratories President’s award, selected as the University of Missouri Pharmaceutical Industry Alumni of the Year and the Pharma We Work for Health award. She has served on dean’s advisory boards, including Butler University and UMKC Dean’s Advisory Board. Janelle holds a Doctorate of Pharmacy from the University of Missouri, Global Executive MBA from Georgetown University, and a Global Executive MBA from ESADE- Barcelona, Spain.Dr. Sabo is a guest lecturer at several universities and colleges of pharmacy on drug development an has spoken at conferences within the pharmaceutical industry and was the keynote graduation speaker for the UMKC School of Pharmacy. To connect with her, visit @  https://www.linkedin.com/in/janelle-sabo-16248114 .