L-R Claire Gillis, Mariana Marta dos Santos and Nuno Santos
VML Portugal has announced the launch of VML Health, with pharma communications veteran Mariana Marta dos Santos being appointed as Managing Director with immediate effect. Mariana brings specialist health expertise and a proven track record of driving innovation and growth to the role.
A qualified pharmacist, Mariana brings over 15 years of global brand and marketing leadership experience in the health industry, notably over seven years as Global Respiratory Manager for AstraZeneca, as well as roles in other leading health brands such as Viatris, Almirall and Esteve. She has led global launches, repositioning strategies and omnichannel campaigns across therapeutic areas including oncology, respiratory and cardiovascular/metabolic diseases.
Mariana said: “I’m thrilled to lead VML Health in Portugal at such an exciting time for healthcare communications. We will leverage the award-winning resources within VML to combine creativity, science and technology to deliver meaningful solutions that improve patient outcomes and empower healthcare professionals.”
Nuno Santos, CEO, VML Portugal added: “The launch of VML Health in Portugal is a testament to our commitment to growth in specialised sectors. Healthcare is a truly dynamic and vital industry, and Mariana… [is] the ideal person to spearhead this expansion to deliver world-class solutions for our clients.”
Claire Gillis, Global CEO, VML Health commented: “Mariana’s deep understanding of the pharmaceutical landscape and her passion for innovation make her the perfect leader for VML Health Portugal. The combination of her specialist expertise with VML’s human-first creative mantra will ensure we deliver outstanding support to our clients as we navigate the industry’s challenges and opportunities.”
This launch continues VML Health’s European expansion this year, following the appointment of Philippe Huot-Louradour as Director of VML Health France and the creation of a new EU Hub under the leadership of Nick Bartlett.