How Strategy and Communication Expedite Deal Outcomes

PharmaVentures Podcasts

06/11/25 | PharmaVentures Podcasts

Adrian Dawkes talks to PharmaVentures’ Founder and CEO, Dr Fintan Walton, about the importance of strategy and preparation in today’s deal making space. In the competitive, fast-paced environment of deal making within the life sciences industry, if you fail to prepare, then you must prepare to fail. Tune in to help assemble your strategy for success.

Listen here:

About the Presenter:

Adrian Dawkes is a Managing Director at PharmaVentures and has been with the company since 2007. Adrian has led multiple consultancy, licensing and M&A mandates.

During his professional career, Adrian has significant multi-discipline expertise spanning research and development through to sales, marketing and business development. Adrian has over 30 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consultancy services sectors. Adrian holds a BSc in Biochemistry and a PhD in Immunochemistry.

About the Interviewees:

Fintan Walton is the Founder and CEO of PharmaVentures. He has over 30 years’ experience helping clients achieve success in deal making.

Over a period of three decades, he has built PharmaVentures into a global player in supporting transactions for blue chip corporations and emerging innovator corporations. In that time, the firm has delivered more than 1,000 transaction related assignments for companies in 38 countries.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing: Adaptation Is the Key to Survival

PharmaVentures Podcasts

06/11/25 | PharmaVentures Podcasts

Join Adrian Dawkes, Managing Director at PharmaVentures, for this podcast episode exploring how the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector is evolving in response to shifting global pressures. Our experts, Ross Jenkins and Dr Gurdas Singh, unpack the critical changes shaping the industry.

Listen here:

About the Presenter:

Adrian Dawkes is a Managing Director at PharmaVentures and has been with the company since 2007. Adrian has led multiple consultancy, licensing and M&A mandates.

During his professional career, Adrian has significant multi-discipline expertise spanning research and development through to sales, marketing and business development. Adrian has over 30 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consultancy services sectors. Adrian holds a BSc in Biochemistry and a PhD in Immunochemistry.

About the Interviewees:

Ross Jenkins joined PharmaVentures as a Business Analyst and has since been promoted to Director, with previous experience in diagnostic start-ups and commercialisation. 

Prior to joining PharmaVentures, Ross worked at a multiplex immune-diagnostic start-up in New Zealand focused on both human and animal health. During this time he was involved across all areas of the business from communications, manufacturing, quality/regulatory affairs, and market analysis. Ross holds a BSC(Hons) in Biotechnology and, a PGDip and Masters in Bioscience Enterprise from the University of Auckland.

Dr Gurdas Singh advises on both buy-side and sell-side transactions globally. He specialises in guiding companies to optimise their positioning for partnerships and M&A opportunities across diagnostics, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and healthcare services.

Gurdas holds a Master’s of Research from The University of Oxford, securing multiple research grants and having authored over 20 publications. He also earned a Bachelor’s of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) and a Bachelor’s of Science in Medical Sciences from King’s College London.

Drug Pricing: Europe vs. US, PBMs and Direct-to-Patient

PharmaVentures Podcasts

23/09/25 | PharmaVentures Podcasts

In this podcast, PharmaVentures explores the recent changes in the landscape of Drug Pricing. This episode delves into the evolving differences between Europe and the US and how it has an impact on both. It also assesses the how Direct-to-Patient strategies, now being deployed by pharmaceutical companies in the US, can change the cost to the patient.

Listen here:

About the Presenter:

Adrian Dawkes is a Managing Director at PharmaVentures and has been with the company since 2007. Adrian has led multiple consultancy, licensing and M&A mandates.

During his professional career, Adrian has significant multi-discipline expertise spanning research and development through to sales, marketing and business development. Adrian has over 30 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consultancy services sectors. Adrian holds a BSc in Biochemistry and a PhD in Immunochemistry.

About the Interviewee:

Samara Ferguson is Vice President at PharmaVentures, leading its Pricing and Market Access division, supporting companies in their sell-side, buy-side, and licensing due diligence and deal-making.

For over 20 years, Samara has held multiple roles in the pharmaceutical industry, giving her a unique insight and experience in market access, health economics and outcomes research. Samara’s consultancy experience also brings many years of insight across numerous therapy areas, where she rigorously pressure-tested market access and price potential, developed market access strategies, evidence generation plans, and bespoke real-world studies. Samara holds a MSc in Health Economics and Health Policy from the University of Birmingham.

Navigating Risks in Times of Increased Uncertainty

PharmaVentures Podcasts

In this podcast, PharmaVentures’ deal experts discuss how to navigate risks in times of increased uncertainty.

Adrian Dawkes talks to PharmaVentures Founder and CEO Fintan Walton about how companies can navigate risk and even deploy new strategies in times of increased uncertainty. With the threat of tariffs, a global trade war and unease in the financial markets this podcast explores the ways companies can gain advantage over their competitors and survive when geo-politics and high levels of volatility in the financial markets throws chaos and uncertainty into strategies adopted and deployed in more normal times.

Listen here:

About the Presenter:

Adrian Dawkes is a Managing Director at PharmaVentures and has been with the company since 2007. Adrian has led multiple consultancy, licensing and M&A mandates.

During his professional career, Adrian has significant multi-discipline expertise spanning research and development through to sales, marketing and business development. Adrian has over 30 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consultancy services sectors. Adrian holds a BSc in Biochemistry and a PhD in Immunochemistry.

About the Interviewee:

Fintan Walton is the Founder and CEO of PharmaVentures. He has over 30 years’ experience helping clients achieve success in deal making.

Over a period of three decades, he has built PharmaVentures into a global player in supporting transactions for blue chip corporations and emerging innovator corporations. In that time, the firm has delivered more than 1,000 transaction related assignments for companies in 38 countries.

Global Drug Shortages. What are the causes and how do we fix them?

PharmaVentures Podcasts

PharmaVentures Podcast Series, Edition 1

Buy Side Search and Find Mandates: the process for acquiring or licensing rights to companies or assets successfully

Presented by Adrian Dawkes

In this podcast, PharmaVentures’ deal experts discuss the process of helping clients in the life sciences industry acquire or license assets or rights in specific markets or whole companies.

What does this podcast address?

  • Why do pharmaceutical companies licence and buy new assets?
  • How does the process work?
  • How will you know if it’s a good or a bad asset?
  • What is the benefit of using advisors like PharmaVentures to help with Search and Find mandates?
  • What advice should you heed if you are thinking about embarking on acquiring or licensing an asset on a search and find project?

How to Acquire Companies or Assets Successfully: listen to see how you can improve your buy side and in-licensing activities

Download Request


About the Presenter:

Adrian Dawkes is a Managing Director at PharmaVentures and has been with the company since 2007. Adrian has led multiple consultancy, licensing and M&A mandates.

During his professional career, Adrian has significant multi-discipline expertise spanning research and development through to sales, marketing and business development. Adrian has over 30 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consultancy services sectors. Adrian holds a BSc in Biochemistry and a PhD in Immunochemistry.


About the Interviewees:

Kyriakos Tzafestas is a Director at PharmaVentures.

Prior to joining PharmaVentures, Kyriakos was a life sciences consultant working with biotech companies and early-stage technologies on projects encompassing market analysis, competitive intelligence, opportunity assessment, commercialisation roadmaps, patent landscaping, valuations, and business development for research collaborations and licensing opportunities. Before commencing his professional career, Kyriakos completed a Master of Biotechnology (Distinction) at the University of Glasgow and obtained a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of York.

Ross Jenkins is a Senior Analyst at PharmaVentures with previous experience in diagnostic start-ups and commercialisation.

Prior to joining PharmaVentures, Ross worked at a multiplex immune-diagnostic start-up in New Zealand focused on both human and animal health. During this time, he was involved across all areas of the business from communications, manufacturing, quality/regulatory affairs, and market analysis. Ross holds a BSC(Hons) in Biotechnology and, a PGDip and Masters in Bioscience Enterprise from the University of Auckland.

Adrian Dawkes talks to PharmaVentures Founder and CEO Fintan Walton about his experience from over 30 years of dealmaking.

PharmaVentures Podcasts

PharmaVentures Podcast Series, Edition 17

 

 

Adrian Dawkes talks to PharmaVentures Founder and CEO Fintan Walton about his experience from over 30 years of dealmaking. In particular, why innovator biotechs and their investors are weaker when they underestimate the significance of both understanding and communicating their commercial strategy for their lead assets in negotiations.

Hear about:

  • Failing to understand the inherent risks at the commercial stage is a failure of investment logic.
  • Why you shouldn’t expect a potential partner to have any answers to the commercial path and success of your asset
  • Why you should know where your assets fit in the market landscape and what differentiates it commercially.
  • How to apply commercial strategic thinking to very early-stage assets.
  • How planning to avoid commercial risk reduces investment risk.

About the Presenter:

Adrian Dawkes is a Managing Director at PharmaVentures and has been with the company since 2007. Adrian has led multiple consultancy, licensing and M&A mandates.

During his professional career, Adrian has significant multi-discipline expertise spanning research and development through to sales, marketing and business development. Adrian has over 30 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consultancy services sectors. Adrian holds a BSc in Biochemistry and a PhD in Immunochemistry.