“We took 200 suppliers down to less than 10. We recognised there are specialised cases where incredibly cutting-edge technology will need an exception, but that core pool is now set. Cost savings were important, but speed, quality and innovation were actually the top priorities.”
Amber Meriwether, Director of Corporate Strategy at Astellas Pharma, has orchestrated one of the industry’s most dramatic supplier rationalisations whilst navigating complex cultural dynamics across five global locations.
Amber brings over a decade of transformational experience in pharmaceutical procurement, from radiation oncology research to managing Astellas’ diverse portfolio spanning small molecules, large molecules, cell therapy, and gene therapy.
In the latest PharmaSource podcast episode, Amber reveals how effective supplier rationalisation transcends traditional cost-cutting approaches, requiring sophisticated change management, cultural intelligence, and the ability to forge consensus amongst diverse scientific teams spanning multiple continents and research modalities.
The Data Challenge: Unifying Five Financial Systems Into Strategic Intelligence
Before any meaningful supplier rationalisation could begin, Astellas faced a fundamental challenge that plagues many pharmaceutical companies following rapid acquisition cycles: fragmented data systems that obscured spending patterns and supplier relationships.
“We were working across five financial systems at that moment in time because we had so many acquisitions in a very quick period,” Amber explains. “We primarily focused on those suppliers that are part of your IND-enabling package—what you need to be able to start human trials. That was probably around 200 suppliers we could identify.”
Rather than waiting for perfect data integration, Amber’s team leveraged her background in real-world evidence studies to extract actionable insights from messy data. “This is where my first job in real-world evidence and messy data came into play. We used the best we had. It wasn’t about perfect—it was about good enough to have a general direction. We knew we would ultimately make the decision based on the RFP process and the bid defences.”
This pragmatic approach enabled rapid progress whilst avoiding the paralysis that often accompanies large-scale system integration projects. The team focused on identifying suppliers critical to regulatory submissions rather than attempting to map every purchase across the organisation.
The screening process itself demonstrated the power of systematic evaluation. “We took that down to about 73 suppliers that we sent an RFI to as part of the initial screening, because we wanted to be very inclusive of what people were asking us to consider. We didn’t know what the answer would be, and we got it down to less than 10.”
Building Consensus Across Scientific Cultures and Geographies
Successful supplier rationalisation in pharmaceutical research requires navigating the intersection of scientific expertise, cultural differences, and organisational politics. Amber’s approach at Astellas demonstrates how intentional relationship-building can overcome traditional silos whilst respecting the specialised needs of different research modalities.
“We had representatives from every single modality we were operating across—cell therapy, gene therapy, small molecule, large molecule, various indications around oncology, ophthalmology—and people from every single one of our research sites around the world,” Amber explains. “Whether they were from our historic organisation in Japan or from San Francisco, Boston, or one of the more recently acquired parts.”
The geographic and cultural diversity presented unique challenges that required creative solutions. Traditional virtual meetings and standard business processes proved insufficient for building the trust and understanding necessary for such a significant transformation.
“We literally had our first design meeting in Japan because we knew most people had never been there. They didn’t understand our organisation and what they were actually stepping into,” Amber recalls. “From there, when we did working sessions, we knew our Japanese organisation had never seen what it was like to work with infrastructure like we had in other locations. So we took them to one of our biotechs in Boston for some of the working sessions, so they could see we had to make this simple and easy to follow because there was no support on site.”
This experiential approach proved essential for building empathy and understanding between teams with vastly different operational contexts. The Japanese headquarters teams gained appreciation for the resource constraints faced by smaller biotech acquisitions, whilst the acquired teams better understood the quality standards and processes expected within the larger organisation.
The culmination of this consensus-building process took place in a symbolically significant location. “When it came time to actually make a decision, we intentionally put it in our brand new facility in San Francisco for the bid defence. That way, it was a space that was already opening as a brand new organisation, coming together to take our first decision as a group.”
Cultural Intelligence as a Procurement Imperative
Amber’s extended experience in Tokyo during the pandemic provided unique insights into how cultural differences fundamentally impact procurement effectiveness. Her observations highlight why cultural intelligence has become a strategic necessity rather than a nice-to-have skill for global procurement leaders.
“Travel is really about making the foreign familiar and the familiar foreign,” Amber reflects. “I spent two and a half years straight in Japan as one of the few non-Japanese people because of the border restrictions at the time. It really gave me a deeper understanding of the culture, both in Japan and my home culture in the United States, and seeing how both respond to such pressures and stress.”
The cultural differences manifest in subtle but operationally significant ways that can derail even well-intentioned initiatives. “You had to meet people where they were and really make sure you tailored your approach to that level of understanding,” Amber emphasises. “For instance, if you sent global messages, there were groups that would not read them. You have to know that, or else you’re not going to be effective, and your strategy isn’t going to stick.”
These differences extend beyond communication preferences to fundamental approaches to business relationships and decision-making. “Every single location brings something different, but they all latch onto different elements of our culture. Sometimes it means they have different approaches to formality—what types of messages they read, who they respond to. Do they respond only to local leaders or global leaders? Do they understand the global context of our organisation and how we operate?”
The practical implications of these cultural nuances became particularly apparent during the supplier rationalisation project. Teams that had historically operated with significant autonomy needed to understand both the rationale for standardisation and the flexibility built into the new system.
“At its most obvious level, it’s about what level of in-person interaction they respond to, as opposed to being able to connect with them virtually,” Amber notes. “Those are some of the biggest differences we were seeing, and understanding them was essential for making our strategy effective across all locations.”
Innovative Change Management: Making Compliance Memorable
Traditional training approaches often fail to create lasting behavioural change in scientific organisations, where researchers prioritise experimental work over administrative processes. Amber’s team developed an innovative engagement strategy that transformed potentially dry compliance training into memorable, community-building experiences.
“When we rolled out our operating model to the broader organisation, we literally and figuratively met people where they were,” Amber explains. “We made a point of going to every single site around the world and having events. We knew that for this population, virtual training was not going to stick long-term, and we needed to make it fun and engaging to be memorable.”
The rollout strategy deliberately incorporated elements designed to create positive associations with the new processes whilst building cross-functional relationships that would support ongoing compliance.
“We developed a series of games and activities that covered the core principles of what we were trying to teach and what the resources were, and brought people together that way,” Amber describes. “It culminated in teams having to go find pieces of water rockets and then literally launching them to see who could do it first, whilst being cheered on by all their colleagues.”
The physical elements of the training served multiple purposes beyond entertainment. “The winners got trophies that they could put on their desk as a physical reminder of what they did that day, but also as a talking point for their colleagues when they walk by and say, ‘Hey, what was that?’ and remember what the project was about—that maybe they should be following something there.”
The comprehensive approach included multiple touchpoints designed to accommodate different learning styles and engagement preferences. “We followed up with a happy hour, so there was informal space for connection and community, but also for asking questions. Literally the next day, we would do coffee chats where we would have breakfast and coffee, and people could informally ask questions. We got a completely different crowd of people who would come and engage that way, or people who had thought about it more and wanted to discuss it further.”
This multi-modal approach proved particularly effective for addressing resistance to change. “People obviously challenged why their supplier was not on the final list, and how they could work with their favourite supplier. But because we had gone so broad in the RFI process, we were able to respond with facts and data as to why perhaps their supplier did not actually meet the standards we need for the FDA based on what they shared with us.”
Technology Strategy: Foundation Before Innovation
Rather than pursuing the latest technological innovations, Amber advocates for establishing robust foundational processes before adding technological complexity. This approach proves particularly critical in pharmaceutical research, where regulatory compliance and data integrity requirements can make hasty technology adoption counterproductive.
“I think we’re in the midst of a bit of an industrial revolution,” Amber observes. “That being said, I think it will take a bit more time than is currently hyped, but we can all clearly see that we’re at this inflection point and have an idea of what’s about to come. We need to be mindful in any approach that we take.”
The key insight involves understanding process requirements before selecting technology solutions. “Before you pick any technology, structure your processes in a way where you can identify what can be automated and set it up for success versus what actually requires a human. From there, you can roll out the technology in parallel, and then think about what you need in terms of people and capabilities to support it.”
For research procurement specifically, Amber sees e-marketplaces as valuable tools for balancing compliance requirements with the agility demands of scientific research. “For a research part of an organisation, this is core business of the pharma industry. It needs speed, and science is rapidly evolving, and researchers need to be able to access innovative providers. E-marketplaces are a great way to build compliance and the necessary data structures for visibility whilst enhancing speed.”
The compliance benefits extend beyond internal efficiency to supplier relationship management. “Otherwise you’re not necessarily going to get through the due diligence processes that are required in an efficient way, and it’s quite burdensome for suppliers as well. Many of them are small and don’t have the ability to respond to the scale of what a big pharma might require. The beauty of the marketplace is that they’ve already gone through those processes once, and that’s the standard we hold them to as an industry.”
However, Amber cautions against technology selection driven by vendor promises rather than business needs. “There are a lot of questions to be asked, and I think you’ve got to have digital people who are better at that evaluation process. You need to know what you want and need before you pick the technology. This area requires a lot more thought and pre-work than selection of any technology.”
Redefining Procurement Priorities: Beyond Cost to Strategic Value
Astellas’s approach to research procurement challenges traditional cost-focused metrics, instead prioritising factors that directly impact the company’s ability to advance therapeutic development and maintain competitive advantage in rapidly evolving scientific fields.
“I will say speed, quality, and definitely innovation are the top priorities in this space, at least for us,” Amber explains. “Costs are important, but they are by far fourth on our priority list.”
This priority structure reflects the unique economics of pharmaceutical research, where delays in clinical development can cost millions of dollars and potentially allow competitors to reach market first with similar therapies. The focus on innovation acknowledges that breakthrough discoveries often come from smaller, specialised suppliers rather than established vendors with lower costs.
The emphasis on quality proves particularly crucial in research procurement, where regulatory compliance failures can invalidate years of work and require expensive remediation efforts. “You need to have a basic understanding of the business. It’s incredibly specialised to the pharma and biotech industry. It’s not something you can necessarily make the jump into cleanly if you’ve been in other areas and don’t have that deep scientific knowledge.”
This specialisation extends to understanding regulatory requirements that impact supplier selection. “You also end up in a lot more manufacturing space, so the regulations that come with this are pretty heavy. We happen to have done a number of brand new site builds as a team, so being able to navigate how you put up an entire building with a laboratory or manufacturing component becomes really important.”
The procurement team’s measurement framework reflects these priorities through KPIs that extend beyond traditional cost savings. “Cost savings were obviously important—we are a procurement organisation, so that was top of the list. But we also measured cycle times, so quote-to-PO times and being able to go faster on that. We looked at the supply base and monitored it long-term: Is this meeting our needs? Are we awarding work to these suppliers? Are there exceptions coming through? And we monitored the minimum standards and common requirements that we developed.”
Skills Evolution: Preparing for Technology-Driven Transformation
The rapid evolution of procurement technology requires professionals to develop new capabilities whilst leveraging enduring human skills that technology cannot easily replicate. Amber’s perspective on this transition provides guidance for procurement professionals navigating changing role requirements.
“I think there’s a re-skilling component here. A lot of procurement professionals have focused heavily on data and analysis, but as technology evolves, the skills of procurement are going to need to evolve to match it,” Amber observes.
Rather than viewing technology as a threat, she advocates for identifying areas where human expertise remains irreplaceable. “I see things like category management and leading transformation and change still standing, because those are very human-driven, as well as very nuance-driven in a way that doesn’t lead to straightforward analysis.”
The change management aspects of procurement work prove particularly resistant to automation. “Other parts where we have a lot of procurement operations and data integration—those are things that are well-suited potentially to technological change. But the human elements of building relationships, understanding cultural nuances, and leading organisational transformation require skills that will remain valuable.”
This evolution requires procurement professionals to become more strategic and advisory in their approach. “There’s a need to be self-driven and proactive in identifying those areas where you will withstand a lot of technological transformation. It will take time for some of this to roll out because many people are working in companies with legacy systems, but the preparation needs to start now.”
Translating Procurement Excellence to Corporate Strategy
Amber’s transition from procurement leadership to corporate strategy illustrates how procurement professionals can leverage their unique organisational perspective to drive broader business strategy. Her experience demonstrates that procurement skills translate directly to strategic planning when properly positioned and applied.
“Procurement brings more to strategy than is usually recognised,” Amber explains. “We have an understanding of our end-to-end business and our operations because of where we sit, and the fact that we often are category-aligned, looking across the entire business.”
The analytical capabilities developed through procurement work prove immediately valuable in strategic planning contexts. “It’s financial analysis and insights generation that is so important to understanding where you’re going and what your needs are. It’s the change management and initiative leadership that we’ve been discussing, and the internal and external understanding of the environment that procurement is versed in on a daily basis.”
The external perspective that procurement professionals develop through supplier relationships provides unique insights into market trends and competitive dynamics. “We are making those adjustments and monitoring what’s going on in the world to be able to better partner internally and help deliver and meet our objectives as a company.”
In her new role, Amber applies this perspective to some of the industry’s most pressing challenges. “We have a lot going on in the external environment between needing to make sure we have resilient supply chains and navigating geopolitical resetting and transition that’s happening right now. There’s a lot going on in our industry around patent cliffs, which will take out about $59 billion by 2030, and that changes how everybody responds in the environment.”
The strategic planning process requires the same stakeholder management skills that prove essential in procurement transformation. “I think scenario planning is a core capability, particularly within corporate strategy function, but within many companies and your risk and resilience teams. Making sure you have those clear decision points as an organisation, or points where you’re monitoring for inflection to be able to make decisions in a timely fashion.”
For procurement professionals considering similar transitions, Amber’s advice emphasises the importance of connecting procurement capabilities to broader business objectives. “Understand your company’s strategy and identify opportunities where you can help make it happen. There are many skills in procurement that you can bring to helping address those challenges, and it’s about how you leverage those whilst broadening your exposure and delivering in a positive way that is visible and can help drive your organisation forward.”
The key involves transcending traditional procurement stereotypes whilst maintaining the financial discipline that makes procurement valuable. “You can deliver financial value—the company obviously needs that—but it’s how you do that and more in a way that aligns with their overall objectives. It’s not about being the traditional cost-obsessed procurement stereotype, but being much more of a strategic business partner.”
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