Pre-Conference Focus Day
Pre-Conference Focus Day
Future Readiness Strategy Day
Tuesday, August 5 | 12.00 - 5.00pm

A workshop day to build knowledge on strategic planning for the future.
Attend the Strategic Leader workshop if you are the HR decision maker in your company to discover how to work with your CEO more effectively, evade imposter syndrome, and successfully integrate HRs goals into the businesses mission.
Attend the AI & Automation slam if you want to learn successful use cases of the implementation of AI and other new technologies that are rapidly evolving to reduce admin time and retain the ‘human’ in HR.
*Select your track upon checkout
12:00 pm Registration & Networking
12:50 pm Pre-Conference Focus Day Chair’s Opening Remarks
Track A – Strategic HR Leader Workshop Day
Strategic HR Leader Focus Day
1:00 pm Panel: CEO & CHRO Panel
Synopsis
According to a report by Culture Works, HR’s role has evolved from handling hiring and compliance to actively shaping company strategies and decisions. By collaborating closely with the C-suite, HR can provide valuable insights into employee needs, talent strategies, and company culture, which are crucial for driving business success.
1:40 pm Discover: Building Effective Partnerships Between the CEO & CHRO
Synopsis
- Â What are the best practices for cultivating a strong, collaborative relationship between the CEO and CHRO?
- Uncover the strategies for the CHRO to become an advocate and ally to the executive team and align on people-related priorities
- Insights on navigating common challenges in the CEO-CHRO dynamicÂ
2:00 pm Discover: An HR Leader’s Journey You’ve Landed Your First Head of HR Role…Now What?
Synopsis
- Developing your HR strategy from scratch
- Taking a strategic approach to integrating into the organization, building allyship, and establishing trust while getting the right things done
- Learn practical insights on integrating into the culture, navigating relationships with the C-suite and Board, and getting to your first wins
2:20 pm Develop: What Else Do We Need to Consider When Working with the C-Suite?
Synopsis
A report by Boyden emphasizes the need for leaders to be agile, communicative, and capable of managing change effectively.
This is a Q&A session designed to help you understand the ‘how’.Â
2:40 pm Action: How Are You Going to Communicate More Effectively With the C-Suite?
Synopsis
HR professionals play a crucial role in identifying and developing leaders who possess these skills, ensuring that the organization can adapt to the rapidly changing landscape.
This is a roundtable discussion to put together an action plan to take back to your organization.
Track B – AI & Automation Slam
Leveraging Technology to Reduce Admin Time & Enhance the ‘Human’ in HR
1:00 pm Panel: Understanding AI Panel
Synopsis
In this session, we will discuss the cautious yet growing interest in AI within the life sciences industry, particularly in HR processes. Despite its potential, adoption is slow due to concerns about cost, relevance, and practical implementation. Join us to learn about Cost-Effective AI: Examples of successful, low-cost AI adoption. Join this panel to gain practical knowledge and tools for effectively integrating AI into HR processes within the life sciences industry
1:40 pm Discover: Leveraging Free Tools & AI to Enhance Recruiting & Candidate Experience
Synopsis
- How can we implement solutions like automated outreach, scheduling, and resume screening to do more with less, while maintaining a human-centric approach?
- Utilize free online tools and AI-powered technologies to streamline recruiting processes and improve candidate satisfaction
- How Genentech have reduced time to hire and candidate satisfaction through their use of technology to enhance recruiting and talent acquisition efforts
2:00 pm Discover: Driving Data Insights into Action: The HR Periodic Table
Synopsis
- Sarepta Therapeutics will showcase their ‘periodic table of data’, a data-driven people dashboard used to analyze employee retention factors and inform HR strategy
- Discover how data insights and analytics can be invaluable to our business leaders and how HR teams can partner together to support thoughtful communication and change
2:20 pm Develop: What Else Can We Do to Adjust to Changes in Technology?
Synopsis
The life science industry is experiencing a cautious yet growing interest in AI and technology. While the potential for AI to revolutionize HR processes is widely recognized, the adoption rate is slow due to concerns about cost, relevance, and practical implementation. This session aims to address these concerns by providing actionable insights and real-world examples. This is a Q&A session designed to help you understand the ‘how’.
2:40 pm Action: What Are You Going to Change About Your Technology Strategy?
Synopsis
- How do we put together an AI policy?
- How can we use AI for data mining to create realistic pictures of employee sentiment?
- Are there successful use cases out there of organizations adopting AI at minimal cost?
- How can we leverage AI in a highly regulated industry in a way that is ethical and meaningful?
- How can we use AI for things such as: performance management, engagement process, compensation planning etc.?
- What are some use cases of free AI resources to reduce admin time?
- How will AI impact the way our workforce looks?
- How can we fully leverage AI & Automation?
- What are the legal implications of this technology?
This is a roundtable discussion to put together an action plan to take back to your organization.
3:00 pm Break
3:20 pm Discover: Driving Company Performance Through Strategic Talent Management: The ‘Talent to Value’ Approach at Bristol-Myers Squibb
Synopsis
- How can we understand where value is created within the organization, prioritize critical roles and teams, and ensure they have the right talent and enablement to succeed?
- Identify focus roles and teams, assessing talent and role fit, and developing actions to strengthen successor pools, accelerate development, and retain talent
- Learn insights into the multifaceted aspects of BMS ‘talent to value’ approach, encompassing succession planning, recruitment, talent acquisition, and development
3:40 pm Discover: Developing a Strategic Roadmap With the C-Suite to Drive Culture & Leadership
Synopsis
- How can we execute a multi-year talent strategy aligned with their business goals?
- Key initiatives include rolling out 15 leadership skills, embedding them into talent practices, and creating a leader development program for different personas
- Uncover Mercks process of collaborating with the CEO and executive team, the challenges and pivots along the way, and the measurable impact on leadership development and culture
4:20 pm Action: How Are You Going to Work With the C-Suite to Build a Business Roadmap That Works For You Both?
Synopsis
Session details to be announced.
3:20 pm Discover: Leveraging AI & Large Language Models to Identify & Develop Leaders
Synopsis
- Discuss Moderna’s use of AI and large language models (GPTs) to support their year-end review process, including personalized feedback, upward feedback, and peer feedback
- Explore the benefits and challenges of using AI as a decision support tool rather than a decision-maker in identifying and developing future leaders
- Highlight the importance of maintaining the human element in the talent management process and using AI-generated insights as one signal in a broader set of considerations
3:40 pm Develop: What Other Processes Can AI Help Us Improve?
3:50 pm Action: How Are You Going to Leverage AI to Enhance Your Processes?
Synopsis
Session details to be announced.