Rethinking Global Medical Affairs: Co-Led Brand Strategy, Agile Teams & AI with Emad Siddiqui of Astellas

How can Medical Affairs teams move faster, align global brand strategy, and use artificial intelligence (AI) while keeping patients first? Emad Siddiqui, Senior Vice President, Head of Medical Affairs Global Brand Strategy at Astellas Pharma, joins host Peg Crowley-Nowick on Medical Affairs Unscripted. A surgeon by training, Emad describes his move from clinical practice into Medical Affairs and his belief in putting patients and science first. He explains the Astellas "Brand at the Center" model, where Medical Affairs and Commercial co-lead global brand teams and build the integrated global brand plan together with the five largest markets. Small agile core teams and on-demand value teams speed up execution, and clear guardrails balance global alignment with local autonomy. Emad also shows how AI-assisted scientific writing is changing the work. AI now produces the first draft of a congress abstract, and the authors review and refine it, cutting development from weeks to days. He also looks at how AI could support clinical study reports and help teams turn field insights into clear evidence gaps. This episode is for Medical Affairs leaders, MSLs, and pharma strategists rethinking how global teams work.