Professional Background
Sharon has over 25 years experience in leading research-based phamaceutical companies in a variety of Medical Communications roles. Includes leadership roles in Medical Information, Pharmacovigilance and Medical Affairs.
Working in companies such as AstraZeneca, Merck Sharp & Dohme and Glaxo (now gsk), she managed departmental mergers, restructuring and reorganisations. She has national, European and global medical information experience. Cross cultural and virtual team working are very familiar work environments!
For 2 years, she successfully job-shared a senior management post, before moving into a Global Marketing division. Her passion for lifelong learning and self development led to roles including running international training courses and conferences for several organisations.
Sharon has a PhD in Neuropharmacology
Her professional achievements include
- PIPA (Pharmaceutical Information & Pharmacovigilance Association) – Past President. She is also a Honorary member.
- Drug Information Association (DIA) – past co-chairman for Medical Communications special interest group
She regularly presents or chairs sessions at DIA and PIPA conferences (national or global) on diverse aspects about medical affairs and medical information. Recent examples include
- Twitter, blogs and social media. What the busy QPPV needs to know, DIA Annual QPPV Conference, London, June 2010
- Opportunity or Threat? Benchmarking Medical Information for PIPA, PIPA Annual Conference, July 2010
- Publication: Leighton S, Davies JE. Surveying Medical Information across Europe: The Present and the Future. Drug Inf. J. 2009;43(5):637-654.
- Publication: Wormleighton C, Leighton S. Auditing Medical Information services Across Western Europe: A Cost-Effective Approach. Drug Inf. J. 2009;43(5): 655-662 .
She is currently on the programme committee for the 2010 DIA Clinical Forum – Medical Information & Communications track, October 11-13th, Lisbon. She will be a session chair at the US Medical Communications workshop, March 2011 .
