Forecast backs a bet on a new molecule

How it started

Julien Willard, M.D. M.P.H. is a Russian-born American strategist and economist in the life sciences sector. He spent over a decade as a health economist and intelligence operative before moving into private-sector strategy consulting. Most recently, Dr Willard was a head of strategy in the IBM’s life sciences group. He focuses on finding breakthrough innovation and helping capture value with biopharma clients.
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Dr. Willard has held several leadership roles in global institutions. He was a head of health policy at Oxfam GB and a senior economist at the World Bank. Later, he served as chief of staff at PwC’s Public Sector group. Before IBM, he led a technology strategy group at Accenture serving top pharmaceutical clients.

During his global career, Dr. Willard helped countries improve their healthcare systems. He worked with country leaders to support their journey to universal healthcare. Those leaders were from the US, UK, Germany, Africa, Middle East and Asia regions. He assisted health ministries in creating drug policies, public health programs, and addressing national drug challenges. He worked with the South Africa leaders to ensure a stable drug supply chain. He took part in aiding a public-private dialogue on HIV medicines in Africa.

Dr. Willard has written for Harvard Business Review, World Economic Forum, and World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund proceedings, and research journals like the Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice.

Julien Willard received the World Bank President’s Excellence Award. He serves as a visiting professor at George Washington and Harvard Universities. He earlier represented Oxfam at G20 and the United Nations General Assembly. In 2024, he was a U.S. Ambassador to the World Business Angels’ forum on biotech investments.

Dr. Willard is a member of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, the American Economic Association. Due to the nature of his previous work, Dr. Willard is trained in behavioral profiling.

How it started

Julien Willard, M.D. M.P.H. is a Russian-born American strategist and economist in the life sciences sector. He spent over a decade as a health economist and intelligence operative before moving into private-sector strategy consulting. Most recently, Dr Willard was a head of strategy in the IBM’s life sciences group. He focuses on finding breakthrough innovation and helping capture value with biopharma clients.
‍
Dr. Willard has held several leadership roles in global institutions. He was a head of health policy at Oxfam GB and a senior economist at the World Bank. Later, he served as chief of staff at PwC’s Public Sector group. Before IBM, he led a technology strategy group at Accenture serving top pharmaceutical clients.

During his global career, Dr. Willard helped countries improve their healthcare systems. He worked with country leaders to support their journey to universal healthcare. Those leaders were from the US, UK, Germany, Africa, Middle East and Asia regions. He assisted health ministries in creating drug policies, public health programs, and addressing national drug challenges. He worked with the South Africa leaders to ensure a stable drug supply chain. He took part in aiding a public-private dialogue on HIV medicines in Africa.

Dr. Willard has written for Harvard Business Review, World Economic Forum, and World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund proceedings, and research journals like the Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice.

Julien Willard received the World Bank President’s Excellence Award. He serves as a visiting professor at George Washington and Harvard Universities. He earlier represented Oxfam at G20 and the United Nations General Assembly. In 2024, he was a U.S. Ambassador to the World Business Angels’ forum on biotech investments.

Dr. Willard is a member of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, the American Economic Association. Due to the nature of his previous work, Dr. Willard is trained in behavioral profiling.