“We at F/NE are most excited about this partnership,” says founder and CEO Mandi Fine. “We have collaborated with GHPR over the last few years and the formalisation of our affiliation and partnership is a fantastic way for us to kick off 2018. This partnership agreement is part of our globalisation strategy and we are delighted.”
Fine says the partnership allows its clients the benefits of a global network of expertise and knowledge, from top global biopharmaceutical companies, medical-device manufacturers, health-technology companies, advocacy/professional associations and consumer goods companies with a presence in Africa or interest in expanding there.
F/NE’s strong presence in South Africa and a deep understanding of African markets, will expand GHPR’s ability to serve multinational clients and draw on local expertise.
“For the industry as a whole, collaboration and global alignment creates efficiencies and consistency of messages, as well as greater reach into areas that may have previously been left off the map,” she adds.
Here, Fine shares why she’s passionate about healthcare communications, as well as some of the key trends she thinks we’ll see play out in 2018…
Working in healthcare communications is exceptionally rewarding. Currently fewer than 50% of Africans have access to modern healthcare facilities, though urban development and increased wealth, coupled with greater access to mobile phones and the internet, are likely to significantly change the delivery of healthcare in the coming years.
For years F/NE has been pioneering innovative ways to improve access to health information to both patients and healthcare workers. Knowing that our work leads to improved health and better lives drives us to be passionate about what we do.
Booking some time out for yoga and walking with friends – the healthy things that keep me sane and grounded.
I have a pile of books that I am reading. The first is The Book of Joy by Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Reading it has been an amazing way to start the year and to help me feel inspired in every moment.
On a more clinical note but with a similar tone, I am reading the book The Anatomy of Hope: How People Prevail in the Face of Illness by Dr Jerome Groopman.
Finally, I am reading Ramaphosa: The Man Who Would Be King by Ray Hartley. I think it’s important to remember the history of the man who will now lead us into the next chapter of our political lives.
I was most fortunate to have been the first and only SA judge in the pharma category at Cannes Lions last year in June.
Based on the trends that I was witness to during that process, I think we will see the following key trends play out in 2018:
