Watch or listen to the interview here: https://www.crowleylawllc.com/podcasts/driving-sustainability-in-healthcare-with-pam-cheng
Introduction to the Podcast
Voice-Over: Welcome to the From Lab to Patient, Garage to Market podcast with your host, Phil Crowley. In each episode, we discuss professionals serving the tech startup market and the various issues important to those companies. You can find this show on all major platforms, including YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and our website, CrowleyLawLLC.com. Now here’s the host of From Lab to Patient, Garage to Market, Phil Crowley.
Phil Crowley: Welcome and thanks for tuning into our podcast. We aim to bring you leaders in the life sciences and technology areas—people with insights about building, growing, and running life sciences and technology businesses to help you navigate the fast-paced and sometimes chaotic world of startups. We hope the insights we provide will assist you on your entrepreneurial journey.
Meet Pam Cheng: A Leader in Sustainability
Phil Crowley: I’m delighted to have with us today, Pam Cheng, Executive Vice President for Global Operations and Information Technology and Chief Sustainability Officer for the global healthcare giant, AstraZeneca. Pam and her team have done fantastic work in sustainability. In fact, Time Magazine named Pam to its Health 100, recognizing the 100 people who have had the greatest impact on health in 2024. It’s an extraordinary honor for Pam. Pam, welcome.
Pam Cheng: Thank you, Phil. I’m really delighted to be here.
Phil Crowley: It’s wonderful to have you.
Pam’s Journey into STEM
Phil Crowley: Pam, how did you get started in STEM? Why did you choose STEM—science, technology, engineering, mathematics—over something else? Was there something in your family history or background that guided you in that direction?
Pam Cheng: I have a natural curiosity and a relentless passion to challenge the status quo. It came down to two things: my father’s reverse psychology and my desire to prove that something is possible. My father encouraged me to pursue engineering specifically when I was in high school, even mentioning that it’s tough for girls in engineering but supported my choice if I wanted to do accounting instead. Understanding my father’s intentions motivated me to apply to Stevens Institute of Technology and pursue chemical engineering. I’ve always aspired to challenge the status quo and disliked the notion that things aren’t possible. Engineering has been very rewarding and satisfying, and I genuinely love it.
Phil Crowley: That’s important to do something you love. I’ve found that people with a STEM education often have abilities that extend beyond straight technology jobs. Studying engineering, especially at Stevens Institute of Technology, makes you a creative problem solver.
Career Path and Problem-Solving Skills
Phil Crowley: Could you outline your career path? How did you start using your technical knowledge, and how has it developed over the years?
Pam Cheng: Absolutely. The fundamentals I learned in engineering school, like thermodynamics, remain the same, even though technology has advanced significantly. The problem-solving skills and disciplined, evidence-based approach from a STEM education stay with you forever. I’ve had the good fortune to be in both technical and business roles. For example, when running the subsidiary in China for Merck, I used engineering and problem-solving skills, including lean methodologies learned in school, in my daily business operations. This mindset—problem-solving, natural curiosity, seeking new technology, and driving business value—has been a common theme throughout my career.
Leadership and Management Insights
Phil Crowley: You transitioned from a senior engineering role to management positions where you lead and inspire teams. How did that happen? Were there mentors who helped you, or did you figure it out on your own?
Pam Cheng: It didn’t happen overnight. I was fortunate to work with great people and learn from them. While not specific mentors, the individuals I worked with were some of the best in the industry, patient in answering my questions. Transitioning from leading a small team to a large organization requires different skills. Initially, my focus was on getting things done quickly and efficiently, but as I took on more responsibility, I realized the importance of listening, not jumping to conclusions, and working at a pace that suits the entire team. Watching and learning from brilliant colleagues, asking questions, and relentlessly pursuing improvement were key to my development as a leader.
Phil Crowley: Your humility in recognizing the need to listen and collaborate is impressive. It contrasts with the outdated notion that leaders must be dictators to be effective.
Pam Cheng: Absolutely. If I’m the only one speaking or the smartest person in the room, something is wrong. We hire the best and brightest, and unleashing everyone’s potential is far more powerful than what a single individual or small group can achieve.
Advice for Small Companies Partnering with Giants
Phil Crowley: How can small companies successfully partner with large, prestigious companies like AstraZeneca? What are the success factors, and what might turn off a big company from working with a small one?
Pam Cheng: Every company is different, but here are a few pieces of advice based on my experience:
Know Who You Are Working With: Understand AstraZeneca’s values, needs, and where your company can add specific value.
Be Specific: Avoid general pitches. Address particular pain points or gaps and demonstrate how you can solve real problems.
Be Pragmatic: Bring the nimbleness, speed, and flexibility of a small company to the partnership. Solve specific business problems with innovative applications of technology.
Phil Crowley: So, small companies need to do their due diligence on big companies to identify where their unique technologies can solve specific pain points.
Pam Cheng: Exactly. Regardless of which side you’re on, it’s all about adding value. Whether it’s through innovative applications of digital tools or solving specific business problems, the focus should be on practical value that advances the other company’s business.
Phil Crowley: That makes sense. It’s about offering practical, valuable solutions rather than just neat ideas.
Pam Cheng: Yes, it’s about the application of tools and technologies to solve real business problems pragmatically.
Phil Crowley: Super. Now, I’d like to introduce Crowley Law to our audience. We are a boutique law firm passionate about helping life sciences and technology entrepreneurs realize their dreams—to take great ideas from the laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside or from the garage to the marketplace, enriching the lives of thousands or even millions. It’s what drives us. I’m a former research physicist who wanted a more immediate impact on improving lives and quality of life than I could achieve while studying superconductivity, a technology used in MRI scanners. We believe it’s crucial to protect founders and innovators. Many founders have made mistakes, given away too much control, and didn’t receive significant shares of the benefits from their technologies. We’re passionate about helping these individuals. Visit our website, CrowleyLawLLC.com, for free resources relevant to startups. If you’re on the entrepreneurial journey, please contact us at [email protected]. To set up a conversation. We’re here to help.
Impact of AI and Sustainability Efforts
Phil Crowley: All right, Pam. I gave you some extra time to think about that. What about the impact of artificial intelligence on the pharma business generally?
Pam Cheng: It’s already having a real impact on the industry, everything from how we discover potential medicines in our labs to manufacturing, which is in my area, to delivery to the patients. We see digital and AI playing a huge part in sustainability as well. Let me give you a few examples that bring science and sustainability together.
One of the functions I have within AstraZeneca is product and process development. We take a molecule from the lab and transform it into a medicine that a patient can take, whether it’s in pill form, a bottle, a vial, a syringe, or injectable.
In the old days, as an engineer, we had a bunch of engineers and scientists going to the labs to run dozens of experiments. We used thick lab notebooks to record parameters and experiment results. It was all about trends and statistics; we had to accumulate data over two to three months, analyze it, synthesize conclusions, and optimize processes.
Today, we use what we call the digital twin. We can model the molecule and unit operations, simulating synthesis in minutes instead of weeks. These digital twins help us optimize processes in manufacturing and medicine.
Another example is our use of knowledge graphs in research and development. We have huge data libraries that help identify lead candidates in drug development. In manufacturing, we’re moving towards what we call the smart factory, with connected devices and sensors, progressing towards autonomous manufacturing. This leverages machine intelligence and data capabilities on our manufacturing floor.
Last year in the United States, we announced an effort with Vanguard Renewables to develop renewable energy. Instead of fossil natural gas, we’re using biomethane. Vanguard Renewables specializes in the anaerobic digestion process, converting farm waste like cow manure and food processing waste into biomethane. This biomethane has similar properties to natural gas and can be injected into the national grid to power facilities. Our goal is that by 2026, all AstraZeneca R&D and manufacturing facilities in the United States will be powered solely by biomethane, moving away from fossil natural gas.
We’re also using artificial intelligence and digital twins to model the anaerobic digestion process, increasing productivity and efficiency by running fast simulations and analyzing data effectively. While biomethane is currently more expensive than natural gas, improving productivity can help scale it broadly, bringing costs closer to parity.
Phil Crowley: So you’re using artificial intelligence tools from your laboratory for process development in manufacturing and applying them to creating biomethane from biomass. This helps improve processes, reduce costs, and use biomethane as a natural gas source for your facilities, potentially replacing other energy sources.
Pam Cheng: Absolutely. It’s a circular economy in the works. Farm and food waste, if untreated, release harmful methane into the atmosphere. By converting waste into biomethane, we’re creating a zero-waste system that reuses energy sources.
Phil Crowley: That’s great. This is one of the reasons Time Magazine named you and your team for the Health 100. How did you get involved in sustainability? Did it grow out of an attempt to make your manufacturing leaner, or how did that develop?
Pam Cheng: No, it came about because we saw the interconnectivity between the climate crisis and health. We’re in the business of driving human health, and if our planet is unhealthy, it’s moot. In 2021, we launched a very ambitious sustainability program called Ambition Zero Carbon, aiming to decarbonize our supply chain end to end. It was ambitious, and I took it on alongside my day job because I believe we should never say something is not possible. There are moments where it’s a lot of work, but I don’t regret it because it’s meaningful. For example, 12 million people die every year due to pollution and extreme temperatures caused by the climate crisis, more than from COVID. Rising respiratory and cardiovascular diseases are related to the climate crisis, and underserved populations are impacted the most. This interconnectivity between health and the climate crisis, as well as healthcare system resilience, motivated us to act responsibly and set an example through public-private partnerships.
Phil Crowley: Certainly, it challenges the claim that pharmaceutical companies are only in it for the money. They are responsible stewards of their actions. I spent 32 years in the law department at Johnson & Johnson and was always struck by the passion they had for doing well by people and focusing on increasing worldwide health. When you were at Johnson & Johnson, you volunteered for the sustainability role despite your busy life at AstraZeneca. You’ve also contributed significantly to your alma mater, Stevens Institute of Technology, first on the President’s Leadership Council and now as a trustee. How do you find the time to do all that?
Pam Cheng: Time management is a skill I learned at Stevens. We all prioritize how we spend our time. I don’t watch television; I’ve got better things to do and prioritize others over that. It’s important to give back to Stevens because I owe much of where I am today to the education and training I received there. STEM schools like Stevens are doing great work in developing the next generation of STEM leaders, and I find it very meaningful and valuable to be a part of that. Education is key for our future, whether in sustainability, technology, or medicine.
Regarding the pharmaceutical industry, it sometimes has a mixed reputation due to politics and media portrayal. However, many colleagues and I feel privileged to work in this sector. Not everyone gets to wake up and say their work directly impacts patients’ health or even saves lives. For example, in cancer treatment, one of our ambitions is to eliminate cancer as a cause of death. For many forms of cancer, we can make it almost a chronic disease, treating it to the point of control. I believe the day will come when we can eliminate cancer as a cause of death, and the industry is doing amazing work towards that goal. I’m proud to be a part of it.
Phil Crowley: Pam, for many years, the pharmaceutical industry was characterized as an old boys’ network, making it difficult for women to be recognized. I view you as a role model for women aspiring to leadership positions in large companies. Based on your experience, what advice would you give to women looking to break through the glass ceiling, who have capabilities and want to be recognized and have opportunities to express those abilities?
Pam Cheng: Absolutely. Thank you for your kind words. From my experience, confidence is key. Believe in yourself and be comfortable in your own skin. Early in my career, female students were an absolute minority, and it wasn’t much different in the workplace as an engineer. Many of my female colleagues tried very hard to emulate men, but that’s not necessary. This world needs both men and women, bringing different attributes and values. They should be noted and valued.
Having confidence and being comfortable in your own skin is essential. Challenge yourself, regardless of gender or ethnicity. Believe in your great education, your brightness, and intelligence. Speak up, be confident, and challenge how things are done. Additionally, women often take on caretaking roles in personal life, such as caring for children and aging parents. It’s important to have the courage to make choices that balance family and career. Early in my career, I had no problem telling my boss about personal commitments like attending a child’s sports event or recital because it’s important to be present for those moments. Similarly, I communicated with my kids about the importance of meetings at work. It’s okay to make trade-offs and compromises, but never okay to have regrets. That’s the model I’ve lived by.
Phil Crowley: That is fabulous.
Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts
Phil Crowley: Well, the time has flown by, and I know you have so much more to share, but we’re out of time for today, Pam. Thank you so much for sharing those valuable insights. I hope the entrepreneurs listening to this podcast take away the wealth of insights you’ve provided. Thank you for being with us. That’s the end of our podcast for today. Please remember to visit CrowleyLawLLC.com for materials focused on helping innovators in life sciences and technology succeed and better understand their situations. If you enjoyed this podcast, please like it, subscribe, and share it. We promise to feature more contributors and innovators like Pam in the future. Thanks again, Pam.
Pam Cheng: Thank you, Phil.
Voice-Over: You’ve been tuning into the From Lab to Patient, Garage to Market podcast with your host, Phil Crowley. You can find this show on all major platforms, including YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and on our website, CrowleyLawLLC.com. If you found this information helpful, please subscribe, like, leave a positive review, and share with others.
