We Need to Reimagine AI-Powered Jobs — Takeda Chief Data and Technology Officer

(US & Canada) Gabriele Ricci, Chief Data and Technology Officer at Takeda, speaks with Tracy Ring, CDO, and Global Generative AI Lead for Life Sciences at Accenture, in a video interview about Takeda’s corporate philosophy, how digital and data are embedded in every role at the company, investing in talent with a focus on AI and GenAI trainings, building innovation centers and global transformation programs for businesses, the importance of responsible AI, and how to achieve that.

Takeda is a patient-focused and R&D-driven global biopharmaceutical company committed to bringing better health and a brighter future. Shedding light on Takeda’s corporate philosophy, Ricci states that it is the value framework that guides the company’s decisions and actions. The first consideration is doing right by patients, followed by reinforcing trust within served communities, and then organizational reputation and developing sustainable business.

As a 243-year-old company, these factors have played the critical role of a compass and have become extremely relevant in the present digital era, says Ricci. He adds that the “why” behind digital transformation lies in the company’s dedication to innovation and its responsibility towards those who rely on its therapies.

According to Ricci, harnessing data and digital not only accelerates the pace of scientific discovery but also revolutionizes solution delivery. In the increasingly volatile global landscape, cybersecurity risks and supply chain risks create constant disruptions.

The aging care system continues to face mounting pressure due to aging populations and increasing pricing pressure, says Ricci. Referring to statistics from the World Economic Forum, he shares the prediction that people aged 65 or older are expected to double over the next three decades, reaching 1.6 billion in 2050.

Moreover, in the next five years, nearly 200 medicines across the industry will lose patents, which would be $140 billion in total revenue. On top of that, the siloed regulations will impact the healthcare industry.

With rapid digital evolution in healthcare, the company must innovate faster to thrive while keeping up with tech and industry changes to create greater resiliency. Ricci affirms that digital is the key, and Takeda is instilling digital in every business aspect, from operation to value delivery.

The long-term strategy, he says, is to continue the investment in digital to expedite innovation and bring medicines faster to patients. Therefore, Takeda is holistically involving digital to prepare a future-ready workforce and create a sustainable business.

When asked how digital and data are present in every role at Takeda, Ricci says it boils down to the culture. Takeda ensures that all employees are together in this journey and that the transformation is relevant to them.

Further, Ricci considers all of them as digital stewards who enable the next phase of business growth. He states that it is a cultural shift, and to innovate, it is a must to embrace change, take calculated risks, challenge the status quo, push boundaries, and be a leader.

Next, to inculcate digital and data, it is critical to create a broad mindset, such as reimagining job roles powered by AI and digital, says Ricci. Stressing digital dexterity, he notes that it is the most critical workforce skill that must be built.

For the company, more than leveraging tools, it is about learning how to use the tool and adopting a mindset that embraces change, continuous learning, innovation, and curiosity. Ricci mentions creating newly designed spaces where collaborative experiences take precedence over traditional meetings, and the first lab has opened in Tokyo. In addition to the labs, Takeda has launched a digital academy for colleagues to promote continuous learning and role-based curriculum to employees.

The company also provides guidance on the responsible and ethical use of AI, says Ricci. Lastly, he comments on caring leadership by supporting each other, creating safe spaces, and exploring new ways of doing things through digital.

Speaking of preparing the team with new AI skills and GenAI, Ricci maintains that the company will be dramatically different in five years. Therefore, it is focused on investing in talent and building its digital muscles.

Delving deeper, Ricci mentions that Takeda has launched the workforce of the future to build in-house capability and reduce reliance on external vendors. He confirms building a workforce that would be at the center of its mission to become the world's most trusted digital biopharmaceutical company.

Furthermore, Takeda has also created innovation capability centers, which are the digital factories of the company, with a center in Bratislava, Mexico City, Bengaluru, and two more to come.

Also, he mentions launching a global program to create transformational capabilities for businesses to scale across enterprises. One of the programs is “GenAI for All,” which includes the launch of Takeda.ai, which would be a one-stop shop for everyday AI for data scientists and other employees of the company.

Highlighting the importance of responsible AI, Ricci says that AI is manifesting itself in obvious and sometimes not-so-obvious ways and is critical to be used responsibly. For the pharmaceutical industry, it refers to the development, training, and deployment of reliable, ethical, and transparent AI systems.

To achieve trustworthy AI, companies like Takeda must focus primarily on transparency, clear explanations of decision-making processes, and ensuring users understand regulations and how the technology works.

The second aspect is accountability; then it is about building design solutions that are reliable in unexpected situations, says Ricci. Apart from those, organizations must prioritize the protection of patient data in compliance with privacy regulations.

The most important one, according to Ricci, is fairness and bias mitigation, ensuring a fair and equitable outcome for all. To ensure the incorporation of these principles, Takeda has introduced the role of Digital Trust Officer.

Emphasizing the most inspiring aspect of Takeda’s digital transformation, Ricci discusses the creation of a seismic cultural shift. He is especially proud of the value creation program and said that the future pipeline of Takeda would be both scientific and digital.

In conclusion, Ricci says that he can feel the incredible energy around data, digital, and technological transformation to enable the next phase of business growth. Takeda has the business strategy for a digital world, he says.

CDO Magazine appreciates Gabriele Ricci for sharing his insights with our global community.