Game Changer Profile

Kim Smyth, Technology Innovation Director at AstraZeneca Read insights

Kim Smyth works for AstraZeneca, a global biopharmaceutical company, where she leads a Silicon-Valley-based Technology Innovation Lab. Kim’s team explores emerging trends, scouts new companies, and delivers innovative proof-of-concepts for stakeholders within AstraZeneca’s science and business units. 

Kim has more than twenty years of broad cross-industry experience in consulting and operational roles, focused on how to help large companies take advantage of new technology to improve top and bottom lines. She joined AstraZeneca in Australia in 2010, where she led strategy, digital innovation and patient program functions. She moved to Silicon Valley in the office of the CTO to help accelerate technology innovation across the full company life cycle from discovery through clinical trials and commercialization.

While Kim can’t yet speak in detail about the exciting new partnerships and initiatives her new team is spearheading, she says that the pace of technology change – driven by advances in computing, machine intelligence, data analytics, and connected devices – is creating many opportunities for life sciences companies and the healthcare delivery system. 

Smyth tells BPI:

• “I'm very excited about the potential to marry digital tools and approaches to support our therapies. I have seen a lot of great progress, especially in chronic disease, where behavioral aspects such as adhering to lifestyle, diet, and exercise changes are key..."
• “We have a broad mandate, looking for innovation that optimizes current processes, or re-imagines our industry. Because we’re looking to the future, we emphasize value potential vs immediate ROI. We follow our Company Values: putting patients first, following the science, and doing the right thing. If we get those things right, the business case and competitiveness will follow.”