HEALTHCARE + FERRARI

Healthcare is another category being disrupted incredibly quickly -with the convergence of adjacent sectors, shifts in power and expectation -all fuelled by technology. I’ve probably done more work in healthcare than any sector in recent years, from Apotex in Canada to Almirall in Spain, and many others. Chronic disease is soaring, whilst aging puts new pressures on budgets, there is a shift to payment by outcomes, and demand for more personalised treatments.

It’s easy to get excited by the proliferation of digital platforms, from Apple to Epocrates, Mango and Scanadu, the future is about more than apps. Organova leads the world in the 3D printing of human organs, whilst Second Sight has found a way to give vision to the blind. Cleveland Clinic is an icon of patient-centric care, whilst recently launched Smile+ wellbeing stores include doctors, dentists and more. Not all solutions are sophisticated. Look at the recent Cannes Health Grand Prix winner, where a charity created the lucky “Iron Fish” for rural Vietnamese to throw into their cooking pots, a simple cure for iron deficiency.

Roche is a great example of big pharma’s attempts to “change the game”. The Swiss giant’s first disruptive move was to acquire biotech firms Genentech, which specialises in personalised therapies, and Japan’s Chugai. Most recently Roche invested in 23andme, the DNA profiling business that will read your body’s future for $99, and Patientslikeme, the social network where patients share experiences with others like them. With the big data to focus on truly personal and predictive wellbeing, and the specialist products to respond, Roche is ready to engage the intelligent patient who is now in control.