Originally published in Pharmaphorum, June 2026

Despite significant investments in digital transformation, many biopharma organizations struggle to achieve lasting adoption of new capabilities. Research conducted by The Stem, including interviews with Centre of Excellence leaders across leading pharmaceutical companies, suggests that the greatest barrier is not technology itself, but the human side of change. While automation and new tools can be implemented relatively quickly, influencing behaviors, mindsets, and ways of working remains far more difficult.

The article highlights a growing need for CoE leaders to develop skills such as strategic thinking, business acumen, storytelling, change management, and emotional intelligence. However, many organizations underinvest in these capabilities, leaving teams ill-equipped to drive adoption and demonstrate business impact.

To address this challenge, the authors advocate for agile learning approaches that embed skill development directly into daily work. By combining continuous learning, real-world application, coaching, and rapid feedback loops, organizations can strengthen change leadership capabilities and improve the likelihood that transformation initiatives deliver measurable results.

Read the full article.

Authors

Gregg Fisher, Managing Partner, The Stem – gfisher@thestem.com

Craig DeLarge is a Lead Digital Health Strategy Consultant with The Stem and a former Centre of Excellence (CoE) Leader