Boston, MA, USA
26th American Pharma and Biotech Project, Program and Portfolio Management Conference
International in-person conference filled with leading industry speakers.
What to expect
The Pharma PPM Event You Don’t Want to Miss. Are you facing challenges with resource constraints, complex portfolios, or AI adoption? This conference is your gateway to smarter decisions, optimized strategies, and measurable impact.
Conference format
Our 3-day conference is designed to help you in various key areas, such as resource constraints, managing complex portfolios, or confidently navigating AI adoption in PPM.
In addition to our trusted formats – Keynotes, Case Studies, and Panel Discussions – we are introducing new interactive sessions to deepen learning and real-world application:
TOOLKIT WORKSHOPS
Engage in real-time problem-solving and collaboration through hands-on experiences with peers and experts.
Think-Tank Discussions
Leave with actionable strategies, toolkits, and best practices.
Fireside Chats
Gain deep, focused insights into the challenges industry leaders face and how they overcome them. Learn from their strategies and approaches.
DAY 1
Strategic Alignment & Portfolio Impact
Focus: Building strong connections between corporate strategy and portfolio priorities.
Explore how to elevate PPM as a strategic partner that aligns scientific, commercial, and organizational goals to drive greater portfolio impact.
DAY 2
Cross-Functional Excellence & Execution
Focus: Achieving results through a balance of technology and human leadership. Learn best practices and tools for empowering cross-functional collaboration—where AI supports, not replaces, human judgment, leadership, and team dynamics.
DAY 3
Resource Mastery, Capabilities & Toolkits
Focus: Optimizing resources, building capabilities, and applying modern PPM methodologies. Discover how to create a resilient, scalable project culture through improved resource management, skill development, and next-generation tools.
Track 1
Medical Device Project & Portfolio Management
Unlock the pursuit of excellence in project management with insights from industry leaders. Learn about strategic planning, stakeholder relationships mastery, agile methodologies, and effective data management in the ever-evolving pharmaceutical landscape across all domains, including R&D, clinical development, manufacturing, quality assurance, supply chain, and business development.
VIEW KEY TOPICS
- Digital Transformation and Integration of AI
- Supply Chain Disruptions
- Accelerating Time-to-Market without Compromising Quality
- Innovating Under Pressure: Managing Risk and Speed in MedTech Projects
- Agile PPM for Medical Devices
- Optimizing Resource Allocation
- Talent Management and Development in Medical Device
- Navigating Global Regulatory Affairs
Track 2
Medical Device SAFETY & COMPLIANCE
World’s greatest minds in drug safety, pharmacovigilance, data analysis, reporting, government policy, and innovative technology united under the Why Summits will delve into cybersecurity, regulatory challenges, patient safety and human factors engineering. You can expect networking with like-minded professionals and learn the latest trends, challenges, and game-changing ideas.
VIEW KEY TOPICS
- Digital Transformation and Integration of AI
- Supply Chain Disruptions
- Accelerating Time-to-Market without Compromising Quality
- Innovating Under Pressure: Managing Risk and Speed in MedTech Projects
- Agile PPM for Medical Devices
- Optimizing Resource Allocation
- Talent Management and Development in Medical Device
- Navigating Global Regulatory Affairs
Event speakers
Ashoka Rajendra
CEO
Orchestra Bio
Marianne Svenningsen
Senior Consultant
Emendo Consulting Group
Jake Winkler
Associate Vice President
Emendo Consulting Group
Chris Warner
Associate Director of Commercial Operations Program Management
Gilead Sciences
Michael Cooperman
Global Head of Program Management
ZS Associates
Rishi Dixit
Vice President, Strategic Solutions
Atlas
Yashvika Khurana
Product and Solutions Lead
Atlas
Ghanshyam Ahuja
Group CEO, vSaaS Global & Managing Partner, Thinkuvate
vSaaS Global
Event HIGHLIGHTS
Keynotes & Case Studies
Roundtables
Workshops
Panel discussions
Networking
Post-conference networking
Key takeaways
Strategic Portfolio & Resource Management
Driving Value in Pharma PPM, Smarter Planning for Pharma PPM, Building Internal Capabilities
Data-Driven Decision Making & AI Integration
AI & Automation in Pharma PPM, AI & Advanced Analytics in PPM, Integrating Emerging Technologies in PPM
Risk & Governance in Pharma Projects
Preventing Costly Failures in Pharma Projects, Proactive Mitigation & Contingency Planning, Implementing Effective Governance Forums in Pharma
Leadership & Collaboration in PPM
Culture & Strategy, Cross-Functional Collaboration & Breaking Silos for Success, Leading High-Performing Teams
Project Management Methodologies & Best Practices
Waterfall, Agile & Hybrid Approaches, Lean & Six Sigma for Pharma Project Excellence, Managing Complexity
Everything you need to know about This event in one spot.
Check out our event overview and agenda and discover 26th American Pharma and Biotech Project, Program and Portfolio Management Conference
PAST AND PRESENT
Our valued partners
TESTIMONIALS
It was an honor and a privilege to speak at the Why Summits Conference. The entire event was informative and engaging; and executed in the utmost excellence.
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
Kelvin Roddy
Ph.D, MBA, R&D Director Program and Portfolio Management, Alexion Pharmaceuticals
Had a wonderful time at the Why Summits 23rd American Pharma & Biotech Project, Program, and Portfolio Conference in Boston last week. Engaging with fellow professionals in project/program/portfolio management within the biopharma/life sciences industry was truly insightful. Excited to have shared best practices and gained valuable insights!
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
Tonye Medley, PhD
PMP, Senior CMC Project Manager, Bristol Myers Squibb
I truly enjoyed being the moderator on the conference and was amazed by the quality of speakers and the insights that were shared.
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
Anita Burrell
Principal, Anita Burrell Consulting
My thanks to Why Summits for the invite to provide a Keynote Presentation and chair Day One of the conference. It was so much fun to interact with a knowledgeable audience and some truly insightful speakers.
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
Anita Burrell
Principal, Anita Burrell Consulting
Had a great time participating on a panel discussing "Mastering Governance and Risk in Pharma & Biotech" at the Why Summits 23rd American Pharma and Biotech Project, Program, and Portfolio Management Conference in Boston alongside Brandie Jonas, Kristen Bequeath, and Uma Staehler.
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
Stephen Smith
Senior Program Director, Oncology, Corcept Therapeutics
Had the opportunity to attend the Why Summits Pharma and Biotech Project, Program and Portfolio Management Conference in Boston. The keynote sessions and panels were incredibly informative. The event showcased numerous innovative technical products and tools that harness the power of AI, enhancing the efficiency of Project, Program, and Portfolio management.
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
Lavanya Ranganathan
Sr IT Program Manager, Bristol Myers Squibb
I just returned from a few days with fellow Portfolio and Project management colleagues in Biotech/ life sciences as part of the Why Summits PPM conference at Boston. From being a speaker, to a panelist across a few topics and engaging with such an experienced group of professionals was a great learning experience overall.
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
Anusha Sivaramakrishnan
Executive Director, Head - Enterprise Project Management and Governance, Arvinas
An outstanding few days of industry relevant PPM topics, from the energetic and thoughtful speakers and panels to networking new relationships to insights into where the industry is going with AI! Huge chops to Why Summits? for putting on an engaging and professional event!
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
Mike Fitzpatrick
Vice President of Business Development & Operations , Umoja Biopharma
Fascinating conference with seasoned and insightful industry leaders sharing perspectives into a wide range of topics across program and portfolio management. It was the perfect size – around 120 people – big enough to attract diverse and talented people, but small enough for everyone to engage in meaningful networking. We ended each day with roundtable discussions - small table discussions with the speakers and each other, which allowed us to both learn from each other and get to know our peers. Overall, a great experience and I look forward to returning.
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
Rebecca Rudicell, PhD.
Translational Program Management (Oncology), Takeda
It was a fantastic experience presenting at the Why Summits PPM conference in Boston. An excellent opportunity to connect with industry experts and exchange valuable insights on various aspects of Project and Portfolio Management in Healthcare R&D.
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
Mark Zhang
Senior Director, Head of Global Program Management Oncology, EMD Serono
This was my first time at the Why Summits, and it exceeded my expectations. We met many existing clients and had phenomenal interactions, appreciating the well-organized format that encouraged engagement. Key takeaways include the impressive quality of presenters, excellent networking opportunities with both new and existing clients, and valuable insights from a session on emotional intelligence by Kelvin Roddy, which highlighted the importance of connection and thoughtfulness in our engagements. I highly recommend this conference to colleagues as a well-structured event that fosters meaningful connections. We look forward to participating in more events like this in the future.
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
Rishi Dixit
Vice President, Strategic Solutions (Innovative Products and Partnerships), Atlas
It was an honor to speak at the 23rd American Pharma and Biotech Conference in Boston, sharing how Intelligencia AI is transforming decision-making in pharma and biotech with data-driven solutions. Thank you to everyone who joined and contributed to the engaging discussions. If you’d like to learn more about our approach, feel free to reach out!
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
Marianna Esposito
Director, Business Development, Scientific Liaison Director, Intelligencia AI
This conference was exceptional, featuring a diverse group of attendees, all of whom are experts in their fields. The event attracted a strong cross-section of the industry, encompassing both large and small companies. The networking opportunities were invaluable, allowing me to connect with a wide range of professionals and expand my network significantly. I wholeheartedly recommend this conference and plan to attend more events next year. It truly exceeded my expectations, with outstanding attendance and presentations throughout all three days. This conference has established itself as the premier event in the resource planning space, showcasing our commitment to excellence in the industry.
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
Phil Wolf
SVP, On Demand Products, PDWare
It seems like forever ago, yet it was only two weeks ago that I had the pleasure of presenting at Why Summits in Boston on the power of Planisware and our AI capabilities regarding risk management. The engagement was lively, and the content of the conference was spot on. Be on the lookout for other opportunities to join such events later this year and in 2025!
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
Aimee Rodrigues
Vice President- Life Sciences PPM Practices, Planisware
Wrapping up an extraordinary Day 3 at the 23rd American Pharma and Biotech PPM Conference! Our Founder and CEO, Sandeep Kumar, delivered an inspiring session on “Accelerating Time-to-Market in Pharma NPD: The Role of AI in Project Management.” His insights into leveraging AI for faster, more efficient pharma product development left the audience buzzing with excitement and possibilities! It’s been a phenomenal journey of learning, innovation, and connections. Here’s to continuing the momentum and driving change in the biotech and pharma industries!
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
Sandeep Kumar
Founder & CEO, Kytes
“Always Be curious”
Why is this event right for you?
If you’re facing resource constraints, complex portfolios, or navigating AI adoption in pharma and biotech project management, this conference is built for you.
Join top industry leaders to gain exclusive insights, master next-gen PPM strategies, and tackle real-world challenges through hands-on workshops. Whether you’re looking to optimize decision-making, expand your network, or future-proof your approach, this is your opportunity to drive smarter strategies and real impact.
Event partners
GOLD SPONSOR
Broadcom’s ValueOps, an end-to-end value stream management solution, drives digital transformation by enhancing visibility, alignment, and efficiency. Its platform, including Clarity, Rally, ConnectALL, & Insights, enables leaders to plan, fund, manage, track & optimize efforts, aligning strategy, investments, people, and work. Clarity, a premier Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) solution, unifies finance & operations with real-time visibility & consistent governance for all investment types.
PREMIUM GOLD SPONSOR
Planisware is a global provider of software solutions for project portfolio management. Planisware solutions are specifically designed to support product development, engineering and IT business processes. For more than 20 years, Planisware has been helping its customers to achieve strategic and innovative excellence, make valid business decisions and increase portfolio value.
PREMIUM GOLD SPONSOR
Atlas is a global, strategic consulting firm with over 25 years of experience supporting the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. We partner with clients to solve complex business challenges and deliver measurable outcomes across the life sciences ecosystem.
Our services span four key areas:
- Execution & Delivery Excellence – Driving portfolio, program, project, and product success.
- Transformation – Leading people, process, and technology change initiatives.
- Advanced Technologies & Analytics – Leveraging AI, machine learning, and data-driven insights.
- Managed Services – Providing scalable, efficient solutions tailored to client needs.
Through a combination of deep industry knowledge, innovative thinking, and operational rigor, Atlas helps clients accelerate progress and achieve lasting impact.
GOLD SPONSOR
Rego Consulting is one of the world’s leading Project Portfolio Management (PPM) and Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) consulting firms. With a 98% customer retention rate, we are focused on helping our clients reach their goals and partnering with them every step of the way. We also provide PPM solution, Clarity by Rego, designed to seamlessly help you manage all your projects.
GOLD SPONSOR
Planview has one mission: to build the future of connected work, from ideas to impact. Planview helps organizations accelerate the achievement of what matters most, supporting our customers from need to speed, from passion to progress, and from overhead to optimization. Our connected platform of solutions underpins the business and digital transformations of more than 4,500 customers globally, including 59 of the Fortune 100. Planview empowers enterprises to improve time-to-market and predictability, increase efficiency to unlock capacity, and ensure their most strategic initiatives deliver the desired business outcomes.
GOLD SPONSOR
OnePlan offers a strategic portfolio, financial and resource management solution that fits the needs of every PMO. Optimize your portfolio, financials and resources enterprise wide. Connect OnePlan with Microsoft Project, Office 365 Planner, Azure DevOps, Jira, and more for a complete view into all work across the enterprise.
GOLD SPONSOR
PDWare(tm) is a provider of dynamic resource and work planning solutions for strategy and portfolio execution. ResourceFirst, our flagship product, emphasizes prioritization, feasibility and execution as the pillars of successful project and program delivery. ResourceFirst™ is available for cloud and on-premise installations, providing first-line managers, executives, PMO and EPPMO functions the agility to meet fluctuating work priorities, schedules, demand and staff capacity.
Premium Silver Partner
vSCare, powered by vSaaS Global, is driving digital transformation in Healthcare and Pharma. Leveraging a next-generation no-code and AI-driven platform, vsCare helps organizations automate complex workflows, enhance operational efficiency, and strengthen patient safety. With solutions like Vitalerter, we enable real-time monitoring and proactive interventions to safeguard patient outcomes. Backed by vSaaS Global’s expertise in product development and digital integration, we deliver intelligent, compliant, and scalable Healthtech solutions that create measurable impact.
Premium Silver Partner
Blue Matter Consulting is a strategic consulting firm serving the life sciences industry. Its diverse client base includes more than 250 companies, ranging from start-ups to leading global biopharma companies. The firm helps clients develop strategy and maximize value at the product, portfolio, and organizational levels. To deliver strategic projects, the firm integrates expertise across critical industry functions (including Business Development, Market Access, Marketing and Sales, and Medical Affairs) with comprehensive capabilities in primary research and data analytics. The firm specializes in corporate and portfolio strategy, as well as commercial strategy for pre-launch and launch-stage therapies. However, it also assists clients with in-line (marketed) products. Blue Matter performs work in a range of therapeutic areas but offers in-depth expertise in complex markets such as oncology, CNS, and rare diseases. The firm works with the full range of product types, encompassing small molecules and large molecules, including cell and gene therapies.
SILVER SPONSOR
Turnberry delivers sustainable, expert business and IT solutions that empower clients to solve their most mission-critical problems for the long term. Our unique blend of senior thought leadership with capable junior talent, together with our unmatched commitment to people- and values-centered work, sets Turnberry apart on both local and global stages. With the capability depth and delivery expertise of a large firm, and the agility and precision of a boutique firm, we can meet clients wherever they are – and partner with them to craft custom solutions unique to their needs.
SILVER SPONSOR
Orchestra helps biotech organizations plan collaboratively and precisely across science, finance, and operations – then autonomously tracks progress against that plan. The platform moves beyond traditional PPM tools that only organize work; Orchestra automates the synthesis and analysis that currently consumes weeks of manual effort, including reading scientific reports to assess milestone progress, connecting to accounting systems to generate variance analysis, and building an institutional knowledge base to answer strategic questions instantly.
PANEL PARTNER
Sia is a next-generation, global management consulting group—born digital, augmented by data, enhanced by creativity, and driven by responsibility. They partner with clients to resolve challenges and capitalize on opportunities. They believe that in today’s world of change and disruption, optimism is a force multiplier.
PANEL PARTNER
ZS is a management consulting and technology firm that partners with companies to improve life and how we live it. We transform ideas into impact by bringing together data, science, technology and human ingenuity to deliver better outcomes for all. Founded in 1983, ZS has more than 13,000 employees in over 35 offices worldwide.
Workshop+ Sponsor
Emendo helps Pharma and Biotech companies refine, optimize, and improve processes, while coming alongside your team to help achieve your goals. Our fundamental goal remains unchanged: to support our clients in their journey of improvement. Our people are the true driving force behind our success as they all share a common thread: a genuine passion for their industry and an unwavering commitment to exceeding our clients’ expectations. It’s this collective energy and innovation that keeps us on top.
Event registration
CONFERENCE
2 DAY CONFERENCE
REGISTRATION
$
2099
-
Access to All Conference Sessions
-
Access to Post Conferences Networking
-
Conference Materials
-
Includes Coffee Breaks, Snacks and Refreshments, Seated Lunch
3 DAY CONFERENCE
REGISTRATION
$
2999
-
Access to All Conference Sessions
-
Access to Post Conferences Networking
-
Conference Materials
-
Includes Coffee Breaks, Snacks and Refreshments, Seated Lunch
Dr. Bayney Masterclass +
2 DAY CONFERENCE
REGISTRATION
$
3374
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Experience the Masterclass with renowned industry veteran Dr. Richard Bayney as well as any two of three days of the conference.
Dr. Bayney Masterclass +
3 DAY CONFERENCE
REGISTRATION
$
4049
-
The Full Package - experience the masterclass with Richard Bayney as well as all three days of the conference.
MASTERCLASSES
Dr. Bayney
Masterclass
REGISTRATION
$
2399
-
Access to Decision Analysis & Portfolio Management Masterclass with Dr. Richard Bayney
-
Includes Coffee Breaks, Snacks and Refreshments, Seated Lunch.
AI Powered PPM Masterclass
REGISTRATION
$
800
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Access to AI-Powered PPM Masterclass with Chris Knight and Jenn Kang!
-
Includes Coffee Breaks, Snacks and Refreshments, Seated Lunch.
Position Your Brand Where Projects & Portfolios Take Shape.
Get in front of the teams that manage pharma’s biggest programs. Explore sponsorship and exhibition opportunities at 26th American Pharma and Biotech Project, Program and Portfolio Management Conference.
Attendees from these companies regularly attend our events
