Martin McLaughlin’s Four-Pillar Playbook to Launching Better, Faster, and Smarter

In this episode of Pharma Sessions, host Jonathan Kaskey is joined by Martin McLaughlin, former Head of Launch and Business Excellence at Takeda, to share the frameworks and lessons that help pharma organizations align people, processes, performance, and technology for success.

What You’ll Learn:

How to break down the launch silo mentality plaguing 77% of pharma organizations
Martin’s four-pillar launch playbook
Why Launch Performance Indicators (LPIs) matter more than traditional KPIs
How to operationalize scenario planning and pivot without losing momentum
Where the real pharma AI wins actually happen

Martin McLaughlin is the former Head of Launch and Business Excellence at Takeda, bringing 25 years of industry experience spanning clinical development, sales, marketing, and launch strategy. With a background in science and industrial microbiology, he has built and led high-performing cross-functional teams through complex product launches across multiple therapeutic areas, including rare disease and competitive markets. Currently, Martin is Chief of Staff and Head of Commercial Excellence at Teva Pharmaceuticals.

Episode Highlights

[00:00] Introduction
[01:30] The Journey to Launch Excellence
[04:02] The Four-Pillar Playbook
[06:03] Building True Cross-Functional Teams
[07:22] Launch Performance Indicators (LPIs)
[08:46] The Six-Month Window That Defines Success
[10:17] When the Market Fights Back
[12:38] Institutional Memory for Global Teams
[16:37] Where Tech Fits in Pharma Launches
[20:02] Change Management and Building Capacity
[25:00] Leading with Trust and EQ
[26:06] Final Advice for Pharma Leaders

Episode Resources:

Martin McLaughlin on LinkedIn
Teva Pharmaceuticals Website
Takeda Website
Jonathan Kaskey on LinkedIn
XSUNT Corporation Website

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