Deciphex commercial marketing director wins main award at inaugural Women in Pharma Awards

Deciphex marketing director Katie Higgins has won the overall leader award at the inaugural Women in Pharma Awards 2025, a prestigious event that recognises the exceptional achievements and contributions of women in the pharmaceutical industry.

The awards ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Santry, in Dublin, was hosted by Fiona Buckley, with 200 industry professionals attending to celebrate excellence across the pharmaceutical sector. A total of 55 entries from 25 companies competed for 18 trophies across various categories in the first year of this new awards programme.

The judging panel’s citation described Higgins as a visionary leader whose impact at Deciphex has been transformative. “Through her strategic insight, collaborative approach, and commitment to innovation, she has played a pivotal role in scaling the company’s growth and global reach,” the judges noted. “She leads with clarity, purpose and a strong sense of values, making her a standout role model for the next generation of leaders in pharma and life sciences.”

Higgins said she was proud to win the award, “but even more proud of what I – and the marketing team – at Deciphex have achieved together”. Deciphex, which announced a €31 million funding round in January 2025, is building a global network of AI-empowered pathologists, ensuring accessible and innovative pathology services that improve patient outcomes. There were also awards for Deciphex executives Ciara Mullin and Catherine Hampson.

The science of skincare: How Calecim Professional is redefining skin rejuvenation

New gender pay gap reporting rules expand to more Irish businesses in 2025

Raise a glass to Dad and give the gift of experience this Father’s Day

The Women in Pharma Awards highlight the importance of diversity, equality and inclusion within the sector. Judging coordinator Aoife Callan said the high-quality entries reflected the recognition and celebration of women professionals in the pharmaceutical sector.

“The judges looked for women who have demonstrated leadership, innovation and excellence in their roles, breaking down barriers and paving the way for future opportunities,” she explained. “The awards ceremony provides a unique opportunity for attendees to network with industry leaders and top talent, fostering connections and collaborations within the pharmaceutical community.”

Elizabeth Hunt, senior marketing manager/external communications at awards gold sponsor Cencora Pharmalex commented: “We are proud to support the Women in Pharma Awards in Ireland, an important initiative that celebrates the exceptional contributions, leadership and achievements of women across the pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors.

“These awards highlight individuals whose dedication, expertise and passion continue to shape the future of healthcare. Supporting this event reflects our commitment to recognising excellence and inspiring the next generation of leaders.”

Among the award winners, Miriam O’Sullivan, executive director and plant manager at Amgen Ireland, said: “I think it’s important at the current time to have recognition and acknowledgment of how hard we work in the industry.”

Her colleague Jill Christian, Amgen Ireland supply chain director, described her award as “a major recognition for the company and for me”. Nicola Magill, process development director at Amgen Ireland, noted that the company has supported her career throughout her long tenure in the firm and described the award as recognition for everyone’s hard work.

Gary Mc Grath, insourcing and recruitment manager at gold sponsor SGS Pharma, said that the awards celebrate the leaders shaping the future of science. “With over 25 years of delivering trusted solutions to pharma and biopharma, SGS knows quality leadership is about purpose, not just process. The awards reflect our commitment to a diverse, inclusive and equality-driven culture,” he stated.

Caitríona Duggan, Amgen Ireland’s country manager since 2018, was presented with the legacy award. The award citation noted that Duggan has driven significant organisational growth, fostered a high-performance culture, and played a key role in national pricing negotiations.

“With a strong background in market access and marketing,” the citation read, “she has launched numerous brands across diverse therapeutic areas. Her commitment to innovation, collaboration, and patient access continues to shape the pharmaceutical landscape in Ireland and inspire the next generation of leaders.”

Duggan commented: “There is much external policy, regulatory and legal change in our sector at the moment. Good leadership is very important to ensure that we keep ahead.”

Winners of the Women in Pharma Awards 2025

Alison Muir, general manager at Roche Products Ltd, one of the finalists, highlighted Roche’s commitment to creating a healthier future and inclusive workplace, expressing honour at being shortlisted in the DEI strategy category.

Award winner Caroline Kelly, chief executive at Pharma Integrity, said her award provides “public recognition of all of the hard work in what we deliver to our clients”. Jacqueline Hora, Cognizant digital and data analytics consultant, praised the initiative to recognise women’s achievements in pharma as a great idea.

Kevin O’Driscoll, director partnership programmes at awards organiser Business River, commented: “Events like this are made possible through the support of sponsors. We are thankful to our 2025 sponsors and professional partners, which include Cognizant, Kuehne+Nagel, Cencora Pharmalex, and SGS Pharma. I also want to recognise our supporters, Making Shift Happen, Cronin Group and Amárach Research. Their investment in the awards underlines their commitment and support of this key business area.”

Awards judges

Aoife Callan (judging coordinator) – head of access & external affairs, Takeda Products Ireland Ltd
Dr Harriet Bennett-Lenane – lecturer in clinical pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, University College Cork
Rachel Carmichael – executive director, NSF
Dr Jane English – senior lecturer and principal investigator, Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, Infant Research Centre, UCC
Miriam O’Donoghue – head of strategic relationships development, TU Dublin
Purbasa Patnaik – associate director, Exelixis
Sweta Rani – lecturer, South East Technological University
Dr Ranjita Shegokar – chief pharma innovation officer, DiHeSys Digital Health System GmbH
Dr Bernadette Whelan – lecturer in pharmaceutical science, South East Technological University