The healthcare advertising industry’s next generation of leaders, guided by those who have already made it to the top, gathered on Sept. 28th at Convene in downtown Manhattan at the Medical Advertising Hall of Fame’s (MAHF) 2017 View From The Top event.

Bob Palmer, chief innovation officer of HCB, started the event by addressing the crowd.

The evening’s festivities kicked off with a panel discussion moderated by Jennifer Matthews, president and managing partner, The Bloc. The three panelists were Robin Shapiro, global president, TBWA\WorldHealth; Jennie Fischette, president, DDB Health; and Jay Carter, senior VP, director of business development, Abelson Taylor.

From left to right: Jennifer Matthews, Jay Carter, Robin Shapiro, and Jennie Fischette.

“Thanks to MAHF, we are stepping up together to educate our future leaders,” Shapiro noted. “I have deep respect for my co-panelists. I was truly inspired by their openness and candor. The questions posed by our audience demonstrate huge enthusiasm, passion and deep care for our industry.”

After the hour-long panel session concluded, everyone gathered for appetizers and beverages. Following that, roundtable discussions were held as the younger agency personnel had the opportunity to sit with and discuss various topics of their choosing with some of the industry’s leading executives.

“Whenever I do events like this I feel like I get as much out of the event as the attendees are set up to do,” Fischette stated. “It’s inspiring to see their hunger and passion for the business. We are lucky to have leaders like this in our midst. They realize that learning is a journey and that discovery is the key to improvement.”

A cocktail reception and networking opportunities followed the roundtable discussions.

“It’s very exciting to me to tangibly feel the hunger of the audience for information on how our industry will change and what they can do to impact change,” Carter said. “In our small-group roundtable discussion after the panel, the questions weren’t about how to grow their careers, but how the industry will change to meet the needs of future patients. Early in my career, I had a very real sense of personal ambition … and it felt to me like this group is much more focused upon an ambition for the collective good. It gives me great hope for the future of medical communications.”

“We are fortunate to have events like MAHF that make us remember why we choose this as our career and push us to question how we can do better,” according to Fischette.

“Our future is in good hands,” Shapiro added.

Photos courtesy of Daniel Kokoszka of JUICE Pharma Worldwide.

 

About the Medical Advertising Hall of Fame (MAHF)

The MAHF was founded in 1996 to:

• Document the history of the industry.

• Honor the retired men and women who have made significant contributions to the medical advertising profession – MAHF Inductees.

• Attract and honor next-generation talent to the medical advertising profession – Future Famers.

• Honor industry creatives by recognizing great, retired campaigns – Heritage Awards.

 

Membership is open to healthcare advertising agencies and publications, and currently consists of the leaders of nearly 40 agencies and publishing companies.

For more information, please visit www.mahf.com