Publicis Health - Woman of the Year - Healthcare

Company: Publicis Health, New York, NY
Company Description: At Publicis Health, we are united around one purpose: to create a world where people are equipped and motivated to take control of their health. We believe healthcare marketing is healthcare, fostering healthy conversations, healthy behaviors, and healthy people. Employing more than 3,000 professionals, Publicis Health has 40 offices across 11 brands. Visit www.publicishealth.com to learn more.
Nomination Category: Individual Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Woman of the Year - Healthcare

Nomination Title: Alexandra von Plato

Born into an immigrant family in Philadelphia, Alexandra von Plato recognized early in her career how healthcare communications could be delivered through storytelling. After becoming Chief Creative Officer of Philadelphia’s largest healthcare agency, she found her true calling: using the power of storytelling to equip and motivate people to take control of their health.

Today as CEO of Publicis Health, Alex leads a team of more than 3,000 healthcare marketing professionals in 40 offices and 11 brands across the globe—working with eight of the ten largest global pharma companies and emerging biotechs, while overseeing over $3B in annual media investment in 2020. As a testament to her vision, Publicis Health has achieved wonders in the face of adversity, posting double-digit growth.

Alex believes that work can be a place of healing and empowers clients, staff, patients and healthcare providers to take control of their well-being. She holds board positions at the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America and Barnes Foundation, and partners with Skin Cancer Foundation, National Alliance on Mental Illness, and Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She is also a vocal champion of destigmatizing mental illness. For her, mental health is deeply personal as Alex’s beloved sister died by suicide.

As Publicis Health’s first female CEO, Alex elevated Publicis Health in the global marketplace through a number of strategic initiatives:

Launched Innovative Health Data Platform: Recognizing the importance of data in healthcare, Alex launched the industry’s leading data & analytics community, ARIS. In a HIPAA-compliant manner, ARIS unites healthcare data with consumer marketing data to help brands gain a deeper understanding of patients, delivering personalized engagements and better health outcomes.

Drove Significant Growth: Alex led Publicis Health through several growth years, including double-digit growth in 2020, a time when health was thrust into the spotlight, by expanding the client base beyond pharmaceuticals into retail health, health systems, biotechs and clinical trials.

Built Platform to Combat Healthcare Inequity: Alex built “The Health Visibility Project,” a multicultural health engagement solution that designs communications solutions for historically underserved populations. Since launch, the Health Visibility Project is:
-Partnering with America’s largest pharmacy to help underserved populations get the medication they need
-Working with one of the world’s largest drug developers to fuel clinical trial recruitment, engagement and completion among underserved people
-Helping the world’s largest retailer address healthcare deserts and increase flu and COVID-19 vaccinations

Prioritized Mental Health Initiatives: Alex implemented an array of mental health & wellness initiatives including: an increased wellness stipend, a flexible vacation policy, and training hosted in partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). In April 2021, Alex’s advocacy was recognized when NAMI Chicago honored Publicis Health as an Outstanding Workplace Leader in Mental Health.

In healthcare communications, it’s rare for a leader to rise to the role of Chief Executive Officer coming from the creative ranks. Alex von Plato has proven herself to be that rare hybrid healthcare communications leader who has successfully integrated an award-winning creative career with great business acumen. The double-digit revenue growth at Publicis Health over the past year is just one example of how Alex’s vision and leadership continues to shepherd the organization to success through tumultuous times.

As a creative problem-solver, Alex is frequently the first to conceive of innovative solutions—and often the last to take credit. She was one of the first creative executives to realize and leverage the groundbreaking opportunities of digital in support of healthcare clients and remains at the forefront shaping the role of media and new technologies in healthcare communications.

While Alex has eschewed the spotlight, she has fostered a work environment that allows others to shine, especially women and other historically marginalized people, including LGBTQ, people of color, and those with diverse educational and career backgrounds. Throughout her career, Alex has championed diversity, equity and inclusion, establishing an organizational culture of meritocracy that recognizes and celebrates differences.

At a time when mental health and well-being has become top-of-mind at many organizations, Alex is a longtime proponent of destigmatizing mental illness. She is a leader who understands the critical importance of allowing people to bring their whole selves to work—especially the parts that aren’t always visible to the naked eye.

Please watch this short video featuring several of Alex's colleagues and direct reports from across Publicis Health: https://vimeo.com/579979034/b20a58c92b