W. Clint Burrus
President Market Access
Ashfield Engage
Expanding Market Access Engagement
William “Clint” Burrus has a simple credo to effect change. First, you assess current services to identify strengths and what is needed to create better engagement with clients and their customers. Second, you hire exceptional people who can lead and deliver on those services as a team.
Clint has done just that since he joined Ashfield Engage, part of UDG Healthcare, as President of its Market Access business in 2015. He inherited a very successful account management business model featuring syndicated payer Account Directors. Although these Account Directors have worked in the market access field for 25+ years, Clint saw room to forge even better partnerships and engagement within the industry.
Under Clint’s leadership, Ashfield Engage’s Market Access business has progressed from its core business of partnering with startups to serving a variety of small, mid-size, and large pharmaceutical companies. Ashfield Engage Market Access expanded their services to assist clients with sourcing talent for key positions in market access, augmenting clients’ existing account teams, and leveraging partnerships to assist in trade distribution (sourcing the right third-party logistics companies for their needs, negotiating Distribution Service Agreements) and obtaining state licensing. Further, they strengthened their work in market research and payer strategy.
To accomplish his objectives, Clint made three key additions: Tina Cullen, CPA, Chris Carney, and Diane Giaquinta, PharmD. These individuals, along with existing team executives (Steve Stefano and Bill Leonard) laid the foundation for significant expansion of the business. Overall, Clint built a team with vast experience that understands key tradeoffs that impact access, specifically the nuances of what payers are doing beyond what financial models might dictate as best practices.
With an emphasis on engagement, Clint has inspired the team to strive to do all that is possible to help client businesses succeed within the ever-changing payer environment through achieving formulary access to best serve patients. As a result, Clint has maintained the core Market Access business for Ashfield Engage, while significantly expanding the other key areas to double and transform the business.
