David Rowley

aged 52, Chief Executive, OPEN Health

David has spent his entire career in healthcare marketing and communications, dividing roles evenly between global pharmaceutical companies (GD Searle, Wyeth laboratories and Sandoz) and communications agencies serving the healthcare sector.

While David's specific expertise lies in strategic brand planning, communication strategy and international brand development, it is his entrepreneurial flair that has defined the last 15 years of his career.

In 1995, having left Sandoz pharma as Cardiovascular Business Unit Director, David set up The Pharmaceutical Brand Consultancy - a boutique practice specialising in pan EU brand planning. Six years later, the practice had grown to a significant size and was acquired by the fledgling Huntsworth Group. Over the following eight years as CEO of Huntsworth Health, David led the growth of the healthcare practice to a size of approximately 500 staff, $100M revenue, and 16 offices around the world.

In 2010, David left Huntsworth to pursue his ambitions of starting a new practice. In January 2011, David joined forces with Chime to create OPEN Health, the first channel and discipline neutral communications business in the healthcare space. As CEO, David has led the successful start up of the company, which through both acquisition and organic growth, has grown to a team of over 190 people in its first three years.