Xiaodong Zhang
Director of Search & Evaluation, Oncology and Hematology Novartis
Xiaodong Zhang, PhD, is part of Business Development Search & Evaluation for Oncology & Haematology at Novartis, where she identifies and evaluates external innovation and partnering opportunities aligned to portfolio strategy. Prior to this role, Xiaodong was Senior Director and Global Disease Strategy Lead for MDS/AML at Novartis, and earlier held strategy and operations roles across oncology commercial and portfolio teams. She began her career as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, advising leading healthcare organizations, and holds a PhD from Harvard University.
Seminars
Wednesday 9th September 2026
Pharma Icebreaker Tables: Accelerating Connections
8:30 am
- The pharma icebreaker tables running in each track create introductions between biotech and pharma
- Two weeks out from the conference, pharma will review attending biotech and biotech will review attending pharma, with both making selection to meet with companies they haven’t scheduled meetings with yet through the One-to-One Partnering Portal
- With these selections, we will build a schedule of company rotations through each pharma’s table
- Join three tables, led by three pharma, for 30 minutes each. Mixed groups rather than 1-2-1s, hear how your peers pitch themselves whilst also getting facetime with pharma yourself, first thing on day one
Wednesday 9th September 2026
Pharma Icebreaker Panel Discussion
7:45 am
- Understanding what it takes for pharma to invest. What are the current budgetary considerations within pharma?
- How is pharma assessing novel technologies, and where do they place within portfolios?
- What feels differentiated in a crowded space? From pharma’s perspective, what will make something best-in-class?
