Keira Driansky—named Ipsen’s North America President in May 2024—is not intimidated by a challenge. In fact, she is motivated by the opportunities they present. Former microbiologist, turned deal maker, turned Commercial executive, Keira thrives at inflection points.

Under Keira’s leadership, Ipsen is ready to take on the future. She re-aligned the organization, implemented four clear priorities and ensured teammates were in the right places to succeed. The team, adopting an ALL IN mentality, continues to bring innovative medicines to patients who are waiting. We just brought a new rare disease medication to the market as well as a first for pancreatic cancer (in a decade), while seeing growth across the portfolio.

A notable characteristic is Keira’s ability to synthesize information. It may be because of her educational training: a degree in applied mathematics and biochemistry research at Yale, breast cancer epidemiology research at the University of Oxford as a Marshall Scholar, a MPhil in Bioscience Enterprise from the University of Cambridge or her MBA from Harvard Business School. It may also be because of her ability to juggle life as a busy mom of three.

This capacity to synthesize—and help her teams apply real-life inferences—is what sets her apart as a leader and decision maker in the industry. She knew when to expand the U.S. field team, when to shift awareness strategies and when and how to set relevant metrics for the business.

Keira is also a noted advocate in the industry who champions the next generation of STEM professionals. Inside and outside the office, this includes volunteering at school, mentoring both women and men in science and advancing business acumen through engagements with our early leader program at Ipsen.

Keira would be the first to tell you that change—at this team’s pace— cannot be achieved alone. For this reason, she doesn’t think of organizations in a linear functional fashion. She advocates for a mosaic of strengths, fostering innovative solutions by engaging cross-functional thought partnership. And, we are starting to see this creativity, confidence in decision-making and team development take hold at all levels.

Throughout her bench to Board career journey, though, one principle stands above all others; Keira believes strongly in the power of science to change peoples’ lives.

Prior to joining Ipsen, Keira spent 13 years at AstraZeneca leading teams across the United States, Europe and global functions – including as Country President for Belgium and Luxembourg. As Country President she oversaw 14 launches across various therapeutic areas, making AZ the fastest growing pharma company in Belgium. Prior to that role, she was the VP, Global Commercial Head for Tagrisso (a medication used to treat non-small-cell lung carcinomas) in more than 90 countries. She also spent more than five years in AZ’s U.S. Oncology business leading multiple sales and marketing teams through six launches.

Keira also currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Association of Marshall Scholars, the Beauvoir School and Life Science Cares Boston Board of Advisors.