Syneos Health has named healthcare PR vet Batisha Anson to the newly created role of global head of patient diversity and health equity, the firm said Thursday.
Anson, who brings more than 20 years of health communications expertise to the position, will work to improve diversity in clinical trials and commercialization across the organization, Syneos said. Her remit also involves helping inform diversity, equity and inclusion strategies for investigator sites, patient experience, access and launch.
Most recently, Anson served as EVP at Syneos Health’s Biosector 2 boutique healthcare shop where, over the course of the last two decades, she led multiple DEI initiatives. Those included DEI strategic frameworks, leadership communications and employee engagement plans for several of the agency’s top biopharma customers.
Prior to joining Biosector 2, Anson worked at Syneos sister PR firm Chandler Chicco Agency following a stint at MSL. She has supported multiple DEI programs at Syneos Health, including its internal council and patient voice consortium, which works to co-create clinical trial designs, access initiatives and commercialization and launch strategies.
“Syneos Health is fully invested in supporting DEI through an inclusive culture and community actions,” stated Anson. “I’m excited and honored to take on this new role and continue to work alongside talented and committed individuals to advance diverse representation, access and equitable treatment for all people.”
This month, Syneos Health said it had agreed to be bought by a consortium of private equity firms for $7.1 billion. The group set to take Syneos from a public to a private company consists of Elliott Investment Management, Patient Square Capital and Veritas Capital.
The blockbuster PE deal is expected to be completed later this year, subject to approval of Syneos shareholders as well as other customary closing conditions and regulatory greenlights. The pending deal was the latest healthcare play by Elliott Investment and Veritas Capital, who had jointly acquired health software-as-service company Athenahealth in 2018 for $5.7 billion before flipping it for $17 billion in 2022.
Also this month, Syneos PR firm Chandler Chicco Agency promoted Andrea Dagger to head of strategy for the U.S., a newly created role, and Syneos Health in April named Shauna Keough to president of U.S. PR, taking over for Jeanine O'Kane, who was named president of Syneos Health Communications the month before.
Syneos Health PR posted revenue growth of 11% globally last year to $116.6 million, including 11% growth to $88.8 million in the U.S., according to PRWeek's Agency Business Report 2022.