{"id":841984,"date":"2025-04-19T04:12:18","date_gmt":"2025-04-19T09:12:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/19\/interview-markus-schummelfeder-cio-boehringer-ingelheim\/"},"modified":"2025-04-19T04:12:18","modified_gmt":"2025-04-19T09:12:18","slug":"interview-markus-schummelfeder-cio-boehringer-ingelheim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/19\/interview-markus-schummelfeder-cio-boehringer-ingelheim\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview: Markus Sch\u00fcmmelfeder, CIO, Boehringer Ingelheim"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Markus Sch\u00fcmmelfeder has spent more than a decade looking for ways to help biopharmaceutical giant Boehringer Ingelheim exploit digital and data<\/a>. He joined the company in February 2014 as corporate vice-president in IT and became CIO in April 2018.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a natural evolution,\u201d he says. \u201cOver time, you see what can be done as a CIO and have an ambition to make things happen. This job opportunity came around and it was when digitisation began. I saw many possibilities arising that were not there before.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sch\u00fcmmelfeder says the opportunity to become CIO was terrific timing: \u201cIt was a chance to bring technology into the company, to make more use of data, and evolve the IT organisation from being a service deliverer into a real enabler. My aim for all the years I\u2019ve been with Boehringer is to integrate IT into the business community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, as the company\u2019s 54,000 employees use more data than ever before across the value chain, including research, manufacturing, marketing and sales, Schuemmelfeder\u2019s aim is being realised. He says professionals across the business understand technology is crucial to effective operational processes: \u201cIt\u2019s about bringing us close together to make magic happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

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<\/i>Establishing the vision<\/h2>\n

Sch\u00fcmmelfeder says one of his key achievements since becoming CIO is leading the company on a data journey. His vision supported the company\u2019s progress along this pathway.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went to the board and said, \u2018This is what we should do, what we want to do, what makes sense, and what we perceive will be necessary for the future\u2019,\u201d he says. \u201cWe started that process roughly five years ago and everyone knows how important data is today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Making the transition to a data-enabled organisation is far from straightforward. Rather than being focused on creating reports, Sch\u00fcmmelfeder says his vision aimed to show people across the organisation how they could exploit information assets effectively. One of the key tenets for success has been standardisation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a fundamental force, and the team has done good work here,\u201d he says. \u201c10 years ago, we had between 4,500 and 5,000 systems across the organisation. Today, we have below 1,000. So, we reduced our footprint by 80%, which is a great accomplishment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standardisation has allowed the IT team to deliver another part of Sch\u00fcmmelfeder\u2019s vision \u2013 a platform-based approach to digitisation. Rather than investing in point solutions to solve specific business challenges, the platform approach uses cloud-based services to help people \u201cjump start topics\u201d as the business need arises.<\/p>\n

The crucial technological foundation for this shift to standardisation has been the cloud, particularly Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and a range of consolidated enterprise services, such as Red Hat OpenShift, Kubernetes, Atlassian Jira and Confluence, Databricks, and Snowflake. Sch\u00fcmmelfeder says the result is a flexible, scalable IT resource across all business activities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can create a cloud environment in minutes,\u201d he says. \u201cYou can have an automated test environment that is directly attached and ready to use. You can create APIs immediately on the platform. We want people to deliver solutions at a faster pace, rather than creating individual solutions again and again.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

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<\/i>Building a platform<\/h2>\n

Boehringer recently announced the launch of its One Medicine Platform, powered by the Veeva Development Cloud<\/a>. The unified platform combines data and processes, enabling Boehringer to streamline its product development. Sch\u00fcmmelfeder says the technology plays a crucial enabling role.<\/p>\n

The One Medicine Platform is integrated with Boehringer\u2019s data ecosystem, Dataland, which helps employees make data-driven decisions that boost organisational performance. Dataland has been running since 2022. The ecosystem collates data from across the company and makes it available securely for professionals to run simulations and data analyses.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the research and development space for medicine, there was nothing like a solid enterprise platform,\u201d says Sch\u00fcmmelfeder, referring to his company\u2019s relationship with Veeva. \u201cWe had about 50, maybe even more, tools that were often not interconnected. If you wanted to replicate data from one service to another, you\u2019d have to download the data, copy and paste, and so on. That approach is tedious.\u201d<\/p>\n

The One Medicine Platform allows Boehringer to connect data across functions, optimise trial efficiency around its research sites, and accelerate the delivery of new medicines to treat currently incurable diseases. Sch\u00fcmmelfeder says the Veeva technology gives the business the edge it requires.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe saw we were slower than our competitors in executing clinical trials. We thought we could be much better. We wanted to look for a new way of executing clinical trials, and we needed to discuss our processes and potentially redefine and change them based on the platform approach,\u201d he says. \u201cWe chose Veeva because it was the most capable technology to help us deliver the spirit of a platform. It\u2019s also an evolving technology with good future potential.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

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<\/i>Embracing data innovation<\/h2>\n

Sch\u00fcmmelfeder says the data platform he\u2019s pioneered is helping Boehringer explore emerging technologies. One key element is Apollo, a specialist approach to artificial intelligence (AI), allowing employees to select from 40 large language models (LLMs)<\/a> to explore their use cases and exploit data safely.<\/p>\n

He says this large number of LLMs allows Boehringer employees to select the best model for a specific use case. Alongside mainstream models like Google Gemini and Open AI\u2019s ChatGPT, the company uses niche models dedicated to research that can deliver more appropriate answers than general models.<\/p>\n

Sch\u00fcmmelfeder says Boehringer does not develop models internally. He says the rapid pace of AI development makes it more sensible to dedicate IT resources to other areas. The company\u2019s staff can use approved models and tools to undertake data-led research in several key areas: \u201cWe have a toolbox staff can dip into when they realise an idea or use case.\u201d<\/p>\n

He outlines three specific AI-enabled use cases: Genomic Lens generates new insights that enable scientists to discover new disease mechanisms in human DNA; the company uses algorithms and historical data to identify the right populations for clinical trials quickly and effectively; and Smart Process Development, which applies machine learning and genetic algorithms to create productivity boosts in biopharmaceutical processes.<\/p>\n

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\"Markus\n <\/p>\n

\u201cMy aim for all the years I\u2019ve been with Boehringer is to integrate IT into the business community\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Markus Sch\u00fcmmelfeder, Boehringer Ingelheim<\/span> <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Another key area of research and development is assessing the potential power of quantum computing<\/a>. Sch\u00fcmmelfeder suggests Boehringer has one of the strongest quantum teams in Europe. He recognises that other digital and business leaders might feel the company\u2019s commitment is ahead of the adoption curve.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I would say, \u2018Yes, you\u2019re right\u2019, but then you need to understand how this technology works. We are helping to make breakthroughs, to bring code to the industry and to discover how we will use quantum. So, we have a strong team that brings a lot to the table to help this area evolve,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m convinced quantum computing will be a huge gamechanger for the pharma industry once the technology can be used and set into operations. That situation is why I believe you have to be involved in quantum early to understand how it works. You need to bring knowledge into the organisation and be part of making quantum work.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Sch\u00fcmmelfeder acknowledges Boehringer isn\u2019t pursuing true quantum research yet, the company has built relationships with other technology specialists, such as Google Research. He says these developments are the foundations for future success in key areas, such as understanding product toxicity: \u201cIt\u2019s relatively early, but you can see the investment. I hope we can see the first real use cases by the end of this decade.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

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<\/i>Creating an impact<\/h2>\n

Sch\u00fcmmelfeder considers the type of data-enabled organisation he\u2019d like to create during the next few years and suggests the good news is that the technological foundations for further transformation are now in place.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t need a technology revolution, I think we\u2019ve done that,\u201d he says. \u201cWe\u2019ve done our homework, and we\u2019ve standardised and harmonised. The next stage is not about more standardisation, it\u2019s more about looking specifically at where we need to be successful. That focus is on research and development, medicine, our end-customers and how to improve the lives of patients and animals. That work is at the core of what we want to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the technology systems and services in place, Sch\u00fcmmelfeder says he\u2019ll concentrate on ensuring the right culture exists to exploit digitisation. That focus will require a concerted effort to evolve the skills across the organisation. The aim here will be to ensure many people in all parts of the business have the right capabilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you talk about data, you don\u2019t need 10 people able to do things, you need thousands of people who can execute,\u201d he says. \u201cYou need to bring this knowledge to the business. That means business and IT must integrate deeply to make things happen. The IT team has to go to the business community and ask big questions like, \u2018What do you need? Tell me the one thing that can make you truly successful?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Sch\u00fcmmelfeder says that finding the answers to these questions shouldn\u2019t be straightforward. Sometimes, he expects the search to be uncomfortable. IT can\u2019t sit back \u2013 the company\u2019s 2,000 technology professionals must drive the identification of digital solutions to business problems. Line-of-business professionals must also feel comfortable and confident using emerging technologies and data.<\/p>\n

He says the company\u2019s Data X Academy plays a crucial role. Boehringer worked with Capgemini to develop this in-house data science training<\/a> academy. Data X Academy has already trained 4,000 people across IT and the business. Sch\u00fcmmelfeder hopes this number will reach 15,000 people during the next 24 months and allow data-savvy people across the organisation to work together to develop solutions to intractable challenges.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to ask the right questions on the business side and create lighthouse use cases in IT that show people what we can do,\u201d he says. \u201cWe can drive change together with the business and create an impact for the organisation, our customers and patients.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n

Read More<\/a>
\n Blythe Wrona<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Markus Sch\u00fcmmelfeder has spent more than a decade looking for ways to help biopharmaceutical giant Boehringer Ingelheim exploit digital and data. He joined the company in February 2014 as corporate vice-president in IT and became CIO in April 2018. \u201cIt was a natural evolution,\u201d he says. \u201cOver time, you see what can be done as<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":841985,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22316,33597,46],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-841984","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-interview","8":"category-markus","9":"category-technology"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/841984","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=841984"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/841984\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/841985"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=841984"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=841984"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=841984"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}