End of an Era: Veeva Splits from Salesforce – What's Next for CRM

This video provides an analysis of the strategic implications of the formal separation between Veeva Systems and Salesforce, focusing specifically on the impact this shift will have on pharmaceutical and life sciences companies. The core message is that the end of this partnership, which has historically underpinned Veeva CRM, necessitates a critical re-evaluation of current CRM strategies to ensure continuity, efficiency, and regulatory compliance within the life sciences sector. The formal split is set for September 2025, marking a pivotal moment for companies relying on Veeva CRM built on the Salesforce platform.

The speaker outlines a detailed, multi-phase timeline for the transition, urging companies to begin strategic planning immediately. The initial phase, spanning 2022 to 2023, involved the communication of the split and preliminary planning. The current phase (2023-2024) emphasizes the need for detailed transition plans, including evaluating existing systems and mapping out future steps. Following the September 2025 separation, a crucial five-year transition period begins, during which companies must wind down their use of Veeva CRM on the Salesforce platform and execute their migration strategy. The ultimate deadline for full migration onto a targeted, independent platform is set for 2030, with continuous system fine-tuning required thereafter to meet evolving business and regulatory needs.

The analysis also touches upon the evolving landscape of CRM solutions available to the life sciences market following the split. While Veeva Systems continues to offer its CRM solutions alongside its broader Veeva Vault platform applications, Salesforce has positioned its own offerings, specifically Health Cloud and Salesforce Life Sciences Cloud, as alternatives, emphasizing powerful analytics and enhanced customer engagement tools. Furthermore, the video acknowledges other significant players in the market, including Oracle Health Science, SAP, and Microsoft Biocin, indicating that pharmaceutical companies now face a complex decision matrix when selecting their next-generation commercial platform. The imperative for all transitioning companies is to ensure their new systems maintain efficiency, regulatory compliance, and technological relevance throughout the migration process.

Key Takeaways: • The formal separation between Veeva and Salesforce is scheduled for September 2025, initiating a mandatory transition period for pharmaceutical companies utilizing Veeva CRM built on the Salesforce platform. This date serves as the critical starting line for migration efforts. • Companies must adhere to a strict transition timeline, which includes detailed planning and system evaluation between 2023 and 2024, followed by a five-year period (2025-2030) dedicated to winding down Salesforce-based Veeva CRM usage and executing the full migration. • The ultimate deadline for pharmaceutical companies to be fully moved onto their new, targeted CRM platform is 2030, requiring long-term strategic planning and resource allocation to avoid operational disruption. • Post-2030, the focus shifts to continuous system optimization, requiring companies to continually fine-tune their new platforms to adapt to changing market demands, emerging technologies, and evolving regulatory requirements. • The transition provides a strategic opportunity for life sciences companies to rethink their entire CRM architecture and invest in next-generation solutions that enhance efficiency, compliance, and technological capability. • Salesforce is actively promoting its proprietary solutions, such as Health Cloud and Salesforce Life Sciences Cloud, highlighting their powerful analytics capabilities and tools designed for improved customer engagement within the regulated sector. • Veeva Systems remains a key player, continuing to offer its CRM solutions integrated within the broader Veeva Vault ecosystem, which is highly prevalent across clinical, regulatory, and quality functions in pharma. • Pharmaceutical companies must evaluate alternative CRM vendors beyond the immediate Veeva/Salesforce ecosystem, including major enterprise technology providers such as Oracle Health Science, SAP, and Microsoft Biocin, all of whom offer technology tailored to the life sciences sector. • A core challenge during this transition is maintaining strict regulatory compliance (e.g., GxP, 21 CFR Part 11) while migrating data and integrating new systems, making compliance strategy a non-negotiable component of the transition plan. • The migration is not just a technical lift but a strategic business decision requiring companies to map future steps based on current system evaluations to ensure the chosen platform supports long-term commercial and medical affairs goals.

Tools/Resources Mentioned:

• Veeva CRM (on Salesforce platform)
• Veeva Vault (platform applications)
• Salesforce Health Cloud
• Salesforce Life Sciences Cloud
• Oracle Health Science
• SAP
• Microsoft Biocin (CRM related technology)