Why Veeva | David López
Generation Veeva
/@GenerationVeeva
Published: June 15, 2021
Insights
This video features David López, an Associate Consultant on the Commercial team based in Barcelona, who shares his experience as part of the Consultant Development Program (CDP) in Europe at Veeva. The primary purpose of the testimonial is to highlight the professional and cultural benefits of working for Veeva, particularly within the consulting track that supports the company's core pharmaceutical and life sciences clientele. López emphasizes the unique appeal of combining a local work environment with extensive global connectivity, positioning Veeva as a highly attractive employer for talent focused on the intersection of technology, consulting, and the life sciences commercial sector.
A central theme of the discussion is the immense value derived from the international community and the opportunities for cross-cultural interaction inherent in the Veeva consulting structure. López notes that the ability to work in his hometown of Barcelona while being "surrounded by such an international community" is a significant personal and professional advantage. He details the daily exposure to diverse colleagues from different parts of the world, which allows him to learn about various cultures, understand different backgrounds, and even practice multiple languages. This strong focus on global collaboration underscores the highly distributed yet interconnected nature of Veeva’s consulting operations, a model essential for effectively supporting multinational pharmaceutical clients.
López also expresses high satisfaction with his day-to-day responsibilities, which are centered on the Commercial team—the segment responsible for implementing solutions that optimize sales, marketing, and medical affairs functions for pharmaceutical companies utilizing Veeva CRM. He specifically enjoys the direct exposure he receives to clients, which provides valuable real-world experience, and the collaborative environment with his peers. Furthermore, he highlights the importance of internal company initiatives, specifically mentioning the "All Wiki platform." For López, this platform is a crucial tool for internal networking and community building, allowing him to connect with colleagues who share similar interests, ultimately fostering strong professional relationships and friendships within the organization.
Key Takeaways: • Veeva Talent Pipeline (CDP): The Consultant Development Program (CDP) is confirmed as a primary, structured mechanism for training and deploying new talent focused on Veeva implementation. Consulting firms like IntuitionLabs.ai should analyze the skill sets and training focus of CDP graduates to benchmark their own consultant development programs and expertise in the Veeva ecosystem. • High Demand for Commercial Expertise: The speaker’s role on the Commercial team reinforces the continued critical need for specialized consulting focused on pharmaceutical commercial operations (sales, marketing, and customer engagement), validating IntuitionLabs.ai’s strategic focus on this sector. • Global-Local Consulting Model: The ability to work locally (Barcelona) while engaging with a vast international community highlights that Veeva’s consulting structure is globally distributed. This implies that consulting partners must be adept at managing global implementation projects, cross-cultural team dynamics, and varying regional regulatory requirements. • Client Exposure is a Key Professional Motivator: Direct exposure to clients is cited as a major positive aspect of the consulting role. This reinforces the necessity for IntuitionLabs.ai to ensure its specialized AI and Veeva consultants are client-facing, deeply understand client pain points, and can articulate the business value of complex technological solutions. • Importance of Internal Knowledge Management: The mention of the "All Wiki platform" emphasizes Veeva’s commitment to internal knowledge sharing, community building, and networking. IntuitionLabs.ai should prioritize developing robust, accessible internal knowledge bases and collaboration tools to maintain consistent, high-level expertise across its specialized consulting and development teams. • Recruitment and Retention Insights: The video acts as a recruitment tool, emphasizing the combination of local work-life balance and global career opportunities. IntuitionLabs.ai can leverage these factors in its own talent acquisition strategy to attract high-caliber professionals specializing in regulated enterprise software and AI. • Value of Internal Initiatives: The speaker places high value on company initiatives beyond core project work, suggesting that successful firms in the Veeva ecosystem must demonstrate commitment to internal development, innovation, and community to attract and retain top talent. • Fostering Peer Collaboration: The enjoyment derived from working with peers and building friendships underscores the importance of team cohesion and a supportive work environment for consultant effectiveness and long-term retention in high-pressure consulting roles.
Tools/Resources Mentioned:
- Veeva: The core platform and company ecosystem (implied focus on Veeva CRM and related commercial solutions).
- All Wiki platform: An internal Veeva tool utilized for knowledge sharing, networking, and community building among employees.
Key Concepts:
- Consultant Development Program (CDP): A structured, entry-level program designed by Veeva to train and integrate new consultants, ensuring a standardized level of expertise for client implementations across various product lines.
- Commercial Team: The consulting segment responsible for implementing and optimizing Veeva solutions that support the revenue-generating and customer-facing functions (sales, marketing, medical affairs) within pharmaceutical and life sciences organizations.