Real Chemistry, formerly known as W2O Group, is a global health innovation company that utilizes artificial intelligence for its healthcare services.
After a long career at McKinsey, what drew you to the position at Real Chemistry?
I spent 16 years at McKinsey, with much of my time serving clients in the biopharma industry. Over time, I developed a deep admiration for this sector because it's dedicated to solving real problems with tangible solutions. After leaving McKinsey, I had a few opportunities, but in collaboration with New Mountain Capital, the private equity sponsor for Real Chemistry, I began to seriously consider the role of CEO here. Having worked with New Mountain before during my time at Equian, I trusted their vision.
What ultimately drew me to Real Chemistry was its strong sense of purpose. When I met with the founder Jim Weiss and the leadership team, I saw they were truly mission-driven, aiming to bring positive change to healthcare. Real Chemistry operates at the heart of biopharma, with 95% of its work focused on serving biopharma clients. The chance to work with such a talented, passionate team, in an organization so aligned with my own values, made this opportunity exciting.
Your recent acquisitions have included TI Health - a predictive analytics and omnichannel healthcare provider - & Avant Healthcare. What is the thought process behind Real Chemistry’s diverse acquisition strategy?
Our guiding principle is to combine AI and innovative ideas to transform the healthcare experience for everyone. Given that every individual will eventually become a patient, our goal is to create a high-quality healthcare experience. This mission informs everything we do, including our acquisition strategy. We ask simple but important questions: Does the acquisition align with our mission? Does it expand our capabilities and serve new clients?
Over time, we have built a portfolio that caters to biopharma clients throughout the commercialization process, from phase 2 clinical trials through to launch and beyond. Our acquisitions span communications, marketing, medical communications, and analytics, all essential tools for helping biopharma companies succeed. It’s about modernizing and personalizing the healthcare experience through technology.
How do you view the role of AI in improving the commercialization process for biopharma companies?
AI plays a critical role in identifying, understanding, and reaching patients and healthcare providers, especially for rare diseases where patient populations are small. One of our focuses is shortening the time to diagnosis, which can currently take up to two years for rare disease patients. AI-driven data modeling helps us identify these patients sooner, improving outcomes and supporting our clients’ commercial goals. Once patients are identified, AI helps us understand them better through tools like social listening and real-world data. This allows us to create more effective, personalized outreach. AI also aids in engagement, enabling us to have meaningful, tailored interactions with patients and providers. By using AI across identification, understanding, activation, and engagement, we’re significantly improving the healthcare experience.
What are the opportunities you see in preventative healthcare, and how does Real Chemistry fit into that future?
Preventative healthcare is a broad and somewhat underdeveloped field, especially in the U.S., where the focus tends to be more on treatment than prevention. However, companies outside the traditional healthcare ecosystem, like Whoop, are starting to fill that gap. The rise of the GLP-1 class of drugs is an interesting example—they began as anti-obesity treatments but are now being tested for other conditions like heart failure and sleep apnea, representing a form of preventative care.
For us, the biggest impact in preventative care could come from focusing on the sickest 5% of the population, who account for 50% of healthcare costs in the U.S. If we can prevent comorbidities in these patients, it could significantly reduce healthcare costs. Shifting from reactive to proactive care benefits both patients and the overall healthcare system by helping to bend the rising cost curve.
What keeps you up at night in the context of Real Chemistry?
The biggest challenge is sustaining our growth. We’ve had a remarkable 20-year track record of growth, with double-digit growth in 20 of those years. Maintaining that momentum is a priority, and I spend a lot of time thinking about new opportunities, both organically and through acquisitions. AI is another critical area—we have set up a "Skunkworks" team dedicated to exploring how AI can improve various aspects of our work and drive innovation. The other area that keeps me up at night is talent. Having the right people in the right roles is essential for our continued success. It’s not just about finding new talent, but also ensuring that our existing leaders can scale and grow with the company. Without the right team, even the best plans remain ideas on paper. Ensuring we have the right talent in place is crucial to achieving our goals.
Does your company name impact your positioning in the healthcare market?
The name "Real Chemistry" can sometimes confuse those unfamiliar with our work in healthcare. Previously, we were known as W2O Group, and over time, we’ve had several name changes. However, evolving is part of our DNA—one of our core values is "evolve always." Change is constant in this industry, and we fully embrace it. Within the biopharma industry, we’ve done a solid job of establishing our name. Our media and communications teams, along with our presence in the top 30 biopharma companies, have helped us solidify our brand. While the name may not immediately resonate with outsiders, our clients and stakeholders are well acquainted with who we are and what we stand for.
What milestones are you looking forward to in the near future?
A key milestone we are currently focused on is the successful spin-off of Swoop into an independent company. This transition will allow both Real Chemistry and Swoop to pursue their own growth strategies and goals. It’s rare for an investment to result in two strong platforms, so we’re excited about the future for both companies. Global expansion is another priority. We have a clear plan to grow our international footprint, and we’re actively pursuing acquisitions to support this. Additionally, we’re continuing to push forward with our AI initiatives, particularly through our Skunkworks projects. All of these efforts are aimed at maintaining our growth trajectory and staying at the forefront of healthcare innovation.
