By Business & Finance 
Ryan Quigley is the CEO of Inizio, a global commercial services company for the health and life sciences industries, formed by merging Ashfield and Huntsworth.
By Héloïse Chaudot
What inspired you to start your company?
Inizio was formed through the acquisition of Huntsworth and UDG Healthcare by CD&R. The ambition was to create the world’s leading commercialisation partner for health and life sciences. I was personally inspired by the vision of bringing together two leading organisations with world-class scientific expertise and exceptional commercial execution. That vision has truly come to life. Today, Inizio is a launch powerhouse – helping our clients accelerate innovation and maximise impact. In the past two years alone, we’ve supported around half of all new medicines and product launches globally, which speaks to the scale of what’s possible when science and strategy come together under one unified purpose: to reimagine health.
What are your main priorities and goals in your role?
My top priorities are:
Forge a unified vision and voice
At Inizio, our vision is simple yet ambitious: we reimagine health by uniting our expertise to make a meaningful difference for our clients and patients. That means bringing together both scientific and commercial excellence to act as the go-to strategic partner for pharma and life science companies at every pivotal moment of their product lifecycle. Today we partner with > 700 Lifescience companies across 1,000 plus medicines across multiple therapeutic areas.
Leading the future of Intelligent CommercializationTM
We’re leading the way in Intelligent Commercialization™ by combining proprietary data, advanced technology, AI-powered platforms, and deep scientific expertise to unlock measurable, lasting value at every stage of commercialisation. Our purpose is clear – to help clients accelerate access to life-changing medicines. By turning complex data into quick, actionable insights, we enable smarter, faster decisions that bring innovation to patients faster. This unified approach doesn’t just drive successful launches; it redefines how commercialisation works – with intelligence, precision, and insightful impact.
Craft the workforce of the future
Our success depends on our 10,500 colleagues across the world. We’re building the workforce of the future and making Inizio the destination of choice for talent – equipping teams with the skills, culture, and opportunities to thrive, and uniting them in our vision to reimagine health.
Grow our offering
We’re committed to expanding our capabilities and innovation toolkit, supporting our clients to unlock greater value from their science. We do this by continuously broadening and evolving the solutions we provide; we give our partners more leverage to accelerate breakthroughs, scale impact, and deliver meaningful outcomes for patients.
How do you keep your team motivated?
It’s about creating an environment where people can grow and bring their best work to their team and clients every day. For me, it comes down to uniting our people around a clear vision and delivering on our People Promise – ensuring they feel supported, inspired, and able to thrive.
What are the challenges facing the industry?
There have been significant changes in the industry in recent years, with growing uncertainty driven by tariffs and ongoing debates around the value society is willing to place on access to new, innovative therapies. Science is moving faster than ever, and the quality of treatments our clients are bringing to market is life-changing for many patients. Yet uncertainty around pricing and access across core markets remains a real challenge for life sciences companies, with the cost of bringing a new medicine to market now at around $2.5 billion. Ensuring access once approved is critical so patients can truly benefit from these innovations.
Are there any major changes you would like to see in the sector?
Globally, as the population ages, it’s critical that pharma maintains a healthy innovation pipeline. The risk–reward is enormous – many innovations never make it to market, but those that do often transform how we live healthier, longer lives. Unfortunately, access to medicines remains fragmented, health technology assessments can be cumbersome, and society needs to rethink how it invests in new medicines.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given in business?
Early in my career, when I was a sales representative in the west of Ireland, my manager told me:
“Make sure your clients value you, then your company, and then your product.”
That stuck with me. 30 years later, at Inizio, our business is based on three core elements: our people, our clients and our scientific expertise. When our people excel for our clients, this leads to a broader, deeper relationship for Inizio.
What advice would you give to others starting a business?
Surround yourself with excellent people from day one and make sure to use your network. Over the course of our careers, we meet so many people – and I’ve found some of the closest in my own network have been invaluable for bouncing ideas, exploring opportunities, or sharing challenges. In essence, don’t try to do it alone. The untapped value within your network can be incredible – so make sure you tap into it.
What have been your highlights in business over the past year?
It’s been a year of real momentum for Inizio, and that’s entirely down to the incredible talent and commitment of our people. The recognition we’ve received – from Inizio Medical winning Innovation of the Year at the 2025 British Data Awards, to Ashfield MedComms and AstraZeneca being honoured at the Communiqué Awards, and Inizio Medical and Inizio Evoke securing top 10 spots in MM+M’s Agency 100 – reflects their innovation, collaboration, and drive.
Across the Creative Floor Awards, PM360 Trailblazers, Fierce Pharma Marketing Awards, Communiqué Awards, MM+M Awards, and the MRS Operations Awards, it’s our teams’ creativity and dedication that have been celebrated. These achievements aren’t just industry accolades; they’re a testament to the people behind the work who consistently raise the bar for clients and patients.
What I’m proudest of is the trust our 700+ clients place in us across the full spectrum of therapy areas. That trust reflects the depth of partnership we’ve built and the work that our people deliver every day. In oncology – the largest area we support – we’ve partnered on 95% of the top 20 products, 142 early-stage assets, and nearly half of all launches over the past two years. That breadth of work showcases not just our scale, but the expertise, passion, and commitment that define Inizio.
What is the best non-business book you’ve ever read, and why?
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I picked it up on holiday with my wife, Sarah, and found it deeply resonant. It’s a simple story that reinforces the journey that we all face in life – listen to your heart, follow your dream, and often what you’re looking for is closer to home than one may think. Fantastic break from the speed of everyday life.
What is your favourite hobby and why?
Field sports have always been a passion of mine, but nowadays it’s golf. It’s time-intensive, yes, but I love the constant humility it offers. There’s always something to refine. I still do a regular fourball with friends back in Enniscorthy, where the prize – coffee – is modest, but the competition is real!
What is your mantra for life?
My school motto in Latin at Cistercian College Roscrea was “Insideat coelis animo sed corpore terris” – “Keep your mind on higher things, your feet on the ground.” I carry that with me.
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