Luisa Santos

Senior commercial leader with 20 years in pharmaceuticals, medtech and digital health, including 16 years at Novartis in diabetes, osteoporosis, neuroscience and respiratory, across hospital, ambulatory and distribution channel settings. Proven in launch excellence, portfolio turnaround, pricing and salesforce effectiveness within complex matrix organisations. More recently, commercial leadership in digital health, adding international partnership development and AI-enabled commercial processes to a core pharmaceutical foundation.

Founder at AgeraCare (2026-01 – Present)

• Building a preventive ageing support model combining structured assessments, automation and scalable personalised recommendations.
• Designing AI-enabled workflows and digital health approaches to improve early identification of needs, decision support and autonomy.
• Leading service design, user-journey development and commercial strategy end-to-end as solo founder.

Chief Commercial Officer at Actif Age Lda (2023-01 – 2025-12)

• Delivered 80% revenue growth by building and executing commercial strategy across go-to-market, pipeline and institutional partnerships.
• Implemented HubSpot CRM, enabling forecasting and visibility over commercial performance.
• Recruited and led the commercial team; built partnerships with care organisations aligned to product adoption.

VP Partnerships (Global) at Beats Medical (2021-01 – 2023-12)

• Built and managed an international partnerships pipeline; negotiated and closed €5M+ in agreements with pharmaceutical companies and healthcare stakeholders.
• Implemented CRM and reporting systems and aligned partnerships with go-to-market strategy cross-functionally.

Pharmacy Marketing & Sales Head at Novartis (2019-01 – 2021-12)

• Led marketing strategy and commercial execution in the pharmacy channel, accelerating the patient journey across hospital and ambulatory settings.
• Chapter Lead of a cross-functional team of Pharmacy KAMs and Customer Experience Specialists.
• Supported a new pharmacy business model: agile organisation, customer engagement platform, hospital proximity delivery and improved e-commerce experience.

Respiratory Marketing & Sales Head | Change Advocate Champion at Novartis (2016-01 – 2019-12)

• Led commercial strategy for a biologic therapy in asthma and urticaria, driving double-digit hospital sales growth.
• Developed a comprehensive pricing model and delivered innovative digital projects.
• As Change Advocate Champion, led a cross-divisional team supporting organisation-wide change management.

Neuroscience Marketing & Sales Manager | Extended Leadership Team Lead at Novartis (2015-01 – 2016-12)

• Led marketing and sales plans across three disease areas — Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ADHD — and managed the commercial team.
• Protected a mature brand from generic erosion, delivering 40% growth; launched an augmented-reality standalone initiative.
• As Extended Leadership Team Lead, supported strategic projects directly with the Country Head.

Metabolic Marketing & Sales Manager at Novartis (2014-01 – 2015-12)

• Led marketing and sales strategy for the metabolic and anti-infective portfolio.
• Reversed product decline from –20% to +20% within one year through a turnaround strategy for an IV osteoporosis treatment.

Senior Diabetes Brand Manager | D&I Champion at Novartis (2012-01 – 2014-12)

• Grew the diabetes brand to €30M in revenue with sustained double-digit growth, reaching top three worldwide in market share.
• Built a digital platform connecting GPs and specialists to share clinical cases, and rolled out Insights workshops organisation-wide.
• As D&I Champion, created Novartis' first cross-divisional D&I team, bringing together Pharma, Sandoz and Alcon, with 13 associates in Portugal.

Diabetes Brand Manager at Novartis (2010-01 – 2012-12)

• Led the launch of diabetes brands to market share leadership in Portugal, placing the country among the top five worldwide; delivered a global lifestyle-modification programme recognised with several international awards.

Diabetes Medical Science Liaison at Novartis (2007-01 – 2010-12)

• Built scientific partnerships with KOLs and medical societies, contributing to faster reimbursement and supporting therapy adoption.

Clinical Research Associate at Novartis (2005-01 – 2007-12)

• Monitored clinical trials across cardiology, transplantation and dermatology, delivering to timelines with successful audit outcomes.

MSc in Marketing Management – IPAM (2012-12)

Post-Graduate in Marketing – ISCTE (2006-12)

Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences – Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon (1999-01 – 2005-12)