Rob Abbott is CEO and executive director of ISPOR — The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR), the leading global professional society in the field of HEOR. He is responsible for the Society’s global strategic direction and leadership. Rob has more than 20 years of experience providing executive-level strategic and operational leadership in businesses, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), government environments, as well as professional societies and associations. He has successfully guided a number of organizations through their transformation and growth. Most recently, he served as executive director and CEO of Health Technology Assessment International, a global nonprofit society focused on health technology assessment (HTA). He is also a pioneering social responsibility thinker and advisor who has authored 2 books and numerous articles on the nature of business and society. Rob holds an undergraduate honors degree from the University of Victoria and graduate degrees from the University of Toronto.
The way ahead for HEOR in biopharma should be built on increasing C-suite visibility and understanding of the value contribution that HEOR makes and demonstrating that a failure to invest in HEOR puts companies at a competitive disadvantage, especially in the face of rising regulatory and payer expectations for evidence.