Prescription for Growth: Strategic Insight in Pharmacy Automation

Client Overview

A middle-market private equity firm focused on industrial distribution automation. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in New York, our client is a value-oriented PE firm with more than $9 billion in aggregate capital commitments. The firm invests across media, industrials, and financial services, leveraging a team of partners with complementary backgrounds in private equity, finance, operations, and executive management. Their industrials team is actively pursuing innovation opportunities in automation and technology to enhance portfolio value.

The Challenge/Mandate

Our client is seeking a senior expert in pharmacy automation to support innovation in central fill automated pharmacies and discrete automation technologies. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in pharmacy operations and automation. The role involves providing strategic insights on recurring revenue models and optimizing revenue streams, while navigating industry dynamics. Knowledge of pharmacy automation is essential.

The engagement was expected to inform the PE firm’s investment thesis and help identify post-close value creation levers.

Search Strategy

We focused on identifying individuals with deep expertise in pharmacy automation and operations. The ideal candidate needed to possess extensive experience in pharmacy automation and a robust background in pharmacy operations, with a proven track record in strategic management and navigating supply chain dynamics. Additionally, familiarity with recurring revenue models and revenue optimization was essential. Our search spanned candidates with consulting and industry experience in pharmaceuticals, prioritizing those with a blend of strategy, due diligence, supply chain, and finance capabilities.

The Placement

The selected advisor is a nationally recognized healthcare executive with over 30 years of experience leading major healthcare companies in the United States. She has built over 20 pharmacies in the past decade and is actively consulting with health systems to provide pharmacy business advisory and leadership development services. Most recently, she supported Amazon Pharmacy in developing its payer network, switch relationships, and pharmacy programs. Previously, she served as President and CEO of a pharmacy business analytics company. Known for her ability to unlock team potential and drive strategic alignment, she specializes in strategic pharmacy development and integrated clinical care initiatives. Her career includes executive roles in health care financials, revenue cycle, pharmacy, supply chain, life sciences, and technology, where she has led performance improvement efforts across various healthcare settings, including acute care hospitals, safety-net and academic medical centers, physician networks, and payer communities.

The Outcome

The advisor played an instrumental role in shaping the client’s understanding of the pharmacy automation landscape. Her insights helped validate key assumptions around technology scalability, recurring revenue potential, and operational efficiency levers.

Her contributions influenced both go/no-go decision-making and laid the foundation for post-acquisition strategy, including integration planning and market positioning. The client has since kept her engaged as a strategic resource for future investments in the healthcare and automation sectors.