Safe to assume its more bad news for the employees, what with the recent hush hush layoffs crossing many parts of MDS…
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Anthony stated that he had no guess about what would happen in three years in the industry. And that sums up the entire lack of strategy and reactivity at exec level.
here's an AI meeting minutes summary of notes I took. This only covers the topics related to staff changes and layoffs. The majority of the session was the usual spiel about AI and the 'vision'.
- Executive Leadership & Personnel Changes
Executive Departures: Acknowledged the departure of Joe Schmidt (COO) as a significant loss. Additionally, departures of Sharlene Carnegie and Jacob Aptekar were addressed.
Clarification: Anthony clarified that these departures were voluntary moves to other companies, not forced exits.
XCOM Turnover: It was confirmed that Jennifer Plumer has been terminated.
COO Role: There is currently no immediate plan to replace the Chief Operating Officer position.
Communications Protocol: Regarding questions on inconsistent email notifications for departing staff (specifically noting an email for Joe Schmidt but not others), it was stated there is no rigid script. Emails from the CEO are generally reserved for XCOM departures; the Town Hall serves as the primary forum for addressing broader personnel updates.
- Organizational Strategy & Restructuring
Layoff Strategy: Management confirmed that restructuring is occurring in rolling "pockets" of small cuts rather than one mass layoff.
Future Outlook: Anthony indicated that layoffs are ongoing. Ian Marks is currently overseeing the entire LSE (Life Sciences Enablement) division; staff should anticipate further reductions.
Justification: The rationale remains consistent with previous messaging: the company is focused on meeting industry expectations and positioning the organization for long-term viability.
Momentum: Leadership expressed optimism regarding "new blood" joining the organization and noted progress in key strategic areas (no further explanation given).
- Culture & Engagement
GPTW Survey: Management acknowledged the delay in providing the Great Place to Work (GPTW) survey results. They encouraged increased usage of the Officevibe platform for ongoing feedback.
Cultural Shift: Addressing concerns from long-tenured employees regarding the decline of company culture, leadership noted:
Historical Context: Turnover at the XCOM level is a historical trend, not a new development.
Integration Impact: The transition from an independent entity to a subsidiary of 3DS means the culture will continue to evolve and "morph" in accordance with the parent company's structure and requirements.
I'll make sure to provide an update here for any folks no longer w/ Medidata who might be curious.
@11p it's tomorrow
@OP So what did you learn at the Q&A?
I’m not expecting good news, no.