Charles River Associates Expands Life Sciences Practice with New VP…

Event summary

Charles River Associates (CRA) appointed Patrick Hillan as Vice President in its Life Sciences Practice on September 29, 2026.
Hillan brings expertise in medical affairs strategy, having previously worked with global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
CRA aims to enhance and scale its life sciences advisory services with Hillan's addition.
Hillan holds an MSc in Neuroscience and a BSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Edinburgh.

The big picture

CRA's hire of Patrick Hillan underscores the growing importance of medical affairs strategy in the life sciences sector. As pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies increasingly rely on data-driven insights for product launches and lifecycle management, consulting firms like CRA are positioning themselves to provide specialized advisory services. This move comes amid intense competition in the consulting industry, where firms are vying to offer unique value propositions to clients.

What we're watching

Strategic Expansion: How CRA's addition of Hillan will impact its ability to compete in the life sciences consulting space.
Client Acquisition: Whether Hillan's expertise will attract new clients or retain existing ones for CRA.
Service Scaling: The pace at which CRA can scale its life sciences advisory services with Hillan's leadership.