Qualification Course: AI Management in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG,
Ingelheim am Rhein, GERMANY

Data Protection Officer for Germany and
Head of the European Data Protection Team;
Timo Ahland studied law at Ruhr University Bochum and the German University of Administrative Sciences in Speyer. He is admitted to the bar by the Koblenz Higher Regional Court.
Prior to his current role as Data Protection Officer, he spent six years as a corporate lawyer, specializing in advising the global corporate procurement and IT departments of the Boehringer Ingelheim Group.
Timo Ahland has served as the appointed in-house Data Protection Officer and external Data Protection Officer for the operating companies of the Boehringer Ingelheim Group in Germany (approx. 15,000 employees) and, together with his team supporting the Group Data Protection Officer, oversees the European region with a network of currently approx. 25 regional and local data protection officers and experts. He represents the company in data protection matters before numerous associations at the national level (BDI, VCI, BAVC, and vfa).
He regularly serves as a speaker at professional and continuing education events on data protection, with a focus on medical research and drug development.

Bayer AG, Berlin, GERMANY

Generative AI Transformation Lead & Mission Master, Visionary Strategist Marketing & Healthcare Innovation Enthusiast

AlphaLife Sciences, New Jersey, US

Head of AI Product and Strategy; Dr. Mike Liang is an accomplished product leader with over 19 years of experience in designing, launching, and scaling successful AI/ML solutions across major technology companies. Holding a Ph.D. in Biomedical Informatics from Stanford University, Mike has served as a Group Product Manager at Google, where he led cross-functional teams driving product innovation. With deep expertise in artificial intelligence and a strategic approach to technology development, Mike now leads AI product strategy and innovation at AlphaLife Sciences, where he focuses on advancing the next generation of clinical technology solutions that bridge cutting-edge AI capabilities with life science applications.

Kanzlei am Ärztehaus Partnerschaft mbB, GERMANY

Lawyer and Partner;
Alexander Maur has been a partner at the law firm since 2007 and advises the healthcare industry on issues relating to pharmaceutical and medical device law and associated areas of law at the firm's Cologne-Bayenthal office.

AstraZeneca, Barcelona, SPAIN

Head of Enterprise AI Governance;
Oliver Patel is
Head of Global Enterprise AI Governance at AstraZeneca, overseeing responsible AI across a 80,000+ employee organization and a complex AI ecosystem.
He is a former academic and UK Government policy adviser, experienced public speaker and commentator (BBC, Sky News, CNN) and trusted translator between technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, GERMANY

Associate Director Medical Writing;
After her studies in human and molecular biology and research in cell biology, Sabrina Stöhr focussed on clinical research. For more than 10 years, she has been working as a medical writer on the preparation of clinical authorisation documents in various therapeutic areas. She deepened her expertise with a Master's degree in Drug Regulatory Affairs (DGRA).

AstraZeneca, Barcelona, SPAIN

Head AI Governance R&D;
Alex Turpin is Head of AI Governance, R&D at AstraZeneca, where he leads the design and evolution of governance frameworks for advanced AI systems across research and development.
With a PhD in physics and more than 15 years of experience across deep tech, healthcare, and AI-driven innovation, he combines deep technical understanding with a strong systems and innovation mindset. His background spans academia, neuroscience-related research, health-tech startups, and senior AI leadership roles, including Technical Director positions in fast-growing environments.
At AstraZeneca, Alex focuses on one of the most critical challenges facing the industry today: how can we make sure that governance of technology (including AI) is not a limiting control layer, but a strategic capability that enables speed, trust, and responsible innovation at scale.
He is also a co-founder of a deep-tech AI startup in remote health and ambient monitoring, and is actively involved in shaping thought leadership at the intersection of AI, governance, and real-world clinical impact.

Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, GERMANY

Associate Director Technology and Data Analytics;
After completing her bioinformatics studies in Germany, Wei gained hands-on experience in data management and SAE management in clinical research. She is an experienced professional with 15 years of industry experience and a strong focus on pharmacovigilance and drug safety management.
Throughout her career, she has combined excellence, innovation, and compliance within drug safety and safety data analytics. With a comprehensive understanding of regulatory requirements and a proven track record in data analysis, software tool development, and compliance management, Wei has demonstrated expertise in leading cross-functional teams and driving process improvements. As an AI Champion, she leads internal AI use cases in the drug safety domain.