Pioneering Pfizer Figure Prepares for Next Venture Post Vaccine Rollout

At the start of 2020, Sally Susman, the head of communications and policy at Pfizer, was taken aback by the company's ambitious goal to introduce a COVID-19 vaccine by that year's end.

"It was quite possibly the most daring declaration I've ever encountered," Susman explained to Business Insider after sharing the news that she plans to conclude her 20-year tenure with Pfizer by 2025.

As a trailblazer in corporate communication, Susman saw the ensuing months as a crucial chance to bolster public confidence in Pfizer amidst significant uncertainty and fear. She advocated for maximum transparency in the company's vaccine development process, ensuring media were closely involved in their clinical trials.

"It's a rare fusion of circumstances that you might never encounter again," Susman, who authored "Breaking Through: Communicating to Open Minds, Move Hearts, and Change the World" in 2023, remarked. "In this field, life-altering moments arrive unexpectedly as companies face unprecedented challenges."

As Susman prepares to leave, Pfizer is restructuring due to decreased vaccine demand, expected expirations on patents, and difficulties in the obesity medication market.

The company's approach moving forward involves allocating her critical roles among several senior executives while keeping her as a member of their philanthropic board.

"It's a timely transition for both Pfizer and myself," Susman reflected. "I've cherished my tenure here, yet there are other interests I wish to pursue."

The Importance of Corporate Communications

Susman launched her career in corporate communication not long after completing her education at Connecticut College in the 1980s, when the field was still gaining traction. She noticed a shift in stakeholder engagement, heavily influenced by the AIDS epidemic.

"The movement expanded to environmentalists and other advocacy groups," she recalled. "People felt empowered to voice their perspectives."

Social media later transformed corporate communications further, as firms grappled with managing online public relations.

Her perspective on the field was cemented during a 1996 legal dispute between American Express, her employer at the time, and competitors Visa and Mastercard over anti-competitive practices, showcasing the supreme importance of corporate relations.

"The case's success highlighted the essential nature of strategic communication and governmental interactions," Susman noted from her role overseeing European corporate affairs strategy at the time. "It was a defining realization."

Spanning her career, Susman has advised nine different CEOs, including three at Pfizer, on crucial matters, which she describes as a distinct privilege.

Deirdre Latour, a former communications leader at General Electric, noted on LinkedIn Susman's sizable influence on her field: "When I consider Sally, I think of attributes like intelligence, resilience, and curiosity. She's accomplished so much."

A Moment Like a Movie Scene

One of Susman's standout professional moments occurred one Sunday in November 2020. She waited with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla and other executives to hear if their vaccine trials were successful, an event rich with anticipation and emotional release once the positive results came in.

"Despite health rules discouraging it, we celebrated with hugs, tears, and calls to family," she reminisced. "It was cinematic in its emotional intensity."

Though currently documented in a company documentary, Pfizer's vaccine story might one day inspire a Hollywood feature. "I hope someone talented portrays me," Susman mused, deferring casting choices to others.

Susman isn't stepping back immediately. This September, she will participate in a six-month program at the Aspen Institute focused on those striving for greater societal impact.

"It's a program that challenges individuals to contemplate their future paths," she remarked, deeply engaged in exploring her next chapter.