Cactus Life Sciences is a scientific communications agency that partners with blue-chip pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide. The company has announced that Oliver Dennis has joined as Chairman, to work alongside co-founder Anurag Goel. Cactus Life Sciences, headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, is renowned for its global operating models that deliver exceptional science, innovation, and efficiency. The company was established in 2010.
“We’re delighted to have someone with Oliver’s experience of growing businesses join the team,” said Goel. “Cactus Life Sciences is about to undertake an exciting buy-and-build strategy. And Oliver is the perfect addition with his deep history in healthcare communications, having founded Fishawack Health® (now Avalere®).”
During his time at Fishawack, Dennis acquired 17 businesses over 13 years, including medical communications and branding agencies, strategic healthcare consultancies, and market access and HEOR advisory firms. He led four management buyouts, taking the business from a startup to over 1,400 employees spread across 22 offices, spanning from San Diego to Singapore. In his new role, Dennis will help shape the future vision for Cactus Life Sciences as a strategic, agile, tech-enabled, and outcomes-focused healthcare communications agency partner. His goal is to take on traditional agencies that have lost agility and identity in the pursuit of maximizing profit. Dennis will play an active role in driving the inorganic growth strategy for the business, while pursuing his passion for bringing together people from different businesses and disciplines to collaborate on better outcomes for clients, patients, and employees.
“I’ve been following Cactus Life Sciences over the last 10 years and they’re a great organization. I’m excited to be joining them. They’ve grown consistently and they have the ambition to become the next-generation challenger brand to the traditional players in the market,” said Dennis. “This is an opportunity to do something with a greater focus on solving client challenges, improving health outcomes, and nurturing our people.”
“Too many companies get to a size where they lose their sense of purpose, values, and forget about individuality. As we work toward transforming Cactus Life Sciences into an agency of the future, we want to ensure that we do so while ensuring that patients and our people are at the core of everything we do,” said Elvira D’souza, President of Cactus Life Sciences.