Success can be measured in different ways, but for Merck Canada, it’s simple: leverage the power of cutting-edge science to improve the lives of Canadians. As a top five global biopharmaceutical leader with a track record of success, Merck Canada has been delivering innovative health solutions that drive the development of innovative medicines and vaccines for over a century.

The company has a history of bringing strong leadership to the C-suite, recently adding David D. Jones to its diverse roster. Before his appointment as managing director of Merck Canada, Jones served as vice president of primary care, specialty medicines and vaccines for MSD Japan (Merck is known globally as MSD outside of North America). 

He’s held multiple U.S. and global commercial leadership roles across various therapeutic areas prior to his move to Tokyo. Now that Jones is settled in his new role, he recently spoke to Canadian Business to share his insight on the company’s inspiring legacy in health care. We also explore how his overseas experience will invigorate Merck Canada as he aims to challenge the status quo.

What unique insights from your time in Japan and other global markets are you bringing to your role at Merck Canada?

I’ve been with Merck for more than 22 years. I started working as a sales representative in Washington, D.C., gradually expanding into different managerial roles over time. Then in 2021, I had the chance to move to Tokyo, Japan, and lead our non-oncology portfolio. This included 33 products that spanned primary care, specialty medicines, vaccines and rare diseases. 

During that time, the key focus and largest opportunity was always human papillomavirus (commonly known as HPV) prevention. At that point, Japan had the highest rate of cervical cancer within the G7 due to significantly low vaccination rates. There was an immense amount of work done from a public and private standpoint to emphasize the importance of HPV prevention and to change the trajectory. 

I reflect on this time quite often now that I’m in Canada, considering the state of HPV prevention is completely different here. Provincial governments established vaccination programs nearly 20 years ago, and in 2006, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer introduced an action plan to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040. 

However, from the current vantage point, we are not on track to meet this goal. There are gaps in the broader health care ecosystem, coupled with vaccine fatigue and lack of urgency. This is why I see opportunities to engage in both public and private partnerships to reignite the conversation. 

Let’s talk a bit about you as a young biracial executive in a traditionally homogenous industry. How do you think your leadership style may challenge the status quo, and why do you think that’s important?

I’m an American born in the United Kingdom. I spent many years abroad since my father worked for the U.S. government. My mother is white, and my father is African American, and I learned from a young age how to navigate different cultures. 

I can undoubtedly say that my background and lived experience as a biracial man in the corporate world has allowed me to be more open-minded and empathetic. I think this is especially important in today’s context, since more than a quarter of Canada’s population identifies as visible minorities. 

Merck Canada’s focus is to ensure we can serve Canada’s diverse landscape. We have a team that is able to understand the needs of different communities, and as an organization, we value cultural exchanges and varied perspectives. This is the only way that we can innovate and continuously learn to address our patient needs. 

Merck has a long-standing legacy in vaccine development and innovative medicine. What are your priorities as you lead the company into its next phase of growth in Canada?

Merck has been around in Canada for over a century, and we’re a company that has a broad portfolio that focuses on vaccines, oncology, infectious diseases, and specialty medicines to treat rare diseases. 

We currently have the largest oncology therapy portfolio, as well as the largest non-COVID vaccine in the world. As I step into this role, my priority remains focused on our existing portfolio and ensuring Canadians have access to our innovative medicines and vaccines. 

That being said, we are also looking ahead to our pipeline, which will change the DNA of our company. In a decade, we will hopefully have new products approved by Health Canada that address the different and evolving needs of the population beyond oncology and vaccines. 

What are some of the key health challenges Canadians are facing today, and how is Merck Canada working toward alleviating some of those challenges?

Canada is a unique country that has both an aging population and a strong immigration policy to offset and balance out the decline. With an aging population, disease patterns such as diabetes, heart disease, dementia and cancer tend to emerge. We are definitely looking at how we can help support this group from an innovation perspective to address these core health care needs. 

We also know that there are major gaps in treatment and care when it comes to rural communities, low-income areas and marginalized individuals. Going back to our point on diversity, it’s important we have the right team with varying degrees of intersectional experience to help tackle some of these gaps in our society. 

This is also another area where government bodies can partner with industry to help bridge the gap and ensure all Canadians have adequate access to our medicines and vaccines. 

Visit merck.ca to learn more about Merck Canada.