Built by operators, for operators
Upper Echelon Management exists because too many high-science launches are run by people who have never carried the bag or led the team. We bring a team of 20+ senior operators with deep field-up commercial and distribution experience to the launches that matter most.
Operators across 10+ countries, united by one mission: de-risking your U.S. launch
We work with biopharma companies around the world -- from Tokyo to London to Bogota -- to bring advanced metabolic and specialty therapies to the U.S. market. Our globally distributed team means we understand the regulatory, cultural, and commercial nuances of cross-border launches, and we are positioned to support clients in any time zone, at any stage of their U.S. entry journey.
The partners who lead every engagement
Senior leaders with 15-18+ years each in commercial pharma, biotech, and specialty launches. Every client engagement is directed by this team.
Alexandra "Alex" Cortez
🇺🇸Managing Partner, Advanced Metabolic & Obesity Practice
Virginia, USA
Alexandra leads Echelon's Advanced Metabolic & Obesity Practice, overseeing launch architecture, retention strategy, and cross-functional squad design for complex metabolic and obesity therapies. She has more than 18 years of experience in commercial and market access roles across top-50 pharma and biotech companies, including multiple GLP-1 and obesity launches. Before joining Echelon in 2016, Alex held regional and national leadership positions at a global pharma company and a leading commercialization partner, where she built and scaled specialty field teams.
BS Biology, UCLA | MBA, University of Michigan Ross School of Business
Kenji Nakamura
🇯🇵Partner, Launch Architecture & US Entry Practice
Tokyo, Japan
Kenji leads Echelon's Launch Architecture & US Entry Practice, specializing in helping EU and Japanese biopharma companies navigate their first U.S. launches. Over the past 17 years, he has designed and executed launch blueprints for metabolic, oncology, and rare disease assets at several top-25 pharma companies and a major commercialization competitor. His work spans segmentation, access strategy, and field model design for high-stakes therapies. Kenji joined Echelon in 2018 after leadership roles in global marketing and commercial excellence.
BA Economics, Keio University | MBA, Hitotsubashi University ICS
Mei Lin
🇨🇳Partner, Talent Architecture & Field Excellence
Shenzhen, China
Mei leads Echelon's Talent Architecture & Field Excellence practice, focusing on squad design, selection frameworks, and new-manager development for specialty and metabolic launches. She brings 16 years of experience in sales leadership and commercial HR business partnering for top-50 pharma companies, where she built high-performing field teams and led national manager-readiness programs. Mei joined Echelon in 2021 after serving as a commercial HR leader for a large U.S. biotech.
BS Psychology, Tsinghua University | MBA, CEIBS (China Europe International Business School)
Diego Alvarez
🇨🇴Partner, Real-World Retention & Access Strategy
Bogota, Colombia
Diego leads the Real-World Retention & Access Strategy group, integrating real-world evidence, HEOR insights, and payer dynamics into practical persistence and access programs. With 18 years in market access, HEOR, and RWE functions at global pharma and a major contract commercialization organization, he has supported launches in diabetes, obesity, and cardio-renal-metabolic disease across the U.S. and Europe. Diego joined Echelon in 2014 and has been instrumental in building the firm's Retention Engine methodology.
BS Health Policy, Universidad de los Andes | MBA, Universidad de los Andes School of Management
Sophia Gallagher, RN, MSN
🇬🇧Director, Clinical Operations & Patient Support Design
London, United Kingdom
Sophia oversees clinical program design for patient support, nurse liaison models, and titration/onboarding pathways. A registered nurse with 15 years' experience in endocrinology and cardiology programs, she has led clinical implementation teams for GLP-1, SGLT2, and obesity therapies. Before joining Echelon in 2020, she worked in patient support operations for a top-10 pharma company and a national specialty hub provider.
BSN, University of Edinburgh | MSN Nursing Administration, University of Pennsylvania
The operators who execute the work
Specialists across field strategy, market access, RWE, compliance, KOL programs, training, analytics, and organizational readiness -- each with 15+ years of hands-on pharma and biotech experience.
Daniel "Danny" Brooks
🇺🇸Senior Consultant, Compliance & Risk-Informed Design
Washington, D.C., USA
Danny advises on commercial and field-facing design that is compliant with evolving U.S. regulations in pharma and biotech. With 17 years in compliance and commercial operations roles across two top-20 pharma companies and a large contract commercialization firm, he has supported multiple high-visibility metabolic and specialty launches. Danny joined Echelon in 2016 and helps clients build programs that are both commercially effective and audit-ready.
BA Political Science, University of Virginia | JD
Ethan Carter
🇺🇸Senior Consultant, Commercial Finance & Launch Economics
Chicago, USA
Ethan brings 15 years of experience in commercial finance and forecasting for pharma and biotech, including multiple metabolic and specialty launches. He has worked at two top-25 pharma companies and a major consulting firm, focusing on launch forecasting, scenario planning, and investment prioritization. Ethan joined Echelon in 2018 and helps clients quantify the economic impact of launch and retention decisions.
BS Finance, University of Illinois | MBA, Duke University Fuqua School of Business
Jing Chen
🇨🇳Senior Consultant, Real-World Evidence & Outcomes Integration
Shanghai, China
Jing partners with Diego and client HEOR teams to ensure real-world insights inform launch and retention strategy. She has 16 years of experience in RWE and outcomes research roles across top-50 pharma and a global CRO, with a portfolio that includes diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular programs. Jing joined Echelon in 2020 and is known for translating complex data into clear, commercially relevant recommendations.
BS Biostatistics, Peking University | MPH, Fudan University School of Public Health
Priya Desai
🇮🇳Senior Consultant, Omnichannel & Patient Experience
Mumbai, India
Priya focuses on omnichannel design and patient experience programs that support adherence and engagement. Over 15 years in commercial and digital roles at large pharma and a leading digital health company, she has built HCP and patient journeys for GLP-1, cardio-renal, and autoimmune launches. She joined Echelon in 2018 and works closely with Sophia and Diego to integrate clinical, digital, and access levers into cohesive Retention Engines.
BS Marketing, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay | MBA, Northwestern Kellogg School of Management
Rafael "Rafa" Jiménez
🇺🇸Senior Consultant, KOL & Speaker Program Strategy
Houston, USA
Rafa designs KOL engagement and speaker program strategies that are clinically credible and commercially effective. He brings 15 years of experience in professional education and medical marketing roles at top-50 pharma companies, with significant work in diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular spaces. Rafa joined Echelon in 2019 and helps clients identify and activate the right thought leaders while maintaining compliance and scientific integrity.
BS Communications, UT Austin | MBA, Rice University
Marcus Lee
🇰🇷Senior Consultant, Field Analytics & Performance Optimization
Seoul, South Korea
Marcus supports clients in building field performance dashboards, incentive models, and territory optimization approaches that align with launch and retention goals. With 16 years in commercial analytics and sales operations roles at large pharma and a top-tier analytics vendor, he has supported multiple GLP-1 and specialty launches. Marcus joined Echelon in 2017 and is known for turning complex data into simple, actionable tools for field leaders.
BS Statistics, KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology) | MBA, Seoul National University
Luis Martinez
🇺🇸Principal Consultant, Field Strategy & Squad Deployment
Miami, USA
Luis focuses on field force design, deployment, and performance management for complex specialty and metabolic launches. Over 16 years in pharma and biotech, he has held district and regional leadership roles with top-50 companies and a global contract commercialization firm, leading launches in diabetes, respiratory, and immunology. Luis joined Echelon in 2019 and specializes in translating launch blueprints into workable territory designs, incentive structures, and day-to-day field execution plans.
BA Business Administration, University of Florida | MBA, NYU Stern School of Business
Claudia Morales, RN, MSN
🇺🇸Senior Consultant, Nurse Liaison & Patient Support Models
San Antonio, USA
Claudia designs and optimizes nurse liaison and patient support models that underpin adherence and persistence for metabolic and specialty therapies. A registered nurse with 17 years of experience in diabetes and cardiovascular programs, she has led clinical education and patient services teams at top-50 pharma companies and national hubs. Claudia joined Echelon in 2022 and works closely with Sophia on clinical-grade patient journey and support designs.
BSN, UT Health Science Center San Antonio | MSN, Vanderbilt University
Christopher "Chris" O'Neill
🇫🇷Principal Consultant, Access & Channel Strategy
Paris, France
Chris works with clients on payer, distribution, and channel strategies that support both access and persistence for advanced metabolic and obesity therapies. With 18 years in market access and trade/channel roles at large pharma and specialty distributors, he has guided multiple GLP-1 and cardio-metabolic launches through complex PBM and specialty pharmacy landscapes. Chris joined Echelon in 2015 and leads many of the firm's payer-facing workstreams.
BS Finance, HEC Paris | MBA, Columbia Business School
Naomi Park
🇰🇷Senior Consultant, Pricing & Contracting Strategy
Seoul, South Korea
Naomi focuses on pricing, contracting, and value communication strategies for advanced metabolic and specialty products. With 16 years in pricing and market access roles at global pharma and a leading HEOR consultancy, she has guided several GLP-1 and obesity therapies through complex payer negotiations. Naomi joined Echelon in 2021 and supports clients in aligning price, access, and outcomes narratives.
BA Economics, Yonsei University | MBA, KAIST College of Business
Marisol Reyes
🇲🇽Senior Consultant, Training & New Manager Development
Mexico City, Mexico
Marisol leads Echelon's training and new-manager coaching programs, with a focus on first-time leaders in metabolic and specialty franchises. Over 15 years, she has served as a specialty sales leader and commercial training director at two top-25 pharma companies, developing curricula for GLP-1, obesity, and cardiovascular launches. She joined Echelon in 2021 and designs practical, field-tested programs that support launch execution and retention initiatives.
BS Nursing, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) | MBA, Emory University Goizueta Business School
Isabella "Bella" Ruiz
🇮🇹Senior Consultant, Cardiometabolic Portfolio Strategy
Milan, Italy
Bella specializes in portfolio strategy and lifecycle planning for cardiometabolic and obesity franchises. She brings 15 years of experience in brand management and lifecycle strategy at top-50 pharma companies, working across diabetes, lipid, heart failure, and obesity assets. Bella joined Echelon in 2020 after leading cross-indication strategy for a major cardiometabolic portfolio.
BS Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bocconi University | MBA, UT Austin McCombs School of Business
Yuki Sato
🇯🇵Senior Consultant, Medical-Commercial Interface
Osaka, Japan
Yuki focuses on alignment between medical affairs and commercial teams in advanced metabolic and specialty launches. She has 15 years of experience spanning medical affairs operations, MSL team coordination, and commercial collaboration at global pharma and biotechs. Yuki joined Echelon in 2019 and helps clients design compliant, effective touchpoints between field medical, sales, and market access.
BS Biomedical Sciences, University of Tokyo | MPH, Kyoto University
Hiroko Tan
🇩🇪Principal Consultant, US Market Entry & Partner Models
Frankfurt, Germany
Hiroko supports EU and Asia-based clients in structuring U.S. entry models, including proxy offices, partnership structures, and phased field build-outs. She has 17 years of experience in commercial strategy and alliance management for top-50 pharma and large biotechs, with particular depth in Japan-US and EU-US collaboration models. Hiroko joined Echelon in 2022 from a major biopharma where she led cross-border launch initiatives in metabolic and oncology.
BA International Relations, Heidelberg University | MBA, WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management
Emily Watson
🇨🇭Senior Consultant, Organizational Change & Launch Readiness
Basel, Switzerland
Emily focuses on organizational readiness and change management for first-time or high-stakes launches. With 17 years in commercial effectiveness and org development roles at large pharma and a global consultancy, she has led launch readiness and change programs across metabolic, oncology, and immunology portfolios. Emily joined Echelon in 2016 and helps clients align structure, governance, and behaviors to launch ambitions.
BA Sociology, University of Zurich | MBA, University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management
How we operate
Principal-Led, Always
Every engagement is led by senior leadership. No bait-and-switch. No junior analysts doing the real work while the partner moves on.
Clinical-Commercial Blend
70% commercial rigor, 30% clinical fluency. We speak the language of CCOs and physicians alike, because your launch needs both.
No-Handoff Model
From stress test through month twelve, the same team that diagnosed the problem designs and governs the solution.
Evidence-Grounded
Every recommendation connects to real-world persistence data, payer behavior, and guideline evolution -- never to slideware or theory.
Operator Mentality
We have carried the bag, led the team, and been accountable for the number. Our advice comes from having done the work, not observed it.
Built for Intensity
Every client gets undivided leadership attention -- not diluted across a portfolio of 20 accounts.
Selective engagements across specialty biopharma
While our core focus is advanced metabolic and obesity therapies, our operator-led model and launch architecture methodology extend to other high-science categories where persistence, access, and clinical dialogue are decisive.
Oncology Supportive Care
Launch strategy for supportive care therapies in complex treatment protocols.
Rare Disease & Orphan
Precision deployment for small-population launches with specialty pharmacy and access complexity.
CNS & Neurology
Commercial architecture for CNS assets where KOL engagement and treatment persistence are decisive.
Immunology & Inflammation
Field model design and payer strategy for competitive specialty categories.
Want to learn how Echelon can support your launch?
Whether you are based in the U.S., Europe, Japan, or anywhere else with a therapy ready for the American market -- schedule a 30-minute Launch Stress Test to explore fit.
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