About Us

EXPERIENCE. KNOWLEDGE. STRATEGY.

Our Expertise

At Confluence, we are dedicated to better health outcomes.

We help health innovators overcome the policy and process barriers that come with introducing new solutions to market.

When you partner with us, you benefit from an international network of consultants, each with specialised experience, knowledge, and connections to give you confidence of the best chance of success.

Our Principal

Dr Franz Pichler – Founder and Principal

Franz specialises in health system reform and addressing the challenges of disruptive innovation, including governance and the use of real-world evidence, precision medicine, Health Technology Assessment (HTA), and digital health.

He works with commercial health innovators, trade associations, governments, and not-for-profits to create effective health systems and outcomes.

Franz has a PhD in Genetics and over 10 years of research experience in biotech-related functional genomics, including establishing a commercial gene expression facility.

He has over 15 years’ experience in pharmaceutical regulation and Health Technology Assessment (HTA), including nine years as Senior Director of Global Public Policy at Eli Lilly and Company.

Franz has extensive experience serving and leading trade association committees including for efpia, PhRMA, RDPAC and PhRMA Japan.

He has served on the Board and Executive Committee of the professional society HTAi, giving him unique insights into HTA effectiveness, challenges, and best practice policy. He is an Advisory Member of the 23Strands Scientific and Medical Panel.

Franz is based in Sydney and consults internationally.

Contact Franz

Our Partners and Consultants

We have strategic partnerships with consulting firms and subject matter experts, allowing you to draw on diverse specialist expertise.

Partners

Strategic planning and commercialisation

Japan-based think-tank and consultancy

Japan-based government affairs consulting

Subject Matter Experts

NICHOLETTE CONWAY
Precision Medicine and Education

Nicholette is passionate about delivering timely and equitable access to new and innovative treatments for all Australians by putting patients first, embracing new technologies and innovations, and fostering cross-functional collaboration. Central to delivering better patient outcomes is demonstrating the clinical and economic value delivered by Precision Medicine to all stakeholders.

Nicholette Conway (BPharm), EMBA (UNSW) has been working in healthcare for over 25 years. She has worked in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and diagnostic industries, and has significant experience in multiple disciplines from clinical research, market access to commercialization. Nicholette is on the board of Genetic Alliance Australia, works across the medical technology and pharmaceutical industry.

EVAN LEE
Public Health and Clinical Medicine

Based in Geneva, Evan consults on projects that focus on access to quality healthcare and medical technologies in middle and lower-income countries.

He has a BA from Harvard, an MD from New York University, and an MBA from MIT.
Evan has worked across global health, with organisations including Médecins Sans Frontières, the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics and Management Sciences for Health, as well as Eli Lilly where he led Global Health Programs.

VANESSA MEIKLE
Executive Leader and Search Expert, Talent Advisor, Organisational Coach

Vanessa has dedicated her career to attracting, recruiting, and retaining talent for the healthcare and life science industries. For over 20 years she has partnered with employers and professionals from organisations of all sizes within healthcare, health technology, medical devices, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals.

With qualifications in psychology, organisational and career coaching, Vanessa identifies and connects executive talent to global opportunities, accelerating individual and business performance.

Vanessa draws on her extensive network to help clients of Confluence identify and engage talent to support market strategies.