Holly Clark: How the Parexel Precision Pathway transforms clinical trial delivery

Tell us about yourself and your role at Parexel.

My name is Holly Clark, and I've been in the clinical research industry for over 20 years. I started as a clinical research coordinator working with patients, then moved into monitoring, project management, and operations.

After joining Parexel, I  served as Vice President, Operational Excellence & Delivery, in the delivery and execution team. I'm excited to share that I'm transitioning into a new leadership role on the Global Project Leadership team, but wanted to share insights from my time supporting the development of the Parexel Precision Pathway.

If you had to describe the culture at Parexel in one word, what would it be?

Genuine. You truly feel that the patient is at the heart of everything we do, from meetings to calls to presentations. We do things With Heart™ because we're passionate about our roles. It's not just a facade or something we say.

What would you say to a prospective employee exploring a role at Parexel?

Come! Bring it! I can't express how great it is to have engagement at every level, from top to bottom. It's a collaborative space where all hands are on deck to deliver for patients and customers. We're all there for the same reason.

How do insights drive operational excellence in clinical trials?

We were able to take that information and find ways to help everyone collaborate better and make things more efficient. At the end of the day, we're all working towards the same goal: getting medications to patients faster. It's great to pull those insights together and provide simplified solutions that make it easier for everyone to do their jobs.

What common challenges does the Parexel Precision Pathway solve?

I think we sometimes get caught up in our own areas and lose sight of the bigger picture. What we're doing is breaking down those silos and bringing our teams together to develop a true end-to-end strategy. That cross-functional approach and collaboration—where everyone brings their unique insights and expertise—that's what helps us deliver better and faster for our customers and patients.

How does the Parexel Precision Pathway deliver consistency in clinical trials?

The Parexel Precision Pathway delivers consistency in two main ways:

1. Data Strategy: Early on, we bring in our teams to focus on data. How do we monitor it? Where is the data coming from or going to? How do we make sure we deliver to our customers on time?
2. Oversight Framework: The Precision Pathway creates checkpoints at the right moments so teams can plan and prevent problems before they happen. When our people, processes, systems, and technology all work together seamlessly, our teams can focus on what really matters—the customer and the patient—and stay agile as the project moves forward.

What makes the pre-award phase so critical to clinical trial success?

We spent a lot of time on the pre-award phase—before a project even starts. We ask ourselves: Are we setting our teams up for success? Do we have the right data strategy, the right people, and the right insights? When we think about the end goal from the very beginning, our teams can hit the ground running and execute that strategy as soon as the project launches.

How does Parexel deliver insights before a clinical trial begins?

We have teams who are constantly engaging with customers and monitoring trends in different therapeutic areas. We're identifying where customers need support and where our expertise can make the biggest impact. By staying ahead of industry needs and maintaining our patient focus, we're already developing strategies to bring medications to market faster—even before a project officially starts.

How does the Parexel Precision Pathway improve project handover and launch?

It creates a smooth transition. When we're awarded a project and the delivery team takes over, our customers want to move quickly—and we're ready. The delivery team has everything they need, so we're not repeating conversations or going back to the customer for information we should already have. We can jump right in and start executing.

How does the Parexel Precision Pathway benefit patients?

It means we can deliver medications to patients faster without compromising quality. Patients are at the forefront of our strategy from day one. We're monitoring safety continuously and protecting data quality throughout the process. When it's time to submit to regulatory authorities, we're not scrambling or going back to fix things. Every second counts when patients are waiting for treatment. We do it right the first time—touch the data once, ensure its high quality, and get it out quickly.

What does success look like in your role?

Success means helping Parexel do what we do best—bringing drugs to market faster. We're delivering for patients and making sure they get new medications as quickly as possible. We're proactive, identifying opportunities and solutions before problems arise. We leverage our experience across the organization. If we're bringing new drugs to market efficiently, then we're doing our job and helping patients.

What inspires you to work in clinical research operations?

I do it because I love it. I've always had a passion for healthcare, and clinical research has given me so many ways to make an impact. I love the collaborative nature—bringing together different ideas and perspectives. That's where real innovation happens—when you combine experience and insights from different people. Operations gave me that opportunity every day, and I'm excited to bring these insights into my new role in Global Project Leadership.

• Strategic framework that breaks down silos and enables cross-functional collaboration in clinical trials
• Data strategy + oversight framework delivers consistency from pre-award through project completion
• Pre-award planning sets clinical trial teams up for success from day one
• Smooth handovers eliminate delays and redundant conversations with sponsors
• Patient-focused approach gets life-changing medicines to market faster without compromising quality
• Collaborative culture where CRAs, project managers, data managers, and clinical trial managers work as one team