E.D. Derilus Helps Build Trust and Open Doors

Q: What drew you to your field and how did you come to work at Gilead?

I majored in biology with a minor in chemistry. I considered attending medical school or pursuing lab research, but for financial reasons I had to pivot. After years of working for clinical research organizations and completing graduate school, I began a career in clinical operations.

I eventually took a leap of faith and applied for a Disclosure and Transparency (D&T) role, which at the time was a niche and unknown space in pharma, as posting clinical trial protocol summaries and results in the public domain was not done at the time. I was excited about the opportunity to help build trust between the pharmaceutical industry and the public. I’ve now had the privilege of helping build D&T teams for four pharma companies over the years, most recently at Gilead.

During my undergraduate research years, I was passionate about retroviruses and wanted to cure HIV/AIDS. I spent a few years in the lab dreaming about a cure. Fast forward to 2018, the opportunity to work for a company that has long been a leader in HIV research and development was a perfect match. Gilead’s dedication to not just treating diseases, but ultimately finding ways to cure them, is why I hope my career here is long.

Q: Can you tell us more about the role of the Disclosure and Transparency team?

I have the privilege of leading 13 brilliant individuals who are very passionate about our work, which includes disclosing clinical documents on required external websites, redacting clinical documents for health authority submissions and managing external data sharing.

Our work ensures Gilead and Kite remain in compliance with global requirements – and the information we publish helps build trust among the communities we serve. The D&T team plays a big role in safeguarding the company’s reputation by posting a summary of our protocol before the study starts and posting the results after the study ends, regardless of the outcome. We're also working to promote health literacy with public plain-language summaries of clinical study results, written for a general audience. This empowers members of the communities we serve to make informed decisions about their personal health.

This work is very rewarding, and it’s our team’s contribution to fulfilling Gilead’s vision of creating a healthier world for all people.

Q: What do the company’s efforts to prioritize equity, diversity and inclusion mean to you?

Gilead is the smallest company I’ve worked for, but the accomplishments and commitment to these principles are industry-leading. Gilead is a workplace for the best of the best – which, as you can see walking around our campus, helps lead to a diverse and inclusive environment. There is always more work to do, but we’re definitely headed in the right direction.

I’ve had the privilege of co-leading two groups committed to promoting inclusion and diversity within our Development organization – the Development Diversity Council and the Development Inclusion Network. I’m passionate about inclusion and diversity for two primary reasons. First, as a Black man, I know firsthand how hard it was to get into the pharmaceutical industry. When I got in, even though I was qualified and had a graduate degree, I still had to start at the bottom because I didn’t have anyone advocating for me. This is why I do my best to help open doors for talented people to get a chance to contribute and make a difference. I’ve also been proud to see Gilead working to become an industry leader in opening these doors through initiatives such as partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic-Serving Institutions.

The second reason is I fully embrace our Core Values of Inclusion and Excellence; I feel the two are connected. For us to operate with excellence we must be inclusive and diverse. To be great, we need people who think differently and bring diverse experiences to the table.

Q: What have you gained personally from your experience here?

I apply Gilead’s Leadership Commitments – I Am Bold, I Care, I Listen, I Trust and I Own – to all aspects of my life. In particular, I’ve learned to listen better and be more trusting. For example, I realized I tended to interrupt people so I didn’t forget what I wanted to say. Now I write my thoughts down and wait until a person has finished before speaking. By fully embracing these commitments, I’m not only becoming a better leader, but also a better husband, father, sibling and friend.