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Rapid scientific growth was being constrained by unstable systems, service failures, poor supplier performance and escalating cyber risk. With digital foundations becoming a barrier to executing the business strategy, the client appointed Marlborough to stabilise performance, restore Board confidence and deliver a clear roadmap for a scalable, secure and value-driven digital model.
Posted Nov 5, 2025
Rapid growth inhibited by poorly performing Digital/Tech
Underperforming IT suppliers & recurring service issues
Limited innovation and value-add
Lack of business confidence/ growing frustration
Appointed by the Board
Led comprehensive independent review, presenting findings & actionable roadmap
Retailed to deliver improvements: spanning service, cyber, supplier transition & enhanced inhouse capability
Confidence restored, with clear digital strategy & roadmap
Step change in reliability, scalability & performance
Cyber risk reduced
Enhanced digital innovation, with in-house capability reset as a strategic partner
A pioneering biotech with a major research partnership with Oxford University was accelerating growth in rare disease innovation but facing significant digital and cyber constraints. The Board appointed Marlborough to conduct an independent review and restore confidence in delivery, which was critical to R&D performance, operational stability and regulatory compliance.
We deployed a senior team of former CIOs and digital specialists to rapidly assess digital performance, cyber security, architecture, service stability, supplier capability, the operating model, governance and ways of working.
Marlborough led an independent review of the organisation's Digital & Technology. The structured gap assessment identified key priorities for investment, risk mitigation, and transformation, ultimately as an enabler for our client's business growth plans.
Our review spanned both strategic and operational areas, including digital strategy, architecture, infrastructure, cyber and data security, sourcing, operating model, risk management, service design, and supplier performance. We also examined ways of working, talent, underlying IT issues and recurring 'problems' affecting business effectiveness.
Findings were walked through with the CEO and senior leadership, with clear “Start, Stop, Continue” recommendations and a focused transformation roadmap aligned to the company’s growth ambitions.
Ongoing Trusted advisor to senior Leadership.
Marlborough deployed a senior team with deep subject matter expertise and leadership experience — including former CIOs, CDOs, CISOs, and Big 4 consulting leaders.
The team conducted a comprehensive technical evaluation, reviewing over 50 strategic and operational documents and delivering a gap analysis with recommendations spanning technology, people, process, and data.
Assessed both symptoms and root causes of digital/ tech underperformance.
We contrasted our experience and observations with stakeholder perspectives gained across all business departments to gain an informed view on current Digital/IT performance, usage, what’s being valued, unmet business needs and factors important to our client’s future, such as innovation and effective collaboration with other pharmaceutical partners.
All work undertaken with energy, drive and a style proven to win ‘Hearts & Minds’ and bring stakeholders with us on the journey.
Injected Leading Practices: Frameworks used included ITIIL, Agile, TOGAF and the UK NCSC Cyber Assurance Framework.
Embedded agile delivery disciplines to improve pace and transparency.
Cyber risk mitigation using NCSC Cyber Assurance Framework.
Disaster recovery improvements.
Governance enhancements and controls.
Secure provider transition (MSP replacement).
VP Business Development
Outputs included a comprehensive independent review of our client’s Digital/ Technology, delivered very cost effectively within 6 weeks, with actionable observations and opportunities/ recommendations in support of our client’s business, including those related to business strategy, innovation, technology, good practice processes and frameworks, organisation and people.
As part of this assignment, observations and recommendations were presented by Marlborough to the CEO and Senior Leadership team. This presentation included clear recommendations of what to start, stop and continue and an Improvement Roadmap, focused on achieving a list of business outcomes agreed with business stakeholders.
with stronger Board-level engagement
improvements to controls, governance, and resilience
Agile ways of working re-established pace and performance
Marlborough was subsequently engaged by our client to support and drive delivery of the Roadmap, and deliver significant early value and a prioritised portfolio of improvement initiatives. Notably;
Taking a more forensic approach to challenge & address root causes of recurring IT problems, taking actions to both fix those problems and / or inform strategic IT and investment decisions, including application portfolio rationalization, upskilling permament teams and investment in cloud-based solutions.
Developing an RFP and running the successful selection of new IT Service Providers with the quality & scalability to support our client’s business growth plans and technology strategy.
"Marlborough was very professional…we are impressed but shocked by the depth of the findings. Great to have practical recommendations to put in place."
Group CFO
Management of process to strengthen inhouse IT Management capability, including Marlborough support for writing role specifications as part of the selection process and interviewing candidates.
Injecting Agile approaches to achieve momentum and incremental value.
Improvements included a significant step change in reliability, service performance, credibility of the digital team whilst unlocking greater business value from digital innovation.