Finalist
Lois Bryant
Summary of work
In fewer than seven years, Lois Bryant has distinguished herself as a strategic healthcare communications leader, translating complex policy into action that drives measurable patient impact.
Since joining Gilead in 2021, Lois has been promoted at every performance cycle to Senior Manager, Government Affairs — reflecting performance excellence and deep organisational trust. She is consistently relied upon to lead high‑impact, enterprise‑level work, including development of the UK & Ireland Corporate External Affairs strategy and chairing the External Affairs Committee overseeing crisis communications. She also plays a pivotal role in shaping Gilead’s HIV government affairs strategy, applying tenacity and strategic clarity to help ensure the UK & Ireland remain on track to reach zero new HIV transmissions and AIDS‑related deaths by 2030.
Lois has delivered strategies across Oncology, HIV, Hepatitis and Corporate, translating complex system barriers into policy action. She led the transformation of the award‑winning Unseen, Unheard play into a policy programme and system partnership improving breast cancer diagnosis for Black women, converting cultural advocacy into tangible outcomes.
Alongside full-time work, she completed a Master’s in Journalism (Distinction), strengthening her ability to distil complexity into persuasive strategy. She builds high‑trust relationships, manages budgets responsibly, and consistently delivers high‑impact outcomes.
Judges’ comments
Lois’ application showed clear progression, with leadership beyond her core role coming through well. Her work across D&I, mental health and wider initiatives highlights a genuine commitment beyond day‑to‑day delivery. The judges were delighted to see an industry candidate and the blend of public and Government affairs and market access.
