VML Portugal has launched VML Health, appointing pharma communications expert Mariana Marta dos Santos as managing director. With over 15 years in global healthcare roles, she will lead the new division to deliver creative, science-led solutions. The move strengthens VML’s European health expansion following recent leadership appointments in France and the EU Hub.
VML Portugal has entered a new chapter in its evolution with the launch of VML Health, a specialised healthcare communications division designed to meet the rapidly changing needs of the global health sector. The expansion signals the agency’s intent to strengthen its capabilities in high-growth, high-complexity categories such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical innovation and patient-centric communications—sectors increasingly shaped by scientific advancement, regulatory change and digital transformation. Leading this new endeavour is pharma communications veteran Mariana Marta dos Santos, whose appointment as managing director brings both seasoned expertise and a forward-looking vision to the Portuguese market.
For Mariana, who began her career as a pharmacist before moving into brand and marketing leadership roles across major global health companies, the new mandate represents a chance to merge science, creativity and technology into work that directly impacts patient lives. With more than 15 years of experience across top pharmaceutical brands—including AstraZeneca, Viatris, Almirall and Esteve—she has built a career at the intersection of clinical insight and strategic storytelling. During her seven years as global respiratory manager at AstraZeneca, she led some of the company’s major initiatives in respiratory medicine and played a central role in global product launches, repositioning strategies and omnichannel campaigns. Her exposure across therapeutic areas—from oncology to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases—now positions her strongly to guide VML Health Portugal as it builds its footprint.
In announcing her role, Mariana said she sees this moment as one of unprecedented opportunity in healthcare communications. With science advancing at remarkable speed, with patients and healthcare professionals demanding more clarity, empathy and relevance, and with digital platforms reshaping how knowledge is shared, she believes Portugal is poised to take a leading role. “I’m thrilled to lead VML Health in Portugal at such an exciting time for healthcare communications,” she said. “We will leverage the award-winning resources within VML to combine creativity, science and technology to deliver meaningful solutions that improve patient outcomes and empower healthcare professionals. Portugal has incredible potential in this space, and I could not think of a better company from which to help shape the future of healthcare communications in our market.”
VML Portugal CEO Nuno Santos echoed this confidence, calling the launch a strategic move driven by growing client demand and the agency’s ambition to excel in specialised sectors. “The launch of VML Health in Portugal is a testament to our commitment to growth in specialised sectors,” he said. “Healthcare is a truly dynamic and vital industry, and Mariana’s track record, health expertise and leadership make her the ideal person to spearhead this expansion to deliver world-class solutions for our clients.” With Portugal strengthening its presence in European clinical research, biotechnology and med-tech innovation, VML sees the moment as ripe for a more substantial, structured presence in health communications—one that can bring global standards and local insight together.
From a global perspective, the launch fits into a broader wave of expansion for VML Health across Europe, as the company positions itself as a cross-continental powerhouse in healthcare advertising and communications. Earlier this year, the company appointed Philippe Huot-Louradour as director of VML Health France and established a new EU Hub under the leadership of Nick Bartlett. Both moves reflect the company’s belief that health communications must be increasingly integrated, scalable and strategic across the region. Portugal, with its rising investment in healthcare innovation and its growing pool of scientific talent, is seen as an ideal next step.
For Claire Gillis, global CEO of VML Health, Mariana’s arrival marks more than a regional appointment—it signifies a commitment to excellence and innovation. “Mariana’s deep understanding of the pharmaceutical landscape and her passion for innovation make her the perfect leader for VML Health Portugal,” Gillis said. “The combination of her specialist expertise with VML’s human-first creative mantra will ensure we deliver outstanding support to our clients as we navigate the industry’s challenges and opportunities.”
The emphasis on a “human-first” approach is central to VML Health’s philosophy. While the healthcare sector has traditionally leaned toward scientific precision and heavily regulated messaging, the agency believes that creativity and emotional intelligence are increasingly essential. Patients today expect communication that acknowledges their lived experiences, while healthcare professionals look for clarity, utility and evidence-based content delivered through channels that fit seamlessly into their workflows. Mariana’s diverse background, spanning clinical training and global brand leadership, is expected to help bridge these expectations.
Her experience also aligns with the sector’s pivot toward integrated, omnichannel campaigns that reach audiences consistently and meaningfully. During her previous roles, she helped orchestrate campaigns that extended across digital platforms, patient education initiatives and professional engagement channels—skills that will be crucial as VML Health Portugal strengthens its client services. As hybrid medical conferences, telehealth, wearable technologies and AI-driven diagnostics become mainstream, the ability to craft coherent, tailored narratives across a wide range of touchpoints is increasingly a differentiator.
Another dimension of VML Health’s growth is its focus on empowering healthcare professionals, a group whose communication needs have become more complex. From navigating scientific updates to engaging with digital patient tools, clinicians rely on clear, timely information delivered through intuitive formats. VML Health aims to support this through creative solutions that do more than inform—they must motivate, clarify and enable practical action. Mariana’s global experience in respiratory, oncology and metabolic therapeutic areas offers a strategic foundation for creating this type of high-value communication.
The creation of VML Health Portugal also aligns with growing client expectations for specialised agencies that understand nuanced regulatory environments, scientific accuracy and the ethical considerations of speaking to patients with serious conditions. Portugal’s own healthcare ecosystem is undergoing transformation, with increased investment in research, stronger collaborations between universities and biotechnology firms, and a rise in start-ups tackling diagnostics, digital therapeutics and personalised medicine. VML’s entry into this space suggests a belief that the communications capabilities must evolve alongside scientific development.
For VML Portugal, the launch also expands the agency’s capabilities beyond traditional marketing and advertising, allowing it to serve a broader portfolio of clients with end-to-end solutions that blend data, creativity and technological innovation. While the immediate focus will be on pharmaceuticals and medical brands, the long-term ambition is expected to include digital health platforms, wellness brands, biotech innovators and public health initiatives.
Mariana’s appointment takes effect immediately, and the industry will be watching how VML Health Portugal shapes its early partnerships, builds its specialist team and introduces its approach to the local market. The combination of global backing, European momentum and deep local expertise positions the agency as a new force in Portugal’s health communications landscape. If its leaders’ optimism is any indication, VML Health is not only entering the market—it hopes to redefine it.
With healthcare becoming increasingly complex yet deeply personal, the need for communications that bridge scientific knowledge and human experience has never been greater. VML Health Portugal begins its journey at a moment when the stakes are high, the opportunities vast and the potential for meaningful impact stronger than ever.
