Syneos Health Podcast | Functionally Speaking Series

What does it take to run a truly effective Functional Service Provider (FSP) model in today’s biopharma landscape? From harmonizing global teams to embedding innovation into daily delivery, FSP engagement is more than a resourcing solution — it’s about strategic collaboration and approaches that accelerate delivery.

The Syneos Health Podcast: Functionally Speaking series explores the nuances that make these models work. Hosted by Lynn Hamilton, this series features candid conversations with operational leaders across safety and pharmacovigilance, biometrics, regulatory, clinical operations and more. Together, we examine what’s changing in the field, what best practices are emerging and how organizations are adapting their models to keep pace with complex pipelines and global demands.

Whether you’re re-evaluating your current FSP approach or building one from the ground up, this series offers a grounded, expert-driven perspective on what functional excellence really looks like in practice.

Scroll down to listen to all available episodes as we offer firsthand insights from those leading delivery — sharing lessons learned, functional innovations and the behind-the-scenes decisions that make the difference between good and great execution.

The views expressed in this podcast belong solely to the speakers and do not represent those of their organization.

Episode 1 | FSP for SMID Sponsors: Navigating Complexity with Flexibility and Trust

In this episode, host Lynn Hamilton welcomes Matt Lawton, Executive Director of FSP Delivery at Syneos Health, to explore the unique challenges and opportunities facing small-to-mid-size (SMID) biopharma sponsors. Often operating with leaner resources and evolving pipelines, these companies require partners who can flex with their journey — not just deliver headcount.

With over 15 years of experience guiding functional partnerships, Matt offers grounded insights on how to build trust-based FSP models tailored to each sponsor’s origin, stage and future goals.

Episode 2 | Clinical Operations for Large Pharma: Navigating Model Evolution With Agility

In this episode, host Lynn Hamilton sits down with Wayne Wise, Vice President of Clinical Operations at Syneos Health, to explore the real-world shifts happening in large pharma partnerships. With nearly two decades at the company and deep cross-functional experience, Wayne shares how agility, strategic governance and trust-based team leadership are reshaping FSP delivery models.