1. What distinguishes a scientifically promising ophthalmology innovation from one that’s truly scalable and commercially viable? What role should large players like Bausch + Lomb play in nurturing such convergence?
There’s a big difference between what looks promising in a lab and what improves patient outcomes at scale. Scientific rigor and data matter greatly, but so does manufacturability, regulatory path, ease of use, and alignment with how care is, and will be, delivered in the real world.
At Bausch + Lomb, we evaluate innovation with both a scientific lens and a systems view. We ask: Is it solving a meaningful problem in a way that’s intuitive and impactful for providers and patients? Can it be integrated into clinical workflows to streamline and simplify processes? Will it demonstrate value, and will it be reimbursed?
That’s where large players like us can make a real difference. We’re not just capital providers, we’re scale enablers. We bring regulatory expertise, global commercial infrastructure, deep knowledge of disease and, increasingly, data and digital tools to help shape innovation so it’s not just exciting on paper, but also implementable in the real world. But we also bring empathy. We spend a lot of time understanding the unmet needs. We’re not here just to acquire innovation. We want to shape it, scale it, and ensure it reaches the people who need it the most.
2. How does your scientific background inform your approach to corporate development, especially when balancing build vs. buy vs. partner decisions?
Having a PhD in molecular biology gives me a deep appreciation for science and a pretty good radar for what’s robust versus what might be hype. That scientific fluency shapes how I evaluate opportunities, whether it’s an early-stage platform or a late-stage asset.
But in corporate development, it’s not just about the data. It’s about fit and timing. We build when we want full control or have a unique capability. We buy when speed and scale matter, or when the IP is critical. And we partner when collaboration unlocks value that neither side could achieve alone; when we can combine our scale and market insight with a partner’s deep domain expertise or novel capabilities.
The key is knowing where the science is going and what the company needs to stay at the forefront. Science gives us confidence to bet early, but strategy helps us place the right bets.
3. Where are you seeing the most immediate and high-value applications of AI in ophthalmology, and how are you using AI to drive enterprise-wide strategy?
AI is already transforming how we work. In ophthalmology, we’re seeing impact in areas like better screening and detection of diseases. Earlier diagnosis can lead to earlier treatment, which, in many cases, could slow the progression of the disease. The field is moving towards prediction and using AI to anticipate disease progression and personalize treatment.
At Bausch + Lomb, we’re using AI across the business to drive real results. In manufacturing, we asked whether AI could improve contact lens yield. After a successful pilot, we scaled the solution globally and achieved meaningful improvements in efficiency and output. In our pharmaceuticals business, we built an omnichannel platform that delivers real-time insights and recommends next-best actions to our field teams. It has improved productivity and enabled more targeted, effective engagement with healthcare providers.
We’re applying the same mindset to R&D, using AI to identify novel targets and patient subtypes in serious retinal diseases. We’re also adopting AI tools to improve efficiency in our clinical development and regulatory functions. In our global consumer eye care business, we’re using generative AI to scale creative content that is personalized, brand-right, and distinctly Bausch + Lomb.
AI is not just a tool for us. It is an integral part of our strategy, helping us move faster, make smarter decisions, and stay more connected to the people we serve.
4. What does successful digital transformation look like at Bausch + Lomb,and how are you building organizational readiness to support it?
We don’t think of digital transformation as a tech project; it’s an enterprise mind shift. It shows up in how we engage with our customers, discover new drug targets, improve efficiency in manufacturing, and make commercial decisions, all with the aim of better serving our patients and customers and becoming the best eye health company.
To build readiness, we started with proof points. Early pilots that delivered real value, whether it was driving engagement with our prescribers, reducing content production timelines, improving manufacturing yield, or discovering new targets for drugs. Once people see the impact, it is much easier for adoption to follow.
Ultimately, digital and AI are part of everyone’s roles, not just the job of one team. Culture shifts when people see themselves in the change. That’s when it sticks. And a critical part of my job is to foster that environment across the enterprise.
5. What does it take to drive adoption of new healthcare technology in legacy systems, and what lessons have you learned?
You have to start with empathy. It’s easy to fall in love with the tech, but if it doesn’t fit into a clinician’s workflow or meaningfully improve a process or make it more efficient, it won’t get used. So, we begin by listening—both internally and externally—and understanding what people wish they had, what slows them down, and what could help.
It also takes trust. Especially in regulated environments, people need to know how the technology works, what role it plays, and how it supports, and not replaces, their judgment.
And finally, it has to be embedded. Tech can’t sit on the sidelines. It has to be part of the day-to-day fabric of how we operate. That’s when it stops being a tool and starts being a force multiplier.
6. What global strategies should we prioritize to ensure modern vision care reaches underserved populations, and what role do partnerships or acquisitions play?
At Bausch + Lomb, we’re dedicated to helping people see better to live better. Vision is such a critical faculty, and, despite significant scientific advances, there are several vision-threatening diseases today that still don’t have adequate treatments.
We have a global footprint, operating in approximately 100 countries. Conditions like cataracts, dry eye, and refractive errors affect people everywhere, but access to care varies widely. That’s why we tailor our pricing, delivery, and go-to-market strategies based on local needs, infrastructure, and reimbursement realities.
No single company can close the care gap alone. But through the right partnerships—and with shared intention—we can commit ourselves to bringing high-quality vision care to more people around the world.
7. What do early-stage companies need to attract strategic partnerships, and if you were building a healthcare business given all the recent advances in AI and digital, where would you start?
Early-stage companies that stand out are the ones with a strong sense of clarity about the problem they’re solving, the unmet need they’re addressing, and how their solution fits into the broader healthcare ecosystem. But clarity alone isn’t enough. Adaptability is key, especially now, with science, regulation, and tech evolving faster than ever. And finally, the best partners have a collaborative mindset. They don’t just want capital, they want to co-create, to learn, and to scale with intention.
If I were starting fresh today, I’d begin with the data—but not in isolation. I’d design around the entire patient journey, using AI to connect fragmented insights and make them actionable in real time. That might mean combining diagnostics, predictive modeling, engagement tools, and workflow support into one seamless experience—built not just for patients, but with providers and care teams in mind.
The opportunity is bigger than just digitizing care. It’s about reimagining how healthcare works—smarter, more personalized, more proactive. But to do that well, you have to lead with trust, transparency, and scientific rigor. Because healthcare, ultimately, is very personal, and tech only matters if it earns the right to be used.
Bios:
Manisha Narasimhan, PhD, is the chief corporate development and digital officer at Bausch + Lomb, where she leads global strategy, M&A, business development, and enterprise-wide digital and AI transformation. With nearly two decades of experience across biotech, Wall Street, and large-cap healthcare, she brings a rare blend of scientific fluency, strategic clarity, and operational leadership. Manisha is passionate about building a smarter, more intelligent, more connected healthcare system—one that uses innovative science, data, partnerships, and technology to improve lives meaningfully.
Partha Anbil is a Contributing Writer for the MIT Sloan Career Development Office and an alumnus of MIT Sloan. Besides being VP of Programs of the MIT Club of Delaware Valley, Partha is a long-time life sciences consulting industry veteran. He is a Senior Advisor to NextGen Invent Corporation (https://nextgeninvent.com/), an AI, Data Analytics, and digital transformation company. He has held senior leadership roles at IBM, Booz & Company (now PWC Strategy&), IMS Health Management Consulting Group (now IQVIA), and KPMG. He can be reached at partha.anbil@alum.mit.edu
Michael Wong is a Contributing Writer for the MIT Sloan Career Development Office and an Emeritus Co-President and board member of the Harvard Business School Healthcare Alumni Association. Michael is a Part-time Lecturer for the Wharton Communication Program at the University of Pennsylvania, and his ideas have been shared in the MIT Sloan Management Review and Harvard Business Review.
