Healthcare Market Research Worldwide

Meet Our Team

Leadership Team

Gema Parlange Iturmendi
Chief Executive Officer
Christine Maï, MD
Deputy Managing Director
Sophie Benes
Chief Talent Officer
Laurent Givaudan
Chief Data Officer
Cyrille Plaza
Chief Financial Officer
Pierre Pigeon, MD
Founder, Board Member

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Our highly experienced experts combine unparalleled healthcare market understanding with augmented solutions in order to deliver in-depth and actionable insights.
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Gema Parlange Iturmendi

Chief Executive Officer

Passionate about building exceptional teams and developing innovative solutions, Gema joins APLUSA as CEO in December 2024.

With 30 years of experience in the life sciences, she has held key roles in finance, sales, and general management at leading organizations such as IQVIA and Parexel. Gema was also a co-founder of Lumanity, where she served as Chief Development Officer and Global Head of Real-World Evidence (RWE).

A Spanish citizen, she has lived in Germany, Switzerland, and the UK, and currently splits her time between Madrid, Lyon, and wherever else her customers or team need her. Gema is married, has two children, and holds a double degree in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Deusto.

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Christine Maï, MD

Deputy Managing Director

Christine joined APLUSA in 1990 and supports the senior business directors to develop client relationships worldwide.

She is responsible for identifying new partnerships and developing innovative solutions for APLUSA clients. Christine is a qualified MD specializing in palliative care and holds an MBA in Pharmaceutical Marketing.

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Sophie Benes

Chief Talent Officer

After a 20 year successful career in various human resources positions, Sophie Benes joins APLUSA as our Human Resources Director. She provides our team with a French American experience gained in different Silicon Valley start-ups and other HighTec and industrial companies in Rhône-Alpes.

She is in charge of developing and implementing talent management through individual and collective coaching in our multi-cultural and multi-national environment.

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Laurent Givaudan

Chief Data Officer

Passionate about Data and AI, and with more than 20 years of experience in technologies, Laurent joined APLUSA as Chief Data Officer in July 2025. He is responsible for designing and implementing a robust data strategy that drives transparency, productivity, revenue growth and business transformation.

Strong advocate of Artificial Intelligence as a key driver of innovation and market acceleration, Laurent focuses on building a solid AI culture, empowering teams with AI expertise, implementing effective governance frameworks, and leveraging AI to enhance APLUSA’s solutions.

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Cyrille Plaza

Chief Financial Officer

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Pierre Pigeon, MD

Founder, Board Member

Pierre founded APLUSA, formerly ISIS Research in 1989. Pierre is Shareholder of APLUSA and Board Member.

He is a qualified MD specializing in Endocrinology and Nutritional and Metabolic disorders.