Introducing Lissiah Taylor Hundley, Head of DE&I at UCB

We sat down with Lissiah Taylor Hundley, who recently joined UCB as Global Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I).  

Lissiah: With 27 years of experience in DE&I leading international teams, I’m passionate about equal rights and committed to driving meaningful change. As a survivor of stage 4 cancer, I’ve experienced healthcare disparities firsthand, which further deepened my dedication to enhancing DE&I. This is also what drew me to UCB, a company that supports diversity and inclusion and that can make a difference in improving equity in the communities around us.

UCB: Can you share your initial experience at UCB?

Lissiah: It’s been amazing! In just a few months, I’ve seen the company’s commitment to DE&I. My approach has been one of balance between listening, learning, and starting to see where to implement strategic changes. I focus on ‘the 4 Ps’ - People, Patients, Products, and Partners - and I follow my deep belief that diversity drives innovation, growth and sustainability for the future.

UCB: How do you view the current state of DE&I, beyond UCB?

Lissiah: It’s challenging, especially with political climate changes and polarization of the public opinion. However, I remain hopeful and passionate. There are many supportive organizations and engaged teams and talents committed to DE&I, both within and outside UCB. I believe in the power of exchange and collaboration, so engaging with these groups is therefore key to ensure the inclusivity of all different perspectives.  

UCB: What impact do you hope to make at UCB?

Lissiah: I hope to have DE&I intimately embedded in all that we do.  Systemic change is important. With this we can drive change in DE&I initiatives within UCB and the broader industry. With the company’s support, I’m optimistic about creating a more equitable and inclusive environment that understands, respects and celebrates diversity.

UCB: Any specific examples?  

Lissiah: I want to ensure that our people mirror the patients and the communities we serve, so we partner closely with our Talent Acquisition team to support our diversity recruitment practices and ensure that all talent has an equitable hiring experience. I also seek to have more diverse patients in our clinical trials, so the DE&I team supports the business as they look to engage differently in diverse communities, work with external partners who have close connections to diverse patients and ensure we’re building trust in those communities as well. I also partner with the business to educate our teams so that they know how to connect with underrepresented groups and understand the cultural nuances that may play a role in how they trust and engage with us.

UCB: Lissiah, thank you for sharing your journey with us. We look forward to seeing the impact you’ll have at UCB and in the larger DE&I space.