Beyond closing the deal

How quality culture can determine the success of pharma M&A

The smart way to health
  • Industry
  • 3 minute read
  • 19/03/26

Pharma M&A is reshaping global manufacturing networks — but true value isn’t created by assets alone. It’s created by people, behaviours and a shared commitment to quality. Our latest whitepaper explores why quality culture has become a decisive value driver in pharma integrations and outlines practical steps to build a patient-centric, sustainable culture that accelerates performance and protects deal value. Discover how to lead your quality culture by choice — not by chance.

Beyond closing the deal

How quality culture can determine the success of pharma M&A

Key insights 

  • Quality culture is a strategic value driver, directly influencing supply reliability, regulatory trust, talent retention and financial outcomes. 
  • Leading regulators now see quality culture as the foundation of reliable quality systems, enabling lower costs, fewer disruptions and greater long‑term value. 
  • 30% of M&A deals fail to meet financial targets due to cultural misalignment, highlighting why cultural signals should be assessed early in due diligence. 
  • A shared patient‑centric mindset transforms compliance into true ownership and accountability, aligning decisions across entities and enabling faster, more coherent integration. 
  • Strong cultural foundations protect reputation and deal value, while reducing the cost of poor quality, which can reach 10–40% of operational costs in pharma manufacturing. 
  • The paper presents a four-stage model for shaping quality culture: understanding the starting point, aligning leadership, co-creating future quality culture, and sustaining it through structured reinforcements. 
  • The paper includes  real-world integration examples from leadership workshops to gamified shopfloor learnings. 

Contact us
Philipp Hespe

Philipp Hespe

Partner, Swiss Quality and R&D Lead, PwC Switzerland

Luca Borrelli

Luca Borrelli

Partner, Deals Health Industries Leader, PwC Switzerland

Teena Madhvani

Teena Madhvani

Partner, People & Organisation Advisory, PwC Switzerland

Dr. Jens Neumann

Dr. Jens Neumann

Partner, Advisory, PwC Switzerland