“Our Nordic roots are a significant asset,” Granlund continues. “We understand the regulatory environment, we understand the systems and the science, and we know how to scale them globally.”

Clinical Research Excellence Through Global Delivery

While grounded in its Nordic heritage, TFS is truly international in scope. The CRO supports clinical trials across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, serving sponsors from emerging biotech startups to global pharmaceutical companies.

“During our 29 years, we have built strong relationships with clinical sites and regulatory authorities, we also have a network of more than 60,000 experts,” Granlund explains. “All this we use to give our sponsors the best possible service. We are currently guiding sponsors through expansion into the United States, Central Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region, while ensuring that trial quality and regulatory compliance remain firmly in place.”

This dual capability—localized insight with global execution—makes TFS an ideal partner for biotech companies looking to accelerate drug development and reach patients faster.

Investing in Digital Transformation and AI-Driven Innovation

As clinical research grows more data-intensive, digital innovation is redefining how clinical trials are designed and executed. TFS is embracing this shift, actively integrating artificial intelligence and digital tools to improve feasibility assessments, streamline operations, and optimize patient recruitment.

“Our whole sector is about to change,” Granlund affirms. “We are looking at how digitalization can increase our technological sophistication in all our operations, internally, as well as in terms of working with our sponsors. It will enable better and faster science so that we can grow our business and help create solutions for our sponsors, and, ultimately, patients who need treatments.”

TFS’s digital innovation efforts are already yielding results in neuroscience, where advanced technologies are being used to improve trial efficiency and accelerate enrollment in complex indications.

For further information on how TFS is leveraging data-driven strategies to tackle the challenges in clinical research, view the recent interview with Anne-Marie Nagy, Ph.D., VP, Head of Internal Medicine & Neuroscience.

A Renewed Focus on Sponsor Collaboration

Granlund brings extensive experience in international business and operational transformation to his new role as CEO. His first months at TFS have been focused on meeting with sponsors and listening to their evolving needs. He notes that TFS’ goal is to be more than a service provider—they aim to be a strategic partner. That means understanding the pressures that clients face while remaining flexible, responsive, and consultative in every step of the clinical journey.

This renewed focus on sponsor collaboration aligns with TFS’s broader mission: to improve patient outcomes by advancing global health through scientifically rigorous, operationally excellent clinical research.

Looking Ahead: Leading with Purpose and Passion

When asked why he joined TFS, Granlund cites two compelling reasons: the people and the purpose.

“I was immediately struck by the passion and expertise of my TFS colleagues,” he shares. “My job is to facilitate their work, enabling us to improve our processes and deliver better results on every level. We are all here to help bring better therapies to patients, he says, personally motivated by a want to improve patient outcomes.”

With a sharpened strategic vision, an expanding global footprint, and a growing focus on digital transformation, TFS is poised to lead the next generation of clinical trials—efficiently, ethically, and globally.

“What it all boils down to for me is that I want to use my time to make things better, and with TFS, I have a very real opportunity to contribute to something positive,” Granlund concludes.

Under his leadership, TFS is propelling the future of clinical research forward—one trial, one sponsor, one patient at a time.