Biosimilar Champion

What did you want to be when growing up?

When I was a child, I used to love reading and I had a very vivid imagination. I loved spy novels and I had this idea that I was going to be recruited by MI5 (the UK Security Service) to become a spy! I came to realize though that spies tend to come from different walks of life than mine, so perhaps it wasn’t for me. But I always had a deep interest in science – I think children tend to gravitate towards what they’re good at, and despite my vivid imagination, my logical brain wasn’t really suited to the arts – so I decided to go down the science route instead and studied zoology at university.

How did you come to work for Novartis?

After working as a pharma sales rep in London, I moved around a lot. I moved to Brussels (without a job) and ended up working at Bristol Myers Squibb’s pharmaceutical research institute. It was a real eye opener and I learned a lot about the industry. I remember thinking that if I’d known about how pharma companies work when I was a sales rep, I would have done my job very differently. After that, I moved to Japan. All the traveling really helped me become more open to different experiences and points of views, which I believe is vital to continuous learning and leads to being a better communicator. My father passed away whilst I was out there, so I moved back home (again with no job) to be closer to my family.

I then got a job as contract rep for Sandoz (prior to its merger with Ciba-Geigy) and eventually moved into their marketing division. Shortly after that, the merger with Ciba-Geigy (which formed Novartis as we know it today) was announced and through that I learned a great deal about different parts of the business and was fortunate enough to be able to select the area I wanted to work in next. I decided to move into mainstream marketing as part of Novartis.

What then made you decide to move into development?

I was becoming increasingly interested in this area so I decided to move to the US – away from marketing – and into a development role. A lot of people told me I was crazy at the time to step into a completely different kind of leadership role! I had no experience and no contacts, but it was the best move I ever made. Stepping out of my comfort zone gave me the opportunity to grow as a leader.

I spent five years in development, before moving to Basel, and then back to the US to take up a national role. I recently moved to Munich, taking on my current role as Global Head of Biopharmaceuticals and subsequently becoming Chair of the Biosimilar Medicines Group, a sector group of Medicines for Europe.

What is it about biosimilars that keeps you motivated and excited?

It is the impact that these important medicines have on patient lives. It wasn’t until I started applying for jobs in pharma that I realized how important it was for me to have an emotional connection to my work. As I was moving into biosimilars, I was a little unsure if I would be able to emotionally connect with the area. But as soon as I started to learn more about these medicines and understand their purpose, I realized how important it was to champion them – especially in third-world nations who would otherwise go without treatment. And, of course, even developed countries today struggle with the costs of medicines. Working with biosimilars is something that is absolutely worthwhile and rewarding.

Tell us about your role with the Biosimilar Medicines Group…

What really drives me is making sure that the external environment is such that biosimilars have a sustainable path into the future. I feel really honored to have been elected and I’m committed to making sure that we have a diverse and inclusive environment. I have been involved in championing diversity and inclusivity in previous roles, including Sandoz, and for me it’s about how you get people with diverse experiences and mindsets around a table – because that’s how you get breakthrough thinking. And it’s not just about diversity; I think inclusion is actually more important because it’s all about creating an environment where people feel they can speak up and be listened to.

When Sandoz received approval for the first biosimilar in the US market, how did you react?

I wanted to stand up and yell at the top of my voice! It was a unanimous vote for a biosimilar, which is a great result. I was on the very edge of my seat, but I had to look very calm because it was being televised at the time. It was such an exciting moment! The potential that biosimilars can offer to patients is huge and it’s fantastic to see the FDA accepting and approving these medicines.