From Benchtop Chemist to CEO

You started out working for Colorcon in the UK. What led you to the US?
 

I was born in the UK, where I studied at university and then started work with Colorcon in 1996.  My first role within Colorcon was as a bench chemist, helping to develop new products to support the pharmaceutical industry. I approached my manager at the time about the possibility of transferring to the US – and fortunately, they were looking for technical expertise there so it was a very natural transition. I took on a technical support role, working closely with our customers, traveling all over the country, as well as to Latin America and other regions. In 2004, I was offered the opportunity to transfer into a technical marketing and market development role, which I accepted.

Several years later, when I was interviewed for the CEO position at Colorcon, I was asked: “Why do you think you're well suited to do this job?” My reply was simply, “Because I know how these products smell and taste. I’ve held so many roles within this organization that it’s in my DNA at this point.”

Colorcon has had many stories similar like mine, with people who have grown their careers within the internal structure of the organization. I am just one of the people who represent this growth from within, which we value. Something we have worked hard to develop at Colorcon is fresh thinking and bold perspective, either from within the existing team or by bringing in new talent. It’s all about balancing existing institutional knowledge with the evolution of ideas that come from new perspectives.

You’ve also spent time in China…
 

That’s right. Around 2009, the president of our US organization approached me about working overseas.  The question was amusing, given that I was a Brit working in the US. Colorcon was looking for a general manager for the China operation.  My family and I relocated to China, and to say the experience was incredible is an understatement. We really enjoyed our time there.

I ran the business in China for four years, at which point my role expanded to include Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and other areas within the region. The experience was remarkable with some fascinating places to visit. The intensity, hard work, passion and dedication of the people I met there was inspiring. It was an unforgettable chapter in my career.

How did you overcome the language barriers in China?
 

I went back to school. I’ve now developed a strong appreciation for reading and writing in Chinese. I find that if you take any person and drop them into a non-English speaking environment, they will pick it up. The beauty of this for me was that I could have a Chinese lesson and then walk out of class and put what I learned into practice.  The learning curve was steep, and it was hard work, but it’s surprising how easy you can pick it up. 

At what point did you realize you could potentially become the CEO of the company?
 

In 2016, I returned to the US to take on a global strategy role. Later, there was a need for someone to lead the Americas region, and I stepped into that position. From there, I eventually moved into the CEO role.

Being the CEO wasn’t something I had necessarily aspired to, though. The first time I seriously considered becoming CEO was when my predecessor announced his retirement. He was a fantastic leader, so his departure was bittersweet for all of us. At that point, I thought, “Maybe I’m well-positioned to add value here.”

Did you plan your career?
 

No, I’ve never spent much time thinking about the next job. My focus has always been on doing the best I can in the role I’m in. Of course, I’ve also tried to continuously develop my skillset and nurture my personal passions along the way. I’ve been fortunate to have incredible leaders and mentors around me.

I often say that as leaders, we need to spend a good portion of our time being talent scouts – identifying and supporting the good people around us and imagining where they might fit into the organization’s future. I was lucky to have leaders who must have seen something in me.

People look at my career trajectory internally and think: “There was clearly a plan from here to there.” But there was never a plan. I just did my best, kept my options open, and rarely said no to opportunities that came my way.

For me, it’s never been about chasing titles or positions. I’ve always just tried to do work that I enjoyed and found meaningful. And I’ve been fortunate to work with great people. Of course, there were challenges – it’s not always smooth sailing – but the hard work is balanced with fun. This aspect is something I’ve always appreciated about Colorcon: the culture is strong and there’s an emphasis on enjoying the work as you do it. It’s something you can feel in every interaction with the team, both historically and today.

How competitive is the industry when it comes to recruiting new talent?
 

It really depends on how you segment different areas of the business and when you consider regional variance. Although we’re a US-headquartered company, we’ve actively looked at how to harness talent outside the US and Europe, particularly in Asia.

In terms of challenges, like many in the industry, we’ve faced more difficulties in the operational space. Areas like manufacturing and operations are competitive since the needs in those areas have evolved toward skills such as programmable logic controls and managing automated technologies, which has created a different type of talent demand.

We’ve focused on ensuring the roles in operations are productive and meaningful without being burdensome. For younger generations entering the workforce, we want to create an environment where they see Colorcon as a place they’d like to work and grow.

Overall, we’ve been fortunate to retain people in critical areas. Retention is something we’re very mindful of because the competition for talent is always changing. We actively think about how to create the right conditions for people to stay. And it's not about making promises, it's about showing that there are pathways open to employees in all stages of their career. That's something that's very focused in terms of our discussion of our needs around talent and talent development.

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