How does your usual day look like?

I usually start my day around 6.30am with some Pilates and a walk. I work from home 2-3 days a week, starting at my desk from 8am. My days include lots of meetings with colleagues from Japan / Europe in the morning and more with the US team in afternoons. We exchange on projects to progress development of a medicine in immunology or rare disease. I also go to the office few times a week especially when there is a workshop. From time to time, I travel abroad to see colleagues from my global team or go to a medical conference. Outside my day-to-day job I serve on the board of EDS UK a patient association for Ehlers Danlos syndrome, a group of rare connective tissue disorders. And once or twice a month I attend round tables with other pharma leaders, or I join the healthcare think tank for the French embassy to see how to advance best practices in healthcare industry. On a good day, I finish work by 6 pm and later I socialise with friends discovering a new restaurant or go for a long walk by Little Venice. After dinner, I do some meditation and then head up for bed by 11pm.

What are the things you like the most about your job?

I love the purpose of my job which ultimately is about bringing value to people living with severe chronic conditions.

What are some of the skills you utilise the most in your day-to-day at work?

I use a lot my strategic thinking and interpersonal skills.

What was one of your happiest days in your career and why?

So many good memories. Recently I had the chance to share perspectives from my role as board member for EDS UK with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome patients, a group of rare connective tissue disorders. I came out of the discussion with an incredible energy and a real sense of purpose - bringing value to a person living with EDS.

What was the toughest career decision you ever made?

A very difficult decision I made 13 years ago was to move nearly overnight to Australia to join a job opportunity more than 10,000 miles away following just 2 phone calls. I packed my bag, got on the plane and with its ups and downs, it’s been one of the most fulfilling career move, contributing to the tremendous growth of Novartis and embracing the Australia culture. No worries 😊

What is something you had to learn to become better at your work?

Less is more. I had a tendency to provide too much details in my deliverables and conversations. This is diluting the message and it can be confusing, especially for other leaders who are often time poor. Getting to the point is best for everyone.

How did you get to work in Strategy in Pharma?

By chance. After working for a year in petroleum, I moved to a consulting firm which was specialised in healthcare. I loved the industry and made a career out of it. Taking on every opportunity along the way.

What's the one piece of career advice you have for anyone interested in following your footsteps?

Be yourself. I always try to be my authentic self in my interaction with my team and my colleagues. The CEO of a previous company I worked for told me: “You’re very authentic. This is not so common among leaders. Make sure to keep that with you”. His piece of advice stayed with me.

What's your number one productivity hack / when or how are you most effective?

Ensure clarity of thoughts. No need to rush into writing an email, developing an analysis, or developing a presentation if you’re not clear on why you’re doing it and what are the key messages you want to convey. You gain lot of time by starting with your goal in mind.