Sandoz global women in leadership network opens conversation on careers ownership

What are you doing to own your career? That was the question posed to a room full of Sandoz associates at the Global Women in Leadership network event in July.

To help attendees answer that question, a panel of Sandoz leaders shared their most important career lessons.

"There have been moments in my 27 year career where my career has gone to sleep, and I actually didn’t realize it. So my first lesson was that I need to pay attention to my career and that actually the only person who was really going to manage it for me, was me," said Nick Haggar, Global Head Western Europe, Middle East and Africa and a panelist at the Global Women in Leadership event.

Other panelists included Marie-Mona Hostache, Business Franchise Manager CEE – Antibiotics and PPIs, Elisabeth Schneider-Scherzer, Head Global QA Product Development & Clinical QA and Irmgard Neuper, Site Head Gerlingen.

"I grew up in a very conservative environment and worked in a place where female leaders were nearly non-existent," said Elisabeth Schneider-Scherzer. “I was also a mother and there were expectations around what that meant in regards to career. I had a lot of conflicts with how I saw myself. Finally, when I was about 40 years old, I accepted myself for who I was. I accepted that I needed a career and that I liked being in a professional environment. That made all the difference."

“For me, self-awareness was a key point of today’s discussion," said Lincy Scaria, Strategic Planning Manager, CEE Region. “That means, not comparing my career progression with someone else’s. Instead, I should reflect on where I was last year, and ask myself, ‘Have I grown in the areas that are important to me?’ As long as I can say ‘Yes’ to that question, I can say that I have ownership of my career."

The Global Women in Leadership network is open to all associates, regardless of gender.