The recent pandemic has impacted almost every aspect of our lives, both professional and personal. However, while some of the lasting consequences have been negative, there are some positive aspects. The pandemic required companies to sharpen their focus, taught teams how to work together even when team members are spread across the country or planet and gave individuals the opportunity to expand their skill sets in ways that are still benefiting their professional activities.
One company at the heart of the pandemic response was Pfizer with its rich history in vaccine R&D and manufacturing. Michèle Paque, Senior Advisor Life Sciences & Healthcare at PwC Belgium, recently had the opportunity to speak to Ebru Dogruol, VP Global Strategy Lead for Pfizer’s Adult Vaccine Portfolio about her experiences during the pandemic and the skills and knowledge gained during this time that she relies on now.
Ebru Dogruol
VP Global Strategy Lead of the Adult Vaccine Portfolio at Pfizer
“You can see it in the way that the entire pharma industry manages their day-to-day business now that we have all learnt from our experiences during the pandemic.”
The challenges Ebru faced during the pandemic – a sense of urgency, the need to find new ways to work and interact (due to lockdown), collaborations with new partners and the unknown nature of the disease – are often present in the projects she tackles today. This means the lessons she learnt during this period are still valid today.
Ebru highlights three key lessons. Firstly, challenge the conventional way of doing things as the standard approach isn’t always best. As she says, innovation doesn’t just apply to products. Secondly, identify people with an agile mindset and attitude. Ebru recognizes that this approach requires teamwork and trust, flexibility, mental strength and resilience. Lastly, it’s vital to be strategic from the start by clearly defining priorities, timings and end goals. By being strategic, you often learn techniques that accelerate other projects.
Crisis management: challenges, successes and lessons learnt
Read our interview with Ebru Dogruol
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