My first encounter with Japan was earlier in my career, at a global level, when Japan took the lead in terms of digitalization. Japan was, in this regard, far ahead of most of our affiliates globally and I learned a lot from the best practices that my Japanese colleagues shared.

“Always take your business seriously, but never yourself too seriously.”
It emphasizes, in true kaizen (continuous improvement) spirit, that despite the huge responsibilities we have in our daily work to always do our utmost to improve not only our leadership, but also our products and services to the patients we serve. This simultaneously emphasizes the importance of personal humbleness and self-distance.

Having led organizations across Europe and Asia that have been recognized among the best places to work in all countries. I am truly inspired by the “service value chain,” we have created engaged and diverse workplaces, positioned to constantly deliver better experiences for customers, as well as results. Inspirational and empowering leaders drive this.

To take Eli Lilly Japan to its next level as a sustainable top-10 performer in the pharmaceutical industry while being recognized as a center of excellence in the areas of medical and commercial capabilities. We hope to contribute to global health by feeding our global corporate pipeline with Japan-originated innovations through research collaborations with Japanese institutions and universities.

Be curious and open-minded. You get the opportunity to live in a country with language, as well as cultural barriers. However, most importantly, an opportunity to learn from people in a country where quality, kaizen spirit and execution excellence is standing out in the professional world and a place that exceeds all other places when it comes to safety and cleanliness, simply a civilization beyond most experiences. Enjoy, because time flies.