Catarina Santos, Alumna of the Lisbon MBA and Region Europe Medical Director at Novartis HQ in Switzerland, gave an inspiring interview to Executiva Magazine.

 

Catarina started her professional path in Academia. After getting her degree in Genetics from the University of Lisbon, she decided to pursue a Ph.D. by Integrating the Gulbenkian Doctoral Program in Biology and Medicine. Catarina then traveled to New York, where she did all of her scientific research at New York University. Catarina later returned to Portugal and did a post-doc at the Instituto de Medicina Molecular.

 

With a strong scientific background, Catarina joined Novartis, in Portugal, as a medical science liaison. Catarina Santos has had an unusual cross-functional professional path, holding positions in both the scientific and the business areas.

 

At 2016, eight years after entering Novartis, Catarina reached a board position, as a business franchise head. Last year Catarina decided it was the right moment to make her career international, and applied for a position at Novartis headquarters, in Basel, Switzerland, where she currently holds a position as region Europe medical director, in the Ophthalmology, Respiratory, and Allergies areas.

 

Catarina decided to pursue an MBA shortly after finishing her Ph.D., at a time when it was clear to her that she wanted to revamp her career. Wanting to learn more about management and business were key motivations. Catarina searched for the most prestigious MBA and that’s when she decided to apply to The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova.

 

Catarina did her MBA while working and raising two small children, not an easy feat, but she names three aspects that helped her succeed, having a strong family support network; managing the expectations of others; and, most importantly but more difficult, managing her ambivalence about time not spent with family or at work.

Catarina mentions that the MBA strengthened her time management skills, and made her realize that the key success factor for her time management it’s how much energy, and not how much time, she decides to put on her priorities every day.

 

Catarina believes the MBA played a crucial role in realizing the transformation she wanted for her career path. As a biologist with a Ph.D., she gained knowledge in a complementary area, which allowed her to reach positions in the field of business. Another fundamental aspect Catarina emphasizes is the supportive alumni network she joined, a network she resorts to for a variety of professional and personal quests.

 

Catarina Santos concludes the interview by sending a personal message to young female executives who are now beginning their professional journey: work hard, but be gentle with yourself, invest in external knowledge, but always reserve time (and energy) to check on yourself and find good mentors that while valuing your great strength will also ground and challenge you and finally enjoy the ride!

 

 

Read the full article (original) in Portuguese here.

Source: Executiva Magazine