In business, Procurement is the act of buying the goods and
services necessary to keep a company operational. While it may seem simple in
theory, it’s a complex field that requires strategic and analytical thinking in
conjunction with softer skills such as emotional intelligence and
communication.
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| Rupa Banerjee delivering introductory remarks |
On Thursday, November 5th, Rutgers Business
School hosted a panel discussion where executives from Novartis shared stories from their careers in Procurement. Michael Brueckner (US Head of
Procurement), Michael McKenna (US Head of Corporate Services Procurement), AnnMarieMoran (US Head, Marketing and Sales Procurement), Thomas Michaels (US Head,
Real Estate and Facilities Procurement), Caitlin Mosco (Sourcing Manager,
Global Procurement), and Todd Bittiger (Global Supplier Performance and
Innovation Manager) were all in attendance. Rupa Banerjee, Co-President of the
Management Consulting Club, kicked off the event by welcoming all the panelists
and attendees. Professor Eric Larson then spoke about how the RBS Supply ChainManagement program has grown, and that Rutgers is now one of the top schools in
the country for students interested in Supply Chain. Next, Shakun Wattal,
Co-President of the Supply Chain Student Initiative, introduced each of the panelists
and gave a brief description of their role at Novartis.
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| Novartis Panel Discussion |
The panel then kicked off with a video where the Novartis
CEO, Joseph Jimenez, talks about the mission of Novartis and the patients they
serve. It was very clear that all of the work Novartis does is centered on
allowing patients to overcome their respective diseases and live a normal life.
Mr. Jimenez explained, “I have arrived at a very simple concept:
normal is extraordinary. There is nothing more extraordinary than a normal life." Mike Koskulics, Co-President of the Pharmaceutical Management Club, served
as the panel moderator and segued into the discussion by asking the panelists
what inspired them to get to the point in their careers they are at today. All
of the panelists came from different backgrounds, but it was clear they all
have a passion for Procurement and the effect it can have on an organization
like Novartis. Mr. Brueckner talked about how he wanted to work in Procurement
because it gives you a broad view of the company and the business. Mr. McKenna
comes from an academic background and described how the world of academia
shaped his professional career in Procurement. Mr. Michaels noted that
Procurement is all about saving money and at Novartis, every dollar he is able
to save can go developing new drugs or helping patients pay for their
medication. Mr. Bittiger explained how procurement also affects the top line in
a business and that is what inspires him. If he is able to do his job well and
form strategic partnerships with top suppliers, he can make Novartis their
client of choice and this ensures that Novartis’s products are brought to
market in the most efficient and successful way possible.
The next topic of discussion focused on how students can be
successful in Novartis without a strong Pharmaceutical background. Ms. Moran assured
students that it’s OK to come to Novartis without a Pharmaceutical background.
Instead of having broad knowledge about the industry, having skills essential
to the function of Procurement is more important. Ms. Mosco elaborated by
saying skills like being able to develop relationships and effectively
communicate are the most important to her career.
Mike then opened up the panel to a general Q&A and
the panelists covered topics such as innovation and the changing landscape of
Procurement. The event concluded with
closing remarks from the Chair of the Supply Chain Management Program,
Professor Rosa Oppenheim. It was an informative and engaging event that the
students benefited from and enjoyed. Thank you to Rupa, Shakun, Michael and the
countless other people involved who made this event such a success! And a
special thanks to the panelists for taking time out of their busy schedules to
come to RBS. We hope you’ll return again soon!
