4th Annual Biopharmaceutical Case Competition

On Friday, November 20, the 4th Annual Biopharmaceutical Case Competition took place at Rutgers Business School, Newark. The event was sponsored by the Rutgers Pharmaceutical Management Program and teams from nine different schools competed in the case competition. Students spent a week preparing a biosimilar defense plan for the drug Humira, and then presented their strategies to judges from gold level sponsoring companies Bayer, Sanofi, Novo Nordisk, Herspiegel Consulting and Campbell Alliance.  In addition to participating in the case competition, students were able to attend a panel discussion, moderated by Dean Sharon Lydon, about careers in the Pharmaceutical Industry. The event concluded with a cocktail session where students, guests and sponsors were able to network and celebrate the competition. 

2015 Case Competition Participants!

Panel Discussion

Panel Moderator Sharon Lydon

Judges from Herspiegel Consulting, Bayer and Campbell Alliance

The event was extra special for Rutgers Business School as the Rutgers Team composed of Priya Kar, James Ma, Irene Mac, Kinshuk Saxena and Aneesh Vase placed 2nd!!!! 

The team also learned a lot from the experience and team member Irene Mac states "Participating in the case competition was a great experience. It made me realize how much I have learned as a second year MBA student, especially from the pharmaceutical management curriculum. Because of how current and applicable the subject matter of the case was, I will be able to use the strategies we developed in my future endeavors working in the pharmaceutical industry.”

Congrats to the Rutgers team and all the other participating teams:

Eli Broad College of Business: Michigan State University

Duke University Fuqua School of Business

MIT Sloan School of Management

Boston University Questrom School of Business

Johns Hopkins Carey Business School 

The Wharton School, The University of Pennsylvania  

Yale School of Management 

Georgetown McDonough School of Business

The judges recognized the following:

1st Place - Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business

2nd Place - Rutgers Business School 

3rd Place - Yale School of Management

Honorable Mention - Georgetown McDonough School of Business

Best Presenter - Brent Schneider, Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business

A special thanks goes out to Professor Hassan, Program Manager Anabel Damacela, and Student Organizers Mike Koskulics and Jen Abalajon!!

Annual Diwali Celebration - 2015

Last week students, faculty and staff celebrated Diwali, one of the largest festivals in India. To celebrate "The Festival of Lights", the International Student Organization decorated the 2nd floor lounge and threw a party complete with food, drinks, dancing and entertainment. Members of the Full-Time Class of 2016 and 2017 participated in a talent show where students sang, dance and walked in a fashion show. After the entertainment, there was an Indian Buffet and students sang karaoke and danced some more! It was also so fun to see everyone dressed up in traditional Indian clothes! Thanks to the ISO board for throwing such a fun event!

Novartis Panel Discussion

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.

Rupa Banerjee delivering introductory remarks

On Thursday, November 5^th, 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.

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!

Site Visit to Nielsen

MRIA Club students at Nielsen's NYC Office

Last Thursday, members of the Rutgers Marketing Research Insights & Analytics Club traveled to the  Nielsen corporate headquarters in NYC for a site visit. Nielsen is a global information and measurement company that specializes in helping their clients understand consumer behavior.  Nielsen has two principal reporting segments, Watch & Buy, and students were able to learn about the way Nielsen conducts Audience Measurement in the Watch segment. Brian Apter, VP Digital Client Solutions, spoke with students in the "Nielsen Den" to demonstrate, on a number of multimedia platforms, how Nielsen technology measures what consumers watch. Students were able to see first hand how Nielsen's People meter can keep track of exactly what multiple members of a household are watching on a daily basis. After showcasing how the technology works, students were able to speak with Mr.Apter about a number of topics such as how Nielsen is adapting to increased platforms for viewing content, the business behind TV advertisements and differences between Network and Cable television. The afternoon ended with lunch and networking with members of HOLA (Hispanic Organization of Leaders in Action), an employee resource group.

Demonstration of Nielsen's People Meter

Hanging out in the Nielsen Den

The visit was both fun and informative...thank you Nielsen for hosting such a great event!

Student Feature: Kamali Thompson, RBS '16

Kamali at the RWJ Medical School White Coat Ceremony

RBS students are making an impact both inside and outside the business community. Kamali Thompson is a dual MBA/MD student, but if that isn't impressive enough....she is currently the #5 Women's Saber Fencer in the U.S and is a 2016 Olympic hopeful!!! Continue reading to learn more about Kamali's experiences as a student at RBS and as a professional athlete. 

Thanks so much Kamali for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview! First off, how did you end up at the Rutgers MBA program? What made you decide to pursue both an MBA and MD? 

During my interview at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the student interviewers gave us a complete overview of the school. This included information such as student demographics, clubs/organizations and dual degrees. When they told us an MBA was only a 1-year program I decided to look into it if I was accepted into RWJ. My first year of medical school, I realized I was going to have to take off 2 years to train for the Olympics instead of doing 3rd and 4th year of medical school due to the rigorous schedule. When I remembered how appealing the MBA program was, I looked into the classes offered. I thought it would be a great idea to take business and healthcare policy classes because eventually I want to open my own medical practice. 

What do you envision doing with the dual degree? What kind of jobs will you be looking for after you finish school? 

After I receive my medical degree, I plan on becoming a primary care sports medicine physician, meaning I will need to do a primary care residency and a sports medicine fellowship. My end career goal is to have a multidisciplinary sports medicine office, where professional athletes will be able to see all of the doctors involved with their medical care (e.g. primary care physicians, orthopedic surgeons, and physical therapists). In order to be experienced enough to open that practice I want to work for a professional sports team first, preferably football or basketball. 

What's been your favorite class at RBS? 

My favorite class was Buying and Managing Mid-Market Businesses with Pankaj Amin. He was such an amazing teacher! It was once of the most practical classes I've taken. As soon as the class was over I felt like I was ready to go out and buy a business. The best part was he didn't just teach us how to buy a company, but how to evaluate investments in general. 

Now onto the fun stuff...How did you end up becoming an Olympic Contender for the U.S. Women's Saber Fencing Team? 

I didn't start fencing until high school which is really late for fencing and sports in general. My senior year of college I finished 6th at NCAA Championships and was really proud of how much I accomplished in such a small timeframe. I wasn't ready to give up fencing just because I was going to medical school and I still had room for improvement so I decided to try to qualify for the Olympics! My first year in medical school, I started traveling to international competitions and shot up to a top-10 ranking in the country. Last year was my best year because I finished 2nd at three national competitions, indicating I was moving in the right direction. It was also the first year I was able to attend all 8 of the international competitions, which allowed me to seriously attempt qualifying for the national team.

Kamali Representing Team USA at the 2013 World University Games in Kazan, Russia

You said you spend a lot of time traveling internationally to participate in competitions. What's been your favorite place to compete so far? 

I've been to 15 countries and Italy is by far my favorite place in the world! I've seen 3 cities, not the famous cities, very unexpected locations because that's where the competitions were held. I love Italy so much that earlier this year I went to Livorno just train with the Italian team for a week! The people I've encountered in these cities really enjoy life and spend time with their family and friends everyday dissimilar to the fast paced environment we experience in the NYC metro area. Also, the food in Italy is much healthier and satisfying than food in America. I can't believe I'm able to eat at all when I come back home.

Pursing a dual degree alone is a lot of work. How do you manage that AND your rigorous training schedule? 

The key for me has always been time management. I know I don't have much time so I have to use every possible moment to study, complete homework assignments or watch videos for fencing. Sometimes that means reading articles and writing papers on the bus to practice or on flights to competitions. I’ve also become excellent at scheduling and usually schedule every hour of the day to ensure I complete all of my assignments. If I don't schedule everything, a task usually gets forgotten about.

If/when you ever get some time to relax, what do you like to do for fun? 

I practice in the Chelsea area of NYC, but I don't see much of the city. In my spare time I like to explore new areas of the city and do activities like visit museums or parks. Sometimes I won't see my friends for weeks at a time if I'm away for a competition so usually I'm just happy catching up with them.

Thanks so much Kamali for sharing your experience with us. On behalf of the RBS Community, we wish you the best of luck on your Olympic journey!!! 

Feeling inspired? Check out Kamali's Fundraising Page to support her journey. Let's get RBS represented in Rio 2016!!! 

RBS Visits Russia - Spring Break 2015

During our Spring Break this past March, a group of Rutgers MBA students visited Russia as part of their Doing Business in Russia course. William Pollak, Full-time Class of 2015, is here to share his experience...

Students in front of Saint Basil's Cathedral in Red Square in Moscow, Russia

27 Rutgers MBA students answered the call of Doing Business in Russia, an elective class that includes academic study of the Russian socioeconomic climate, as well as a 10-day trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg.  I was one of the 5 full-time RBS students who attended, along with 22 flex students and 3 faculty members.   Professors Jeff Robinson and Alex Settles, who teach Entrepreneurship, Corporate Social Responsibility, and International Business at Rutgers, designed the trip’s itinerary, which included city tours, cultural attractions, and visits to businesses and startup incubators in Russia’s two most prominent cities.  We flew in to Moscow on March 12^th, and returned from St. Petersburg on March 22^nd, 2015. 

We spent our first days becoming acquainted with the historical and cultural sights in Moscow.  We toured the Kremlin, Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral and other landmarks, ate in restaurants suitable for royalty such as Turandot and Café Pushkin, and saw a ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre.  Moscow is a magnificent city that also has a night life to rival or surpass that of any major city in the world.  A night with more than 3 hours sleep was a rare occurrence on this trip.

Of immediate note was the importance of reading and speaking Russian.  English is not widely spoken in this city, and nearly all of the signs are written in Cyrillic.  Basic commerce is possible through hand gestures and a smile, though Muscovite retailers are less motivated than their American counterparts to engage with customers, particularly foreigners. 

After a few days of sightseeing, we visited the Higher School of Economics and listened to speakers from the Russian business world articulate their experiences doing business in Russia.  We also toured Startup October, an incubator connecting financiers with startup entrepreneurs, and learned about Moscow’s growing entrepreneurial culture.   Finally, we visited an industrial park which housed Oriflame, a Swedish cosmetics firm, as well as other tenants.  The industrial park generated its own power as opposed to connecting to the local power grid, which can be a prohibitively difficult task in Russia.  I was sad that Oriflame did not offer Swedish meatballs in their cafeteria.

An overnight train brought us to St. Petersburg on the 19^th.  St. Petersburg is the same latitude as Alaska, and has few sunny days throughout the year, though we were lucky enough to enjoy unseasonably warm weather.    We heard from consulate and state department officials who provided insider knowledge into how to protect our data and identity, as well as the secret, non-touristy spots to visit in St.  Petersburg.  We also spoke at length with business leaders such as the CEO of Subway in Russia, and a software developer for Oracle.  At night, we saw the Jenufa opera at the fabulous Mariinsky theatre.  I’m glad I packed my tuxedo.

Our last day in Russia did not disappoint.  We took a tour of the Hermitage, a palace converted into one of the largest museums of art in the world.  We saw original artwork by all of the masters, and took hundreds of pictures of paintings and sculptures.  No amount of time seems sufficient to soak in all of the art at the Hermitage.  For lunch, we followed the state department employee’s advice and found a secret Indian restaurant in the heart of St. Petersburg modeled after a prohibition-era speakeasy.  The entrance was located behind a secret passage in a bookstore, and inside they served cocktails made up of their own special blends of alcohol.  This was the best meal I ate in Russia, even though Beef Stroganoff was not involved. 

It is truly hard to capture in words how rewarding this trip was.  We explored two of the greatest cities in one of the largest and most misunderstood nations in the world.   We also experienced Russian academic and business culture, and learned about the similarities and differences which make Russia an intriguing but challenging place to do business.  I hope to go back again soon.

Visiting the Oriflame Distribution Center in Moscow

Enjoying the sights in St. Petersburg

Attending the Hamlet Ballet at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow

William at the World War II Museum in Moscow

William Pollak is finishing up his 2nd year in the full-time RBS MBA program. He is a fellow of the Rutgers Center for Supply Chain Management and former treasurer of the Student Government Association. After graduation, he will begin his career in Inventory Control Strategy with Dell in Austin, Texas. 

2nd Annual RBS Night Out with the NJ Devils

The Prudential Center, where the New Jersey Devils play, is just a 15 minute walk or 5 minute light rail ride from 1 Washington Park. Last night, the MBA Student Government Association (SGA) secured tickets to see the NJ Devils play against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Over 30 Rutgers MBA students took over Section 1 of the arena. Despite allowing two relatively early goals, the Devils played a strong last period and came close to tying the game. The game finished in a 2 – 3 loss, but everyone still enjoyed the night. Thank you Riley Miller for organizing such a fun event!