Hailing from Scotland, Joanne Jervis is the Managing Director & Head of Specialty Business Division at Daiichi Sankyo Italia, a prominent Japanese pharmaceutical company with a rich legacy spanning 120 years and operations across 25 countries. Joanne possesses a unique career trajectory that epitomizes versatility and dedication. Initially trained in podiatric medicine, she honed her skills as a clinical podiatrist before transitioning into the pharmaceutical realm. Over the past 25 years, Joanne has navigated various roles across the UK, Ireland, and numerous European nations, bringing a wealth of experience to her current role in Italy.

Joanne attributes the foundational shaping of her career to her early clinical experiences within the healthcare service. These formative years instilled in her a profound sense of empathy and compassion for patients, driving her unwavering commitment to enhancing patient outcomes and quality of life. Throughout her tenure in the pharmaceutical industry, Joanne has been instrumental in spearheading projects that introduce groundbreaking medicines and technologies, thereby revolutionizing patient care and clinician practices.

For Joanne, the opportunity to contribute to improving patient health and well-being remains at the heart of her professional journey. Her steadfast dedication to driving positive change underscores every endeavor she undertakes, reaffirming her enduring commitment to advancing healthcare innovation and patient-centric solutions within the pharmaceutical industry.

Collaborative Leadership

Joanne says her leadership style as collaborative, emphasizing trust, transparency, and integrity as its cornerstones. She recognizes the dual components of the industry she operates in: products and people. While the development of new medicines involves lengthy processes beyond her direct influence, Joanne believes she can significantly impact the latter—people.

Joanne’s leadership philosophy centers on empowering individuals and fostering a sense of belonging and purpose within the organization. She views empowerment as the catalyst for unlocking the full potential of her team members. By ensuring they feel valued and integral to the company’s mission, Joanne aims to cultivate a culture where innovation thrives.

For Joanne, innovation extends beyond the realm of product development; it encompasses the way the organization operates and interacts with customers and patients. She believes that empowering people to make informed decisions and take calculated risks fosters a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

Moreover, Joanne places great emphasis on creating a work environment where individuals find fulfillment and pride in their contributions. She believes in acknowledging and celebrating achievements, fostering a positive and supportive atmosphere where employees can thrive.

Embracing Innovation and Social Responsibility

Joanne found herself drawn to Daiichi Sankyo due to its entrepreneurial ethos, which fosters a culture of innovation and encourages novel approaches to work. She admires the company’s commitment to thinking differently and embracing new ways of working.

One of the key attractions for Joanne is Daiichi Sankyo’s portfolio of innovative and exciting products. She believes that these offerings are not only enhancing treatment options but also improving outcomes for patients. In particular, she sees immense promise in the company’s pipeline, especially within the field of oncology, offering new hope for patients facing challenging medical conditions.

Additionally, Joanne appreciates Daiichi Sankyo’s dedication to social and environmental responsibility. She highlights the company’s involvement in numerous global, regional, and country-level projects aimed at supporting these causes. This commitment aligns with her values and reinforces her belief in the company’s positive impact beyond the realm of healthcare.

Collaborative Healthcare Solutions

The team at Daiichi Sankyo is committed to fostering partnerships with all stakeholders to gain a comprehensive understanding of their needs. Whether it’s patients, clinicians, payors, or governments, the aim is to engage with each group to ensure that the development of medicines aligns with their requirements. This collaborative approach enables Daiichi Sankyo to develop medicines that not only address the needs of patients and clinicians but are also sustainable for healthcare systems. They recognize that the value of innovative, life-saving medicines is diminished if patients cannot access them due to systemic barriers.

Therefore, Daiichi Sankyo emphasizes the importance of working closely with all partners to support the creation of a sustainable healthcare system. By understanding the dynamics and challenges within the healthcare ecosystem, they can tailor their efforts to ensure that their medicines are not only effective but also accessible to those who need them most.

Integrity, Inclusion, and Innovation

Joanne holds integrity as her core value, embodying honesty, transparency, and empathy in all her interactions. She prioritizes creating a work environment where individuals feel comfortable being themselves, fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion that she believes strengthens the organization.

Leading by example, Joanne promotes an open, transparent, and collaborative culture through both her words and actions. She understands the importance of psychological safety in fostering innovation. Joanne recognizes that without a sense of safety, individuals are less likely to take risks or explore new ideas that could lead to breakthrough innovations.

Embracing new technologies is a key aspect of Daiichi Sankyo’s approach, spanning research and development to go-to-market strategies. Joanne emphasizes the importance of testing and learning, recognizing that innovation often stems from curiosity and the willingness to take calculated risks.

Balancing Work and Life

Joanne recognizes the importance of maintaining a balance between work and personal life. Despite the passion and dedication she brings to her job and projects, she emphasizes the necessity of prioritizing self-care. She believes that it’s easy to become fully immersed in one’s work and forget about personal well-being. However, Joanne stresses the vital need to allocate time for relaxation and rest. Understanding that everyone’s methods of relaxation may differ, she underscores the importance of finding what works best for oneself.

Joanne understands that sustaining an unrelenting pace of work without allowing time for personal care, relationships, and leisure activities is ultimately unsustainable. She highlights the importance of maintaining one’s health and productivity by prioritizing time for activities that bring joy and fulfillment outside of work.

Please visit: https://www.daiichi-sankyo.it/