Women day's interview

There was an interview with my previous med-tech company, BIOTRONIK, where I served for eight years. I have many fond memories of serving this company and am grateful for giving me a chance with other fabulous ladies to share our career development experiences.

When and how did you realise you wanted to pursue a career with a more technical focus, like a position at BIOTRONIK? What made you decide on your specific career? 

I started as a Sales Representative in Hong Kong for another MedTech company, so I learned the products from the ground up. I gradually had more chances to be present for more complex procedures like first-generation CRT implantations. Eventually, my customer discussions became less product-focused and more about overall therapies. That kind of on-the-job learning helped me better understand the bigger overall picture of cardiovascular therapies, and I moved into marketing. Part of what I like about marketing in Asia-Pacific is the challenge of making the very technical more easily understandable. I kept that very much in mind when I launched three generations of drug-eluting stents in seven years. The more you do it, the more you enjoy it—and the better you get at it. That’s certainly something I kept in mind when it came time to hire my own team. 

Tell us about your career at BIOTRONIK so far. When did you start, and what attracted you to the company in the beginning? What do you like most about it?  

I’ve been with BIOTRONIK since July 2015—so almost seven years now. Gunnar Wochnoski, Regional Vice President Asia Pacific, asked me what I was looking for during my job interview, and I remember replying that I wanted to find a workplace that felt like a home—that fostered a sense of belonging at the workplace. I’ve always been interested in cardiovascular topics, but here I get to be part of growing the company and the team by contributing great marketing work.  

What advice would give to young women considering a career in science or another technical discipline?  

I think this advice really goes for everyone. First of all, find something you enjoy doing. If there are parts of the job you don’t understand at first, speak up—also to yourself, by spotting areas where you can improve. Next, if you enjoy doing what you’re doing but still find it challenging, find some support—whether it’s a mentor, advisor, or expert. Lots of people are happy to support a conscientious newcomer. Spend some time looking for that advice, and you will find it. Finally, don’t get too hung up on short-term win or lose thinking. Long-term, whether it’s about managing people or making certain decisions, I’ve often learned more from the mistakes that I’ve made than from my successes. 

What advice would you have for women who pursue leadership positions? What helped you personally to enhance your career? Did BIOTRONIK support this process? 

One of the most common questions I get—also from within BIOTRONIK—is how to project executive presence. My advice is to work on your inner voice first, with help from a more senior mentor. That sometimes involves taking a step back and asking yourself whether you think the feedback you are getting is valid for you or not. Projecting executive presence also isn’t about simply copying someone else either. As long as you come to the same successful result, you might do something a bit differently than another leader would. A manager might tell you, “you have to be more assertive.” The question to yourself should then be, “how can I develop my own authentic assertiveness and confidence?” You don’t need to be assertive in the way your manager might be assertive—or even in exactly the way they might first expect you to be. I found my own executive presence, and I am still learning. It’s different from other managers, and I think that’s something the company has definitely supported, especially through mentorship initiatives.  And my personal advice: Don’t be afraid to reach out! There are more people out there than you think who are happy to mentor and give advice.