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Career Advice

3 Successful Women Share How Inspired Leadership Influences Their Careers

March 20 2023

At Bristol Myers Squibb, colleagues around the world — in every field and at all levels — share a common passion for our mission to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. This commitment is exemplified in women leaders like Catherine Owen, Senior Vice President and General Manager, US Commercial Oncology, Immunology, and Cardiovascular, as well as future leaders Stephanie Cross and Krithika Venkataraman who both work in marketing for BMS Cell Therapy.


These BMS employees share their unique perspectives on what brought them here, from the value of authentic leadership in providing opportunities for career growth, to the power of teamwork when people of diverse experiences unite for a shared purpose. While at different stages in their careers, including a working mother who has been able to advance professionally while maintaining a work-life balance, they continue to make a difference in people's lives, supported by and thriving in BMS’s patient-centric culture.


Career Paths for Women Leaders


With degrees in pharmacy and international marketing, Catherine is an accomplished executive with over 20 years of pharmaceutical leadership experience, both in the U.S. and internationally, and across multiple therapeutic areas. She joined BMS in 2019 during a pivotal time in the company’s growth, and having the chance to help raise BMS to a whole new level of excellence was for her, a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Catherine Owen, Senior Vice President and General Manager, US Commercial Oncology, Immunology, and Cardiovascular

In addition to building a commercial future for BMS as an organization, Catherine is personally committed to building the futures of emerging leaders like Stephanie and Krithika. Imparting the skills and qualities she has developed as a leader, such as inclusivity and transparency, means investing in people as much as in BMS. “Among my great passions is helping people with their career goals and mentoring them.”


Catherine believes learning and growing is a lifelong process, and she relies on the guidance of mentors herself. “I have more than one. Each offers something different, and who I seek out for advice and insight depends upon the challenge or decision I need to make. They’ve been an incredible source of perspective. I like to think of them as my personal career advisory board.”


For Stephanie, Associate Director, US CAR T Marketing, her career began in healthcare marketing agencies before she made the move to BMS.


“The pharmaceutical industry has always had a special place in my heart. I’ve always been interested in medicine and science, and this kind of marries that with the creative thinking that I love to do, as well.” Like many of her colleagues, Stephanie has a personal connection to her work because of the

focus on the patient. “Many of us have had a family member, friend or loved one fight cancer or another devastating disease. That fight is what motivates me to do what I do every day.”


After starting her career in consulting, working with major pharmaceutical companies, Krithika joined the BMS Business Insights & Analytics team where she was exposed to more opportunities thanks to the support of several managers. They encouraged her to pursue other roles with greater responsibilities, and this kind of leadership had a big impact on her. “It's the people who believe in you that make a real difference in your career. And that journey where people had faith in me gave me more confidence and helped me succeed.”


She looks forward to further developing her leadership skills so she can in turn support the career growth of her team. “I don't want people to hold back talking about their goals and ambitions. In fact, I want to have more open and frequent conversations about them so that every day they spend in their current role, they feel that it is all worth it and it adds toward fulfilling their personal aspirations.”


Stephanie Cross, Associate Director, US CAR T Marketing

Women in dark blazer

Krithika Venkataraman, Associate Director, US Cell Therapy Marketing

Growing through Authentic Leadership


What unites their experiences is the impact good leaders can have, both as a supportive influence and an inspirational guide for future leaders. Just like in any role, successful leadership is grounded in being authentic, open and always willing to learn.


For Stephanie, transparency is essential. “I really value transparency. It allows us to share across functions, even across teams about what’s working and how we could improve each other’s work. Having transparency from leadership as well not only lets us see their perspective, but also empowers us to share our thoughts and opinions back. It really enables us to do our best work.”


Krithika’s view is that authentic leadership “comes from a good place and a good heart,” shaped by their own personal and professional experiences, and guided by a desire to do right by the people they’re responsible for — a view Catherine embraces as a mentor. “I try to give my mentees pragmatic, honest and actionable advice because it is the most genuine way I can add perspective.”

Inclusion and Diversity Make for Bright Futures


Providing pathways for people to develop as leaders is one of the many reasons high-performing professionals like Catherine, Stephanie and Krithika choose BMS as the place to do some of the most important and meaningful work of their careers. BMS’s patient-centric culture defines our company, guides our leadership, and inspires everyone to work together to make a difference in people’s lives.


Colleagues like these exceptional women, coming from diverse backgrounds and experiences, continue to inspire and be inspired by each other. They represent the future of BMS — and our industry as a whole. We steadfastly believe diversity fosters innovation, and innovation not only solves problems, it can also transform lives. If you envision this kind of career journey in your future, explore the possibilities at BMS.

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