Interesting Work: Improving Patients' Lives

March 07 2022

Whether you’re working hands-on in the lab as a scientist or driving new business opportunities, you’re doing what you set out to do. But does your work constantly challenge, inspire and support you to go further? Do you find the work personally interesting?

BMS employees do. From a VP talking about launching eight different indications over two years, to a biomedical researcher who was able to transition to business strategy, to a senior scientist sharing that the autonomy she was given allowed for incredible innovation she couldn’t have achieved elsewhere, these BMS leaders are transforming patients’ lives and their own careers.

Read more as leaders share their excitement about the latest leading-edge work that keeps them and their teams engaged. Then explore your own transformational career opportunities at BMS.

Ivie Aifuwa, Associate Director, Cell manufacturing and development site in Seattle, WA

For Ivie Aifuwa, an Associate Director in our cell manufacturing and development site in Seattle, WA, success in this mission hinges on a balance of autonomy and collaboration.

“We are given a lot of responsibility as scientists, which is not necessarily the case in other companies at our levels,” said Ivie. “The freedom and independence have really enabled me to grow and mature very quickly.”

As the lead of three technological development groups, Ivie oversees and orchestrates the execution of the tactical plans that take new systems from the laboratory environment to the manufacturing floor.

“Having the opportunity to develop new systems and technologies to support our drug products, and ultimately our patients, is a joy,” she added.

Our Innovative Technologies group, which is part of the Business Development organization at BMS, also supports these processes from the business side. The team forges the partnerships that help build our platforms from early development across the value chain to precision medicine and digital health.

“We’re focusing on cutting-edge technologies that can transform and streamline the development of new therapies, getting them to patients sooner,” said Konstantina Katcheves, Senior Vice President, Business Development, Innovative Technologies & Geographic Search. “Working across disciplines gives us a chance to work with the folks who do companion diagnostics to help target therapies to patients based on data-driven analytics at increasingly differentiated populations to ensure each patient gets the treatment most likely to help them as individuals – not just as one of a group of all patients with the same diagnosis. We’re on the edge of digital medicines, helping create better patient outcomes and making drug discovery faster using AI and machine learning.”

Konstantina Katcheves, Senior Vice President, Business Development, Innovative Technologies & Geographic Search

Therese Glennon, Vice President of Customer and Market Insights

A personal connection to the work

Perhaps the greatest driver of excitement among our teams is seeing the tangible impact of daily work. Just ask Therese Glennon, a market research expert and Vice President of Customer and Market Insights, who has worked with BMS since people “went from dying of AIDS to living with HIV.”

“We’re at the forefront of the science that is going to help move people from dying with cancer to living with cancer. We have the portfolio, indications and molecules that are going to be a big part of what the future will bring,” said Therese.

And for Therese, who has a family member that is on a cardiovascular drug, it’s personal. “The personal impact on patients is very exciting. The sense of responsibility and fulfillment you get from that…it’s fascinating. It's a career experience that no one should walk away from, and everyone should really flock to.”

Broad team experience, breakthrough ideas

In addition to our incredibly diverse pipeline, BMS also believes in building teams of individuals with varying abilities, experiences and perspectives. Fang Zhang, Executive Director, China Business Development & Geographic Search, found the perfect role to leverage her unique background. A trained scientist with a PhD, Fang was doing biomedical research before she became interested in the business side of science. After earning her MBA, she joined BMS through a rotational program that gave her insight into our company’s business strategy, and she has seen many other colleagues who’ve done the same.

“Some of my colleagues were research scientists before transitioning into business development,” said Fang. “Others came from a medical background or clinical development. Some were in finance or practicing law. We have a diversified team with different backgrounds.”

Fang Zhang, Executive Director, China Business Development & Geographic Search

Paul Shay, Lead of PRIDE Alliance PBRG (People and Business Resource Group) at BMS

Diversity in every aspect of the business

Paul Shay, who leads the PRIDE Alliance People and Business Resource Group at BMS, notes the big commitment at the enterprise level that the organization is making to address the fundamental societal issue of diversity in clinical trials. “This is something that every industry player struggles with, and I think we’re doing it in a thoughtful way. Not only does it solve a business problem, but it’s an issue that is felt deeply by leadership.” He added, “When you hear leadership talk about authenticity and sincerity and the importance of bringing these things to work, and you see the significant investments being made to ensure our studies are representative of diverse communities such as people of color and LGBTQ+ people, you know they really mean it.”

If these insights leave you longing for meaningful opportunities to transform patient lives – and your own career – it may be time for a change. Explore open roles today!

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BMS Senior Leaders Open Up on Why Their Teams' Work Inspires

A personal connection to the work

Broad team experience, breakthrough ideas