Our People

Meet our leaders at MSD BeLux: Rietja Hart, Finance Lead

June, 14, 2023

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We are continuing a series of articles in which we would like to introduce you to our leaders at MSD BeLux, to get to know what drives them in their roles, what it’s like to lead at MSD BeLux, and what it’s like being part of a company with such a significant impact on the world.

Finance serves as an integral part of our leadership team as they analyze every day financial activities and provide advice and guidance on future finance plans. They are the root of all major business decisions, and their role is crucial to the success of any organization.

But what makes our Finance Lead, Rietja so passionate about financial affairs?

“I enjoy working within Finance as it touches all parts of the organization, providing a large diversity in the topics that we are involved in, and having both a short- and long-term focus. Together with my team we aim to provide the best possible support to our business stakeholders, partnering together to ensure that company resources are both optimally deployed and accurately reported. I am energized when I see what the power of a strong team and collaboration can accomplish together.”  

I feel supported by our company’s values and ways of working, which include the respect of others and embracing diversity & inclusion.

“I have always worked within Finance and Pharmaceuticals, however I sought to broaden my experiences by supporting different parts of the organization, from early-stage Research to late-stage Development, Production and Sales. In addition, I worked at different levels of the organization, currently within a local subsidiary but previously in Regional and Corporate positions. I have also had the opportunity within MSD to work in 5 different countries, gaining different cultural experiences. I moved to Belgium and joined the team almost 2 years ago, and despite COVID restrictions I became quickly integrated within the team.”

At MSD, we are committed to investing in personal growth and development. It is important to be open to trying something new, and to experiment, learn and adapt as you do. Continuous learning is not only important, but it also keeps things interesting!

“I take this topic seriously, and I would encourage people to have regular development discussions on this. Not only with your direct manager, but also actively seek feedback from others, and leverage one of the number of mentoring programs that are available within MSD. It helps to be clear in your career aspirations, to identify the optimal developmental actions to focus on and best prepare you for the next step.

It’s important to continuously build your portfolio of skills and experiences. I have sought to diversify my career by supporting different parts of the organization, at different levels, and in different countries. Each new environment helped me to broaden my knowledge, experience, and skills.”

We will continue the series with more interesting stories from our top leaders. So, stay tuned!

Our People

Katrien De Vos appointed to Managing Director, MSD Belgium & Luxembourg

May, 8, 2023

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Katrien De Vos has taken the lead of MSD Belgium & Luxembourg since Monday, May 1.  In her new role of Managing Director, she takes over from An Cloet, External Affairs Director at MSD Belgium, who held the position ad interim for the past 6 months.

Prior to joining MSD, Katrien De Vos held various national and international positions at AstraZeneca for more than a decade. In 2020, she was appointed Country President of AstraZeneca Switzerland. Under her leadership, AstraZeneca was recognized as one of the best employers in Switzerland for the third year in a row. She led a diverse team there in which more than 50 percent of management positions are held by women. Throughout her entire career in the pharmaceutical sector, Katrien De Vos has focused on the strategic growth of the company, building strong teams, developing talent, and fostering a great workplace for all employees.

Katrien De Vos is Belgian and holds a doctorate in applied sciences in personalized diagnostics from Ghent University and a professional degree in business administration from Vlerick Business School.

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Katrien De Vos nommée directrice générale de MSD Belgium & Luxembourg

Depuis le 1^er mai Katrien De Vos a repris la direction de MSD Belgium & Luxembourg. Elle succède à An Cloet, External Affairs Director pour MSD Belgium, qui exerça le poste de directrice générale de MSD Belgium & Luxembourg ad interim durant les 6 derniers mois.

Avant de rejoindre MSD, Katrien De Vos a occupé diverses fonctions nationales et internationales pour AstraZeneca pendant plus de dix ans, jusqu’à prendre la direction générale d’AstraZeneca Suisse en 2020. Sous sa direction, AstraZeneca a été reconnue comme l’un des meilleurs employeurs de Suisse pour la troisième année consécutive, avec une équipe diversifiée où plus de 50% des postes de direction sont occupés par des femmes. Tout au long de sa carrière dans l’industrie pharmaceutique, Katrien De Vos s’est concentrée sur la croissance stratégique de l’entreprise, la constitution d’équipes solides, le développement des talents et la promotion d’un lieu de travail agréable pour tous les employés.

Née en Belgique, Katrien De Vos est titulaire d’un doctorat en sciences appliquées dans le domaine des diagnostics personnalisés, délivré par l’université de Gand, ainsi que d’un certificat professionnel en administration des affaires de la Vlerick Business School.

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Katrien De Vos benoemd tot algemeen directeur van MSD Belgium & Luxembourg

Katrien De Vos heeft op maandag 1 mei de leiding van MSD Belgium & Luxembourg overgenomen. Ze neemt hierbij het roer over van An Cloet, External Affairs Director bij MSD Belgium, die de functie de afgelopen 6 maanden ad interim uitoefende.

Voordat Katrien De Vos bij MSD aan de slag ging, bekleedde ze meer dan tien jaar diverse nationale en internationale functies bij AstraZeneca. In 2020 werd ze benoemd tot Country President van AstraZeneca Zwitserland. Onder haar leiding is AstraZeneca voor het derde jaar op rij erkend als een van de beste werkgevers in Zwitserland. Ze stuurde er een divers team aan waarin meer dan 50% van de managementfuncties door vrouwen worden uitgeoefend. Gedurende haar volledige carrière in de farmaceutische sector heeft Katrien De Vos zich toegespitst op de strategische groei van het bedrijf, het opbouwen van sterke teams, het ontwikkelen van talent en het bevorderen van een geweldige werkplek voor alle medewerkers.

Katrien De Vos is Belgische en behaalde een doctoraat in de toegepaste wetenschappen op het gebied van gepersonaliseerde diagnostiek aan de Universiteit Gent en een professioneel diploma bedrijfskunde aan de Vlerick Business School.

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Our People

Meet our leaders at MSD BeLux: Dr. Laurent Viérin, Country Medical Director

June, 14, 2023

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We are starting a series of articles in which we would like to introduce you to our leaders at MSD BeLux, to get to know what drives them in their roles, what it’s like to lead at MSD BeLux, and what it’s like being part of a company with such a significant impact on the world.

Medical Affairs colleagues are the face of the company.

Since they interact with the medical community, the Medical Affairs (MA) colleagues are the face of the company, and their scientific expertise helps them in these interactions. Our MA Department only includes professionals with a strong scientific background, often complemented by a Ph.D.

Our MA colleagues are the pre-eminent scientific experts in their therapeutic areas. With the knowledge and expertise they have on our products, the disease, and the broader environment, they stay true to our mission “to communicate and generate medical evidence to help those responsible for healthcare decisions make informed choices that improve access and health outcomes for patients”.

We bring value to the different development phases of our medicines.

The MA department’s main activities span from the clinical development of our molecules to post-approval activities. The team interacts with many internal stakeholders, such as the clinical trial organization colleagues, the regulatory departments, and the pharmacovigilance teams, as well as the market access and commercial groups. The MA team is one of the departments that work most intensively with all other departments in the MSD organization.

Because our focus is on scientifically/medically driven conversations and activities, we interact with all external stakeholders, such as healthcare professionals and other decision-makers for whom science matters, and the in-depth knowledge of our products is important to their decision-making.

“We develop medicines and vaccines that can potentially save and improve the lives of so many people. When thinking about our rich pipeline that addresses all of these unmet needs, I feel a sense of responsibility to bring those innovations to the people that need them. Our goal as a department is to drive and support the progress of our pipeline products towards ultimate access for patients.

Working day after day in collaboration with other motivated colleagues that strive toward that objective is, I must say, very rewarding and gives me a strong sense of pride.”

We will continue the series with more interesting stories from our top leaders. So, stay tuned!

Our People

Meet our leaders at MSD BeLux: Philippe Decerf, Business Operations Lead

June, 14, 2023

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Business Operations (Bus.Ops.) serves as a guide for our company. This unit acts as a fail-safe, limiting our risks and helping the company avoid operational problems.

Our Bus.Ops. team oversees many processes that allow this company to function effectively. We prepare for change and seize opportunities. Imagine what would happen:

• if our products were no longer available on the market or could no longer be delivered to our customers (ONE, wholesalers, pharmacists, etc.) on time?
• if some of our activities did not comply with the laws or MSD standards? What would the impact in the media be and, more importantly, what would this do to the image that our customers and patients have of MSD and its products?
• if we had no knowledge, no contact points with the hospitals, and could not respond to their needs in an ever-changing hospital environment?

The Bus.Ops. team aims to become a hub of excellence to deliver the best customer experience internally and externally!

MSD provides the environment to help me shape my career and reach my fullest potential.

Long story short, I have been working at MSD as the Business Operations Lead for almost three years now. I started my career in this company, 25 years ago, as a medical representative. After five years, I became a sales manager covering many different therapeutic areas and leading several teams in primary care and hospital care. During this 10-year period, MSD gave me the opportunity to follow many training courses, and in project management (Six Sigma, etc.) specifically, which allowed me to engage with project management on both a local and regional level. MSD puts you in charge of your career!

My leadership style is both supportive and challenging.

“I don’t like the idea that there is one leadership style that’s better than the other. I think someone’s leadership style needs to align with the team, the individual, and the task. Anybody can be an expert or leader in their area. As a leader, you need to be supportive, which can be participative and/or directive. I prefer to talk about values and beliefs. I particularly love to challenge the status quo and use humor and respect in my interactions. I like processes, and I enjoy reviewing them to make things simpler, clearer, and more organized.”

We will continue the series with more interesting stories from our top leaders. So, stay tuned!