Hi, my name is…

…Daniel, and I joined Roche over 10 years ago, right out of high school, for an integrated bachelor’s degree program at “Duale Hochschule” in Baden-Württemberg in Germany (it is a program which combines academic studies and on-the-job training, thereby achieving a close integration of theory and practice). Following my degree in Business Information Systems, I started at Roche in Germany as a Business Analytics Manager. During my first four years within this role I got a deep understanding of Roche’s business model and processes. After graduating with an Executive MBA I relocated to Berlin and started in a new role as a sales representative. Working in the sales force deepened my knowledge of the diagnostics market and how Roche improves patients’ lives. These experiences in Roche’s German affiliate provided a great basis for me to move into my current role as an International Product Manager for Roche Centralised and Point of Care Solutions business area in Rotkreuz, Switzerland.

My typical day at work…

…starts around 7:30 am. I like to have an everyday routine, but I am free to structure my working day as flexible as I prefer. So after grabbing a cup of coffee and traditional Swiss “Bircher” muesli I think about the day’s tasks, meetings, ongoing projects as well as take a few minutes to prioritize. I usually try to schedule my meetings for the morning between 8 am and lunch time. During lunch I either try to catch up with colleagues or meet new people. As I am new to my role and to Rotkreuz, this is a great way to expand my network. After lunch I take some time to look at my emails, align with colleagues and work on projects, presentations or marketing concepts before heading into the second round of meetings until the late afternoon. Before heading home, I check my to-do list and review new tasks as well as completed tasks.

The location I am working at is…

…Rotkreuz in Switzerland. I live close to Zurich and it takes me about half an hour to commute to Roche’s campus at Rotkreuz by train. It’s a comfortable ride and it didn’t take long to meet other colleagues who also commute to Rotkreuz. Yet living in Switzerland could not be more different from living in Berlin where I used to live for the last few years. After living in a metropolis, I now enjoy the outdoors: my apartment is only a few minutes’ walk from Lake Zurich and I am really looking forward to exploring some hiking trails in the Alps this summer.

My work helps Roche to…

…enable colleagues all over the world to bring our solutions to the market. In my previous role as a sales representative, I was very close to the market and our customers in Germany. This close relationship to them allowed me to experience the day-to-day impact of Roche’s products. Working as an International Product Manager allows me to further improve those products.

Roche as an employer is…

During my years spent working for Roche I’ve met many colleagues who passionately take responsibility for their daily work. This mindset creates an environment where people share their knowledge and openly give feedback. Everyone is empowered to drive their own area of responsibility. In every team within Roche I have worked in so far we could rely on each other’s support and expertise to achieve even greater results. Furthermore I have been lucky to have met experienced colleagues and great leaders in our organization who have helped me in my personal and professional development.

What advice would you give a new colleague joining your department?

In our team you have a great opportunity to get a global view on what Roche does every day - all over the world. Here everything comes together and is aligned. The ability to communicate with people from inside and outside of Roche as well as from a variety of backgrounds and across all hierarchy levels is the key to success in this role. But in the end, it’s all about keeping an open mind and understanding the needs of the person you are talking to.

What has been your biggest opportunity to date within Roche?

Joining the Centralised and Point of Care Solutions Lifecycle Management team was a dream come true for me. Roche has always allowed me to pursue my passions and seek new challenges. On the one hand, I now have the chance to leverage my past experience with Roche and our customers. On the other hand, Roche enables me to further my development by giving me responsibility for challenges I haven’t faced before. Therefore Roche continues to challenge me and support my personal and professional growth every day. Working in a global role, being able to deliver the best solutions to our customers and patients today and also be involved in shaping the future of our portfolio are the reasons why I look forward to work every day.

If you are interested to join Roche as an International Product Manager like Daniel, please click here to find out more about our current job vacancy.