For the love of science
Leading the region from lockdown in Dublin, Merck Biopharma's new Asia Pac VP Liz Henderson talks about the challenges - and opportunities - in supplying medicine to the highly diverse markets, including a possible cure for cancer.
SMACK in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic in May, Liz Henderson was asked to step up and lead Merck Biopharma Asia Pacific as regional vice-president. She was halfway across the globe in the UK, but the 49-year-old did not hesitate.
"It was a big change and opportunity for me when I moved into this new role," says the mother of one in a video interview in October. The appointment would call for not just a physical relocation from Dublin to Singapore, the pharma giant's Asia Pacific headquarters, but also moving into new territory workwise and taking on much more responsibility.
"I tend to take risks and jump to a new role to challenge myself, but some others might tend to wait until they feel they are fully ready," she says, adding that a company like Merck - founded in Germany back in 1668 - encourages women to be a bit braver by ensuring that its employees have the right support in top roles.
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