Novo Nordisk Romania is committed to changing people’s lives for better

Cecilia Radu, vicepresident and general manager of Novo Nordisk Romania, believes that the best way a leader can contribute to business growth is by fostering trust and empowering people. Business Review talked to her to learn about the company’s key achievements last year.

By Anda Sebesi

What is your leadership style and how does it support your company’s performance?

Being granted the opportunity to lead individuals and organisations is a tremendous honour. However, having the privilege to embark on a professional journey inside a company like Novo Nordisk, with more than 100 years of dedication to the wellbeing of patients, is even more profound. I am currently leading a remarkable team in Romania, one that has a deep commitment and passion for our mission of fighting severe chronic illnesses, rooted in our tradition in diabetes treatments.

Our aspiration is to be a responsible business that’s known for improving society and contributing to Romania’s present and future. Our essential values—transparency, responsibility, and respect—are at the foundation of all our endeavours to instigate positive transformations for a healthier world.

In my view, the principal responsibility of a leader is to facilitate and contribute to business development by fostering trust and empowering people. I am very grateful for the fact that Novo Nordisk in Romania has built an exceptional team with outstanding individuals who hold firm principles and values, as well as a genuine desire to improve the world.

What were your main professional achievements in 2023?

We are witnessing some of Novo Nordisk’s best moments in Romania, part of the company’s 30-year history in the country. The trajectory of our business here has been nothing short of remarkable over the past four years, including a significant growth of our organisation. We are very careful in our hiring process, always aiming to select individuals who share our values and work ethic. The team’s performance has been acknowledged through internal, regional, and global awards, all of which have highlighted our excellent results. In addition to the recognition, we have also garnered respect from our customers and the business community on account of our professionalism, dedication, and partnership mindset. With patients always in our minds and hearts, I am immensely proud of our collective achievements and I am grateful for the opportunity to develop, lead, and learn within the Romanian team.

What were the biggest challenges your business sector faced last year and how did you navigate them?

2023 was another challenging year for our sector, as it was for many other industries. The whole world is still dealing with the some of the disruptive effects of the covid-19 pandemic, including supply chain disruptions among many others. For the medium-term future, Novo Nordisk and the entire industry are concerned about the negative changes that might be brought by the EU’s general pharmaceutical legislative reform which is currently being debated in the European Parliament. The competitiveness of the European Union and the future of the European patients are at stake. But we trust that through dialogue and collaboration we can reach the best version of a reform and keep pharmaceutical innovation in Europe.

Goals for 2024:

In our quest to defeat chronic diseases, we aim to provide our patients with access to effective innovative treatments that can change their lives for better.
We look forward to onboarding and integrating our new people into a high-performing team, in order to benefit from their fresh perspective and diverse experience.
Consequently, we expect to continue delivering sustainable business growth.