Beyond her professional avatar as a Boss Woman, Margot is a hardcore pleasure seeker at heart. Anything which guides her away from the mundane way of life,
Isabel Afonso
General-Director
Isabel Afonso
General-Director
Leaders in the pharmaceutical/healthcare industry are expected to possess a combination of scientific knowledge, business acumen, and leadership skills. And, to excel as a leader, one must possess the ability to navigate complex challenges, make strategic decisions, and remain focused on the organization’s objective of improving patients’ health and well-being.
Introducing Isabel Afonso, a senior leader at Novartis who embodies these qualities and more. For her, a career in healthcare has been a purposeful journey. Ms. Isabel started her professional journey in a different industry and eventually transitioned to healthcare over two decades ago by joining Novartis Pharmaceuticals headquarters in Switzerland. Since then, she has worked in diverse areas of healthcare, ranging from pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics & biosimilars, and innovative medicines across various disease areas such as Hematology, Solid tumors, Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Ophthalmology, and others. She led multiple businesses across different geographies as general manager, cluster head and global commercial operations within Novartis group and was also a Chief Commercial Officer in a private equity owned company in the medical devices space.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to work across multiple geographies, including Europe, the USA, and most recently, China, alongside exceptional colleagues who share my passion for making a positive impact on patients’ lives”, she shares about her career so far.
Leading by Example and Mobilizing People Towards a Common Purpose
Ms. Isabel is a strongly passionate individual who leads by example striving to make an impact on teams, business performance and ultimately and most importantly, she says, for patients.
She is inclusive to all her colleagues irrespective of their position, gender, and working style. As Head of In-Market Brands & Business Innovation at Novartis, she endeavors to instill a culture of excellence, accountability, collaboration, and employee’s empowerment to contribute to the organization’s success. Ms. Isabel encourages an environment of continuous learning and innovation where teams across multiple geographies internationally can challenge themselves, the status quo, and think beyond conventional boundaries.
“I am driven by a strong sense of purpose, and I strive to inspire and motivate my teams and collaborate with others internally and externally to pursue bold goals with significant impact”, she says.
The progressive leadership style
She also believes in being proactive and adaptive in the fast-paced world we live in e.g.: emerging technologies. She loves, together with her teams to look forward, be curious and drive new and innovative ways to solve problems and create value. Embracing change and disruption, willing to take risks to drive innovation that drive growth and business performance.
She prioritizes talent development in her teams and has multiple mentees and reverse mentors. Ms. Isabel loves to support individuals in continuously raising their own bar and being at their best. By cultivating this type of progressive leadership environment, teams are encouraged to make a sustainable impact that benefits the organization. The aim is to enable individuals to unlock their full potential and achieve personal and professional growth.
Leading Through Adversity: Resilience
In the very beginning of Covid-19, Isabel Afonso was leading the commercial organization of a private equity company, where the hospitals were the main channels and the USA the biggest market. The start of Covid had immediate consequences and reimagining a new business model was needed. This required resilience, forward thinking, and the ability to adapt to the rapidly changing circumstances. Despite the challenges and unknowns presented at the very early phase of the pandemic, Isabel’s ability to lead and mobilize her team, collaborate with others allowed them to pivot quickly to a new model.
Later, and still during the pandemic phase, she relocated to China to lead the Oncology team at Novartis, which came along with various challenges. However, this was a purpose driven decision – after she completed her certification in Stanford school of medicine on genetics, genomics including cancer biology. She was keen to make an impact in a country where every minute 5 people die from cancer (as per the Global Cancer Observatory). She had a big responsibility on her shoulders and was incredibly resilient to overcome all obstacles and ultimately be able to be in service of her team with a great mission. When the lockdown restarted in China in 2022 to cope with this situation, her teams adopted very open communication. Together with her team, they prioritized the team’s well-being, implementing measures such as virtual check-ins and other activities that fostered a sense of togetherness. Isabel and her team also dedicated significant effort to finding innovative ways to continue providing treatments for patients, even when faced with strict lockdown measures.
Beyond Professional Avatar
Apart from her leadership responsibilities, Ms. Isabel prioritizes spending quality time with her husband and 3 kids. They love exploring new places and cultures.
She finds joy in connecting with individuals from diverse backgrounds and learning new subjects. Learning is in her DNA and she has lived that by co-founding a start-up in education after university, in parallel with her full-time job.
In the meantime, Ms. Isabel also loves sharing personal insights and reflections on leadership – “Raising the Bar” for herself and stimulating others to do the same.
She is very disciplined with her daily rituals, striving to have an abundance of energy and motivation for herself and to mobilize and inspire others.
Conclusion
Ms. Isabel’s leadership embodies the characteristics of a progressive leader: encouraging innovation, forward-thinking, and a culture of continuous learning; navigating challenges with resilience and determination; mobilizing people towards a common purpose and delivering significant business impact.
Company
Novartis
Management
Isabel Afonso
General-Director
Description
Our purpose is to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives. We use innovative science and technology to address some of society’s most challenging healthcare issues. We discover and develop breakthrough treatments and find new ways to deliver them to as many people as possible. We also aim to reward those who invest their money, time and ideas in our company.
Read Magazine
View more profiles
Valerie Berthereaux feels incredibly fortunate to have a loving and supportive family and friends. Her two children bring her immense pride,
Balancing her personal life with her role as a transformative coach, Jennifer practices what she teaches. She remains true to her values, recognizing the essential.
Passionate about healthy living, Patricia Berrocal, an advocate for balanced well-being, finds joy in activities such as sports, yoga, and skiing.
Committed to both personal and professional development, Paula prioritizes continuous learning to enhance her performance and capabilities.
With a steadfast vision for advancing along this path, Winnie sought counsel from seasoned entrepreneurs.
Renée Dobos has a profound personal connection with the transformative power of education.
From a young age, Christine McGuire drew inspiration from her parents' strong work ethic.
Caroline Alan, not hailing from a scientific or medical background but rather from the tech realm,
In his daily pursuit, James focuses on incremental success, acknowledging that small achievements compound over time.
Frank and his team’s philosophy is to treat the rest of the organization as their clients, and themselves as a key service provider to the company.
At Doppelmayr, Daniela Guerrero has emerged as a trailblazer in this movement.
As a young cross-country skier, Viktoria traveled extensively during weekends for competitions across Finland.
Veronica Boh, a Malaysian of Chinese heritage, spent the early years of her life in the UK, Germany, and Taiwan, returning to Malaysia at the age of five.
Ms. van Teeffelen's early years were truly remarkable, marked by her upbringing as an expatriate child.
Nicole Mauthe was born in November 1978 in a small village in Bavaria, Germany, as the daughter of a carpenter and a technical draughtswoman.
Born and raised in Vienna, Austria, Nicole Lehrer's upbringing already shaped her groundwork for her future mission.
Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Amber entered the world to a courageous teenage mother who believed that entrusting her child to a more prepared family was the best course of action.
Amidst the vast digital highways of submarine cables, a standout luminary emerges in the exciting world of modern telecommunications.
Persuaded by her experience, Laurel Sim decided to partner with Taleo during a crucial point in her career.
The expertise and guidance of CTOs are vital for companies as they navigate the complexities of the modern digital era.
Luke Marchant stated that his love of technology was sparked at a young age while reflecting on his journey.
Caio Almeida, a pioneer in the field of creative technology, serves as the Chief Technology Officer of OPTO CREATIVE LAB INC.
Tristan McKinney envisions a future for Sofi Exploration that encompasses relentless growth and adaptability.
Being that person who was always interested in sports since his early years, Mike Edwards was appointed as a red shirt for his University Basketball team.
In his role as COO, Kevin has been involved in various aspects, from overseeing expansions into new territories to crafting employee benefit plans.
Dominic Haas leads a youthful and dynamic team at Legacy Network, setting the tone for a culture steeped in growth and entrepreneurial mindset right from inception.
The crucial role played by specialty pharmacy has never been more evident in a time of unheard medical discoveries.
In recent years, there has been an incredible growth in the number of high-quality real estate firms operating worldwide.
During her tenure at the Firm, Ana has assumed diverse roles, finding particular fulfillment through her active participation.
Ana O. Ramirez has vital direct knowledge of the particular requirements of Rhisco’s target market.
As the Director Principal Alison ensures that the workspace is a testament to their ...
Beyond her work at Bonjour et co., Alexandra Kemp leads a social and active lifestyle.
Robert SEREC, the CEO and visionary founder of the White Hydrogen Coalition, is in charge of the organization.
Lorri Haines finds himself amidst the bustling dynamics of a new addition to the household—a baby that has added a layer of busyness to his days.
Under Gert J. Roselt’s leadership, Probe Integrated Mining Technologies has successfully built a dynamic team and a robust network.
Technology offers limitless prospects for Daniel Pizon, a tech fanatic driven by an insatiable quest for innovation and progress.
Scott Berry assumes responsibility for overseeing the agency's service offerings and pricing strategies.
