Barbara Woodworth

 

The pharma/biomed sector continues to offer enormous career opportunities

 

Making a difference at SANOFI

 

From the time she immigrated to the United States as a teenager on her own, Adriana Staufert Bury was committed to reaching her full potential. "My initial intention was to go to school to learn English and then return to my family and culture in Mexico," she reports. As it turns out, she has accomplished far more in her 25 years in the U.S.

 

Bury earned a BA degree in business and economics from Westminster College, Salt Lake City, UT, a MS degree in management and organizational development from the College of St. Elizabeth, Morris town, NJ, in addition to securing several certifications, getting married, travelling throughout North America and Europe, and embarking on an impressive career.

 

She started her professional career in the aerospace industry before accepting an opportunity in pharmaceuticals, which has led to further advancement in the industry. "I looked for an organization that valued culture and sought to make a difference in the lives of patients. I found that at Sanofi - and more," she remarks. "Sanofi's culture closely aligns with mine, particularly regarding innovation and change management at the organization and industry levels."

 

Today, Bury is human resources business partner (HRBP) director at Sanofi, which employs 187,000 people in the U.S. and 110,000 worldwide. Sanofi US is headquartered in Bridgewater, NJ.

 

In her current capacity, Bury supports a highly diverse group of clients, including commercial sales in Puerto Rico and corporate affairs, supply chain and distribution, and trade functions for North America. As the front-line interface for business leaders at Sanofi (www.sanofi.us.com), Bury is responsible for reaching HR solutions for a multitude of issues. "My job is to consult with corporate leaders to identify optimal approaches and resolutions for organizational challenges. I am fortunate to work with talented professionals to provide best-inclass HR services including talent management, compensation, administrative services, and much, much more," she says.

 

As the pharmaceutical industry faces increased business challenges, Bury applauds companies that reinvent themselves. What makes Sanofi particularly attractive to Bury is the company's focus on improving patient health and wellness. "Sanofi is very much a health company, and with my holistic mindset I am definitely in tune with that," she states. "Being able to work in an environment dedicated to bringing about better, safer, quicker results keeps me excited about my job."

 

Diverse teams comprised of different cultures, Bury asserts, best accomplish improving processes and driving innovation. "Varying viewpoints bring about better solutions," she adds, which bodes well for culturally diverse professionals who are considering careers in the biopharmaceutical industry.

 

Additionally, she cites emotional intelligence, discipline, flexibility, customer excellence, and fun (with a capital F) as the competencies responsible for her career accomplishments over the years. "Having fun at work is important. To do their best, people must enjoy what they are doing and be passionate about it. My job—100 percent—embodies who I am and what I enjoy doing," she says. "I thrive on seeing people advance in their careers while having fun doing so."