Tag: APAC

An Introduction to Danaher University Programs
Norman Jones, Director of Global University Recruitment, sits down with the Internship Show to share insight into Danaher’s University Recruitment programs.

Press play to hear him speak about the opportunities at Danaher for early professionals!

Norman Jones is the Global Director of University Recruitment at Danaher. He has 17 years of experience working in Inclusion, Employment Brand, Strategic Partnerships and Talent Acquisition. His primary role is overseeing all of Danaher’s early career recruitment activities, including interns and full-time hires from universities.

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Parker Pell: On this episode of the internship show, we speak with Norman Jones from Danaher. Norman talks about their internship and full-time opportunities within their university programs, shares why he loves working at Danaher and so much more. Stay tuned, the show is coming up next.

Parker Pell: Norman, thanks much for taking the time and joining the show.

Norman Jones: Thanks for having me here, Parker.

Parker Pell: Super excited to dive into all things Danaher and Danaher’s university programs in our conversation today. But just for starters, do you mind just introducing yourself and talking a bit about your role at Danaher to the audience?

Norman Jones: Sure. My name is Norman Jones. I am the Global Director of University Recruitment here at Danaher. I’ll hit my two-year mark at the end of August of this year. And my main job is to make sure that we’re bringing in early career talent, whether it’s interns or full-time hires from universities. And I could be undergrad, masters, PhD and MBA talent to be the future leaders of our company. So happy to be here with you and to engage with you.

Parker Pell: Excited as well. And I mean, let’s introduce Danaher for a second. For an audience that might not have heard of the company before. Can you talk a bit about who is Danaher and talk about what the company does as well?

Norman Jones: Danaher is a leading global life sciences and diagnostics innovator, helping to solve many of the world’s most important health challenges. Ultimately, improving quality of life for billions of people today while setting the foundation for a healthier and more sustainable tomorrow.

Parker Pell: And I’m always curious when we bring guests on the show. To hear your perspective, Norman, what do you love about working at Danaher?

Norman Jones: I love that at the end of the day, our main mission is to ensure we’re improving people’s health. It makes me proud to say I work at Danaher. Also, I have an amazing manager who believes in me and is actively developing me, which is important to me as a working professional. And lastly, I have an amazing team of recruiters that I get to lead as we bring on the future leaders of our organization.

Parker Pell: I love that Danaher is so invested in bringing in early talent, whether it’s intern or full-time individuals to the company to really make an impact. I’m curious, Norman, as your team is going out and recruiting this awesome talent, could you talk a bit about maybe some of the skills that you and the team are looking for in a candidate for whether it’s your internship or your full-time opportunities?

Norman Jones: Of course. For our intern and full-time, entry-level associate roles, we recruit for talent that has, that wants to leverage their degrees in whether it’s in the corporate environment, the R&D space, or the manufacturing supply chain space. So some majors we’re recruiting for include accounting and finance, biology, chemistry, engineering, whether it’s mechanical, biomedical, electrical, computer, industrial.

Parker Pell: I love to hear that, Norman. And I mean, for students that show those skills and get that opportunity to come and join Danaher, I want to focus a bit on the internship program for a second. Can you give us an overview of what the internship program is going to look like for a Danaher intern?

Norman Jones: Yeah. So our internship program here at Danaher is 12 weeks long. Typically, sometimes 10 depending on a school timeframe of some students and where they go to school at. But typically, it is 12 weeks long. And even before you start our internship, our intern program lead is reaching out to you to get to know you, to get you excited about coming on to Danaher. We work with the hiring manager to make sure that there’s meaningful work that the interns are going to be doing, that they’re going to find to be a value add to their future. And then once you come on board, it’s all about how to make sure you’re doing great work that’s going to be beneficial to Danaher but also having fun. So we work hard to make sure that while you’re learning a lot that you can add to your resume, you’re also building camaraderie amongst other interns here. So we work very hard to build engagement, bring people together, celebrate you, do lunch and learns, do executive talks where we bring leaders in to engage with you. And just make sure at the end of the day, you had a great experience overall.

Parker Pell: We know that community and that engagement is really what students are looking for when they’re choosing a company, obviously, to go in intern for. You talked about those lunch and learns, maybe the executive speaker series, any other kind of workshops or events y’all are hosting throughout the program that you could speak to, that interns are going to have the opportunity to attend?

Norman Jones: Yeah, I think one of our biggest things that we do is we bring the interns together for what we call DBS week. We DBS stands for Danaher Business System. It’s our core values. It’s our culture. It’s what we live and breathe here at Danaher.

So we bring our interns together at a location somewhere in the US for a week long immersion into DBS. We bring on one of our DBS experts who come in and facilitate what DBS is, whether it’s educating them on what kaizen’s are and putting them through a mini kaizen, whether it’s putting them through PSP, which stands for Problem Solving Processes, whether it’s talking about the five Y’s to get to the root of the problem. So we try to have that immersion where you get to learn what we live and breathe here at Danaher because our hope is that you’ll be able to take that back to your school environment and apply DBS as you’re working through problems in class or preparing for exams or team presentations. So DBS is a huge thing for us and bringing those interns together is a great way for them to learn truly what makes Danaher, Danaher, but also allows them to engage with each other in person because we have interns flying in from all over the country.

Parker Pell: I think that’s so cool and such a unique component to Danaher’s internship program, right? Because they’re getting that experience, obviously, of interning, working at Danaher, getting to network, but the practicality behind what they’re learning throughout their internship and being able to apply that back to when they’re in school, right? I think it’s just invaluable. And I’m sure that Danaher interns are loving their experience. Do you have any feedback from former Danaher interns that you could share about kind of what generally they’ve said their experience has been like?

Norman Jones: Yeah, of course. And I’m one who likes to focus on both positives and areas for development. You know, sometimes I’m not going to just tell you all the great things that interns have said because I don’t think that’s realistic. No internship is 100% perfect. But with regards to the positives, we’ve heard interns say that they love the experience because they felt like they really got to do meaningful work. We’ve had interns talk about how they love the culture of the operating company that they’re a part of. We’ve had interns talk about how they love coming together. We really got the network and bond with other interns, how they really enjoyed that DBS week. We’ve had also some other interns who gave us feedback on how we could be better. You know, I mean, like I said, at Danaher, we’re all always about continuous improvement. How can we continue continuously get better because that’s what we strive for.

We feel that perfection is never really something you can obtain or something you’re always reaching for. You know, so we asked our interns for feedback that let us know what we could do better so they could have a better experience. You know, so we do want the instructive feedback as well as the positive feedback.

Parker Pell: I love that though, because it’s a two-way street, right? And I think that the receptiveness for a company like Danaher to feedback from interns even goes farther to elevate y’all’s program overall. And you’re putting a ton into bringing in this early career talent into Danaher to really make an impact. Norman, as your team thinks about the goals for the internship program, what would some of those be?

Norman Jones: Yep. And I can tell you now, Parker, we have four goals that we always set for ourselves. And we stand by the first goal, is for interns to have a meaningful internship experience, where they can put where they can apply what they’ve learned in their classes in a work environment. Our second goal, is for our interns to experience our culture of learning, teamwork, knowledge sharing and continuous improvement. Our third goal, is to make the internship a fun experience for all of our interns. And our last goal is conversion. We want to ensure that all our interns that are successful are converted, whether it’s to come back as a full time associate the following year, or to come back as a returning intern the following summer.

Parker Pell: Norman, this has been so fun to not only learn about Danaher, the company, but also Danaher’s university programs, both intern and full time and all the investment that y’all are putting into delivering this awesome experience for early talent that gets an opportunity to join Danaher. I’d love for us to close out the show, and it’s going to be a tough question. But if you wanted a listener to leave the show, knowing kind of one thing about Danaher or about other of the programs that we’ve discussed today, what would you want to leave listeners with?

Norman Jones: I would like a listener to know that Danaher is a great place to start, grow and end your career. You know, I’ve been here for almost two years, and I don’t see myself leaving anytime soon. I thoroughly enjoy the work I do. But more importantly, I really enjoy the people I work with. And again, like I said, at the end of the day, our mission here is to improve the lives of every human on this planet. And for me, that’s made me so proud to say how we’re going to Danaher.

Parker Pell: Couldn’t agree with you more, Norman. Thanks so much again for the time today. We really appreciate the conversation.

Norman Jones: Thank you, Parker. It was great talking to you.

Parker Pell: So fun chatting with Norman to learn about Danaher, Danaher’s university programs, and so much more about everything early career going on at their company. Stay tuned for the next episode of The Internship Show and have a great day.

Explore more stories from Danaher associates
April 17, 2025
Innovation at Danaher Diagnostics

At Danaher, we are committed to advancing precision medicine through innovative diagnostic solutions and enabling healthcare providers to diagnose disease with unprecedented speed and accuracy. We foster innovation through collaboration across our diverse businesses and cutting-edge technologies.

Hear from some of our top associates on why they love working at Danaher’s diagnostics companies and about the impact of their work on patient outcomes around the world.

Want to learn more? Explore the links below:

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March 1, 2025
Kajal’s Journey: Switching Industries Brings a Refreshing Change and Opportunities for Growth

After three and a half years in the pharma industry, Kajal Pradhan took a leap into diagnostics and has found the change fits well with her personal and professional goals. We chatted about her experiences so far and her vision of what’s to come.

What is your role at HemoCue?

I am a Territory Sales Representative based in Guwahati. I cover the entire northeast region of India, so I am on the move a lot! My daily responsibilities involve visiting our customers, providing them with scientific knowledge about our products, and showcasing how point-of-care solutions can enhance their clinical practices.

My job is all about building strong relationships with customers, delivering services, and visiting our channel partners, which are things I really enjoy.

What brought you to HemoCue?

Prior to joining HemoCue, I worked in the pharmaceutical sector in Guwahati. I had been considering a change for career growth, but I wasn’t very familiar with HemoCue initially. I spoke to some contacts in the diagnostics industry and found that HemoCue has a very good reputation. And during the interview process, I got a very positive impression of HemoCue and the team. And it’s only gotten better since I started!

Upon joining, I found a supportive working environment, with leaders who appreciate and motivate their team members. I really enjoy traveling, and since that is something I do quite a bit for my job, it’s very motivating. There are a lot of opportunities to do good, meaningful work here, and I see myself growing at HemoCue.

How would you describe the HemoCue culture and growth opportunities?

HemoCue’s work culture is different from the pharmaceutical industry, and I’ve learned a lot through this transition. There is a strong sense of respect in HemoCue, both between colleagues, but also from our customers. Our customers trust that we are going to guide them to the right solution and are very excited to hear about the new things we have brought to them.

I think that the supportive environment, where every team member is encouraged and appreciated, has been instrumental in my growth. Very soon after starting here, I was given the opportunity to present a story of my success installing HbA1c machines at a Town Hall meeting. That was a very proud moment, and very motivating.

The leadership team, including my reporting manager Suman Dasgupta, has been encouraging and has shown that gender does not determine opportunities for growth at HemoCue.

How does HemoCue support your personal purpose?

The company focuses on selling value rather than just the price, and this aligns with my personal values. I want to sell more than just a product, but rather something that I believe in and that will help our customers. That is what HemoCue does.

Also, I value the work culture at HemoCue, which is built on respect and appreciation. I have interacted with people at all levels in the company and everyone is very respectful and open. Additionally, the equal opportunities provided to all team members, regardless of gender or background, make me feel valued and supported.

What sets HemoCue apart?

HemoCue might not have been widely known in northeast India before, but it’s gaining recognition now. The company’s small, close-knit teams create a supportive and motivating atmosphere where everyone’s contributions are valued.

What sets it apart is the trust it has built with customers, as well as its commitment to providing equal opportunities to all employees. There are many female managers here. It is motivating to see, knowing that they were once in a position similar to mine and now they are managing a whole team! Everyone is treated the same, regardless of gender or race, and that is very refreshing!

What are you most looking forward to in the months and years ahead?

I am looking forward to strengthening myself on a qualitative approach. My focus is to gather more knowledge every day so I can be ready when an opportunity with increased responsibility comes.

I’ve been fortunate to experience a supportive work environment at HemoCue. The respect, encouragement and equal opportunities provided here have made my journey enjoyable and promising. I look forward to continuing my career at HemoCue. In the future, I wish to lead a powerful team in sales and marketing!

Interested in joining Kajal and the rest of the HemoCue team? Check out all open roles across Danaher or join our talent community today.

December 7, 2023
Meaningful, Incremental Change in a Growing Market

When Dong Li, the Director of Clinical Affairs (CA) for Beckman Coulter China, left the United States and moved to Shanghai with his family, he was on a mission to build a top-notch clinical function to help Beckman Coulter China gain a competitive edge in the country’s In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) industry. With an increasing focus on collecting clinical evidence for both product registration and market access, Clinical Affairs has become the “gatekeeper” before vital diagnostic products go to market. The approval processes can be lengthy and complex, but Dong knows that the most effective change is incremental, and Danaher Business System (DBS) tools have been serving him well. Below, read about Dong’s leadership—which has now expanded to CA for several Danaher operating companies in China—how his team at Beckman improved the complex clinical study process with DBS tools, and his take on the future of CA in China, a market with massive global potential.

Tell us a bit about your role at Beckman and the larger impact the company is making.

I’m on a mission to build the clinical muscles for our business in China, so to speak. In the past five years, China has ramped up its regulations around IVD clinical research. The National Medical Products Administration (NMPA)—which is the equivalent of the FDA in the United States—wants to ensure the quality of all the medical products that come through China, which means very stringent inspections for companies running clinical studies here. My role is to build a strong, reliable, Clinical Affairs function that not only improves the clinical study execution—meaning delivering high-quality clinical projects on time and within budget—but also creates a competitive edge for our business through innovation.

Beckman has been working on a variety of products to make diagnostic testing more effective for critical issues like sepsis, tumors, and cardiac diseases. In 2020, we had several products successfully licensed in China, including assays for cardiac and infectious diseases. And we’ve engaged some of the top hospitals in China to run more innovative clinical research on diagnostic products to help doctors deal with healthcare challenges more efficiently and effectively.

Why did you join Beckman?

In China, we talk about three elements of success: the geographical advantage, the favorable climate, and the people. Essentially, that’s being in the right place at the right time with the right people. When I joined Beckman Coulter China in 2019, the timing and place were just right to start pushing high-quality clinical research in China. That left the right people, and once I met my future colleagues, I knew Danaher offered that, too.

I actually learned about Danaher back in business school. I’d always been intrigued by how DBS empowered a wide variety of businesses, and I wondered about its secrets. So I think that was the last piece of the puzzle that brought me back to China after 20 years living and working in the U.S. and Europe.

Tell us about some changes you’ve already implemented across Clinical Affairs.

One of the main metrics we use is on-time delivery (OTD) for our clinical trial cycle time; that’s a good surrogate for our products’ time-to-market. When I started, the number was in the single digits. Part of my mission was to improve the execution—to speed up the OTD while maintaining quality and keeping an eye on the budget. We used DBS and kaizens—weeklong sessions where we work though specific problems—to make a series of incremental changes to improve this metric. We also worked closely with our vendors and our clinical research laboratories, and now our OTD is at 100%.

We also used a kaizen to create a formalized process for integrating the China requirements into the early stages of product design. The requirements in China are different from the U.S. or Europe, so this kind of review will have a huge impact in terms of getting our products to the Chinese market. Instead of having to backtrack later, we’re building in the China requirements from the beginning, which makes developing the clinical study protocol more effective.

Tell us about some opportunities for innovation at Beckman.

When it comes to innovation, people often refer to technologies and products, but innovation can also happen elsewhere. In the clinical research field, this is especially true for process innovation. We’re currently trying to reduce our clinical evaluation timeline by 50% without impacting the project budget and quality.

Of course, advancing technology is also critical to helping us achieve our innovation goals. For example, digitization in IVD clinical research in China is relatively behind, but we’re catching up. This year, we’ve started several digitization efforts across our team, including an electronic data-capturing system in our clinical trials and a new clinical trial management system to help us digitize our paper-based documents. Our statisticians and data scientists are also investigating opportunities in Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms with our clinical data.

What kind of team are you excited to build?

The word that comes to my mind is bamboo because it has attributes that a great team carries—it’s flexible, resilient, and grows quickly. The regulatory environment for IVD clinical research in China is extremely dynamic; in terms of requirements, cost, and timelines, it’s very different than even five years ago. And because this trend will probably continue in the next decade, a flexible and adaptive mindset is the key to staying competitive in this market.

In terms of resilience, IVD clinical research in China can be very complex and nerve-wracking. Our team needs a strong support system—with DBS as our foundation—so we can deliver under pressure.

And we also need to grow quickly, just like bamboo does—and just like our industry. We have a narrow window of opportunity to develop and grow a leading-edge clinical research function to catch up to the drastic growth of China’s IVD industry, so it’s especially exciting that in 2020 our Clinical Affairs team doubled in size.

What does the future hold for your team?

I don’t have a crystal ball, but I’m certain of the demand for clinical-based research in China’s IVD industry. So we’re looking at all kinds of ways to innovate to meet that demand, from global multi-center trials and real-world evidence studies to overseas clinical data and the digitization efforts I mentioned.

How do we prepare and get ready for what comes next? One thing we’ve been advocating for in the Clinical Affairs team is the concept of a “learning institute.” Essentially, we’d like to create a learning environment similar to an MBA program within our team, where team members with diverse industry and educational backgrounds can share knowledge and ideas, with a good mix of hands-on work and classroom training.

I’m also sure that a varied diverse talent pool will empower our learning institute; the more diverse our team, the greater it to becomes as a source of innovation, where creative thoughts can clash and spark. I really believe that diversity and inclusion should be our core competency—the solution to current and future challenges. I hope that a diverse A more inclusive Clinical Affairs function will not only bring a competitive advantage to the Beckman China business but also create value for each of our associates in the future.”

Interested in joining Dong and the rest of the Beckman Coulter team? Check out open roles across Danaher or join our talent community today.

October 5, 2023
Cepheid Regulatory Affairs Specialist Anisha Panth on Constant Growth—and Paying it Forward

After joining Cepheid as the International Regulatory Affairs team’s first intern, Anisha Panth quickly found herself in a full-time role—and she hasn’t stopped learning since. Below, she shares the challenges and opportunities that come with working in a fast-moving field within a fast-growing company and explains how she’s helping to pave the way for those who come after her, within Cepheid and beyond.

What do you do at Cepheid?

I cover Southeast Asia, Japan, and Australia for our International Regulatory Affairs team—we work with the authorities in each country to make sure they have the information they need to approve Cepheid products. Essentially, it’s our job to show that our test kits are safe and effective. That usually starts with compiling a submission dossier that has our package inserts along with detailed analytical and clinical reports, along with country-specific requirements. Then regulatory authorities will come back to us with any questions they have. Often, we need to reach out to other teams here at Cepheid for the answers, so we do a lot of cross-functional work, especially with R&D, Quality, and Product Transfer. We also collaborate closely with our Regulatory Affairs teammates in the U.S., who have a lot of detailed insight because they’ve already launched the product there.

The way we work differs from country to country. Sometimes we don’t have a local office, but we do have a distributor who acts as an intermediary. In other places, like Australia, we work directly with the regulatory authority. The pace of our work also varies depending on the location. From some places, like South Korea, we’re getting new questions every day. Others might reach out just a couple of times per month.

Tell us about your background and your path to this role.

I was initially introduced to regulatory affairs when I was in New Zealand, studying for my master’s in pharmaceutical sciences; it was part of our core curriculum. At the time, I wanted to work in the lab. But I have a wrist injury that eventually made that too difficult, and I liked the idea of getting closer to patients—even the best product isn’t much good to people if it’s sitting on the shelf. One of my main research topics, for example, was pain management after knee replacement, and our idea was to inject microparticles that would allow patients to start physical therapy more quickly. At first, I assumed we could be helping patients within two or three years. But I realized there’s so much more involved in bringing a product to market, including regulatory work, which I find so interesting. Every country is different, and things are constantly changing. You really have to be on your toes.

After I finished my degree, I moved to the U.S. and did a second master’s in medical product development management with a focus on regulatory affairs. One of my professors, Sowmya Arunkumar, is also the Senior Director of International Regulatory Affairs here at Cepheid. I first joined as an intern on her team. My mentor, Sruti Krishna, handled Southeast Asia at the time, and I took on some of her responsibilities. She’d trained me well and had been good about documentation, plus the team was very supportive. It went well, and when my internship was over, I was offered a full-time position. That was almost four years ago, and I’ve since been able to move into more senior positions twice, still as a regulatory affairs specialist. And I’m working with Sruti again—she’s currently on the U.S. regulatory affairs team, and I shadow her on one of her core teams working on regulatory affairs for a new product launch.

What kinds of challenges do you face?

Sometimes the questions we get from regulators are vague or difficult to understand, and the guidance they offer can be ambiguous. So, there’s some trial and error. But there are also a lot of resources, whether it’s training or guidance online, or just asking your manager for help. And once you finally figure something out, it’s so satisfying!

There’s also a lot to keep up with in regulatory affairs, which I think is especially hard when you’re new to the field. Regulations are constantly changing, but you do get used to that. Management also provides a lot of tools to help. We have access to a global database called Tarius, and our partners from other teams will come in to educate us and give us a more in-depth understanding of their work.

For me personally, time management has been a challenge. On top of my usual responsibilities, I might be covering for an open role or someone who’s on leave, and I always want to balance the day-to-day with learning new things. But I’m in a mentorship program that’s given me some tools for prioritizing and even delegating, and my manager really helps, too. I have had times when I felt like I was working at every opportunity, but that was because I wanted to—our team is actually very flexible.

While something like COVID-19 obviously requires adaptation, our managers are very understanding of our boundaries. For example, I just got a puppy, so I’ve blocked time on my calendar for training him. Cepheid has grown a lot since I joined four years ago, but I still feel like management is understanding of our needs.

And even though I’ve earned my certification, continuing education is still critical in our field. Whenever I see something new, I like to dig into it. Our team has “no-meeting Fridays” every week, so we can focus on building regulatory intelligence. Management definitely understands that there’s new guidance out every day, and it’s important that we keep up to date.

What have you learned since joining Cepheid—and how does the company support that?

My first couple of years here, I was working toward my global certification from the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS). Preparing for the exam takes a lot of time; thankfully, my manager Ting Chen and my entire team were very supportive. And I do think getting certified has made me better at my job; when you understand the background and history behind a regulation, it’s much easier to interpret the current guidance. A lot of the regulations in Southeast Asia, for example, are based on the ones in the U.S. and EU. The more educated you are, the easier it is to quickly find the answer when a teammate comes to you with a question.

Tell us what it’s been like to contribute to the COVID-19 fight.

Very fast-paced, especially at the beginning. Obviously, this was an unprecedented situation, so the regulatory authorities were adapting in real-time, coming up with new requirements—and we had to adapt along with them. We were constantly on watch to see what guidance they were releasing, and that was exhausting at times. But it was a great learning experience. Of course, each country wanted to move as quickly as possible, and they worked closely with us to expedite approvals. In a place like Singapore, for example, where it would normally take about a year to approve a test kit, we were able to do it within a week or two.

For me, the big takeaway was that we should be working toward more harmonization between countries. We’re often providing very similar documentation to each and standardizing that could make a big difference in an urgent situation like COVID-19. There have been some efforts toward that in the industry over the years, and I’m looking at how our team might be able to get involved.

You’re also a teacher and mentor, both within Cepheid and beyond. Tell us about that work.

The teaching was at San Jose State University, where I studied with Sowmya. She asked me last year if I’d be interested in helping her update her curriculum to align with recent regulations. That was another great learning experience because I was reading so much, from so many different countries. I also got to add some things that I thought would help the students. And I learned a lot from their questions, too! Sometimes it’s really tough to find the answer, and you have to do a deep dive.

The mentoring is here at Cepheid, working with people in our internship program. Because I was an intern myself, I wanted to give back once I had a few years experience and felt like I was ready. It’s also been an opportunity to see what some aspects of people management look like, in case I want to explore that at some point.

Because of the pandemic, the entire internship program was remote, and I couldn’t just stop by my mentee’s desk. But we adapted pretty quickly. We met every morning to talk about what she was working on—and even a bit of our lives outside work. She had a great attitude, and I really enjoyed it.

What are your plans for the future?

In the short term, I just started working with Australia a couple of months ago, so I’m excited to learn more about their regulations. Our team also supports our Regulatory Affairs colleagues across other regions as new regulations take effect, and I’m looking forward to helping out with that, too. Down the road, I do think people management is something I’d like to explore, and there’s certainly lots of opportunity at Cepheid; we’re growing so quickly. But I have some things to learn before I get to that point. Right now, I want to focus on just being as good at regulatory affairs as I can.

Ultimately, my goal is to be an expert—a one-stop shop when someone has regulatory questions. And when they’re facing a challenge, I want to be someone who can help come up with a solution. In a lot of companies, regulations are sometimes seen as a hurdle because there are a lot of requirements to meet. But I think we can have much more value as partners, working with our colleagues to get products to patients as quickly as possible.

Interested in joining Anisha and the rest of the Cepheid team? Check out open roles or join our talent community today.

September 8, 2023
Impact and Belonging: How Ankita Rege Found Work She Loves in a Culture of Safety

From studying engineering to running regional marketing for HemoCue India, Ankita Rege has found her passion in work that serves her community in point-of-care blood diagnostics. Below, she discusses the immense potential of helping users both directly and indirectly and how a heavy workload feels manageable in a trusting and supportive workplace where she has the psychological safety to say “no.”

Tell us about your role. What do you work on day to day?

I work as Marketing Manager for HemoCue India. It is quite a comprehensive role as there are multiple facets to it and it’s not limited to the strategic marketing plans, which form the core of the role. It also expands to handling communications, annual plans layout, fulfilling tender requirements, customer support, updating literature and so on, at a regional level. Connecting internally with the sales team and externally with the customers frequently helps me get the real-time market pulse. The sales team is the center of HemoCue, and they help with real-time and new information updates, which in turn helps us stay ahead of the curve.

Our systems appear very simple, but we have a complex customer segment. We have a hematology portfolio and a diabetic portfolio. It’s very broad and one must reinvent new opportunities every time. It’s not always a duplication. The anemia and diabetes markets are huge, and awareness is still at its nascent stage with a lot to be done across the world. Working with government bodies, understanding the common vision, and presenting HemoCue’s solutions have now become routine.

So, it’s interesting. It’s sometimes tough; it’s a big task, but I thoroughly enjoy it as I get to learn a lot each day.

What brought you to HemoCue?

Having completed my basic education in engineering, I joined the Medical Devices industry, firstly in servicing and then gradually moved into sales. As a freshly graduated engineer, I had ambitions to be part of inventing, modifying and redesigning instruments, machines, etc. as well as be a part of the change process. Although India is now developing into a reasonable R&D hub, back then the industry was mostly into promotion and maintenance.

I got opportunities to work with Fortune 500 companies, which helped me build my basic understanding of the market. I enjoyed those roles where I had the opportunity to travel to new places – meeting new and diverse personalities, providing them with solutions and helping them achieve excellence in their endeavors. However, I was mostly executing the strategies and providing real-time solutions.

I enrolled myself in an international MBA course in Boston, Massachusetts and when I came back home, I started working in the marketing domain.

When I started working in healthcare, I realized there’s immense potential to touch people’s lives directly and indirectly. I, as an individual, feel so much for other human beings irrespective of their status. With HemoCue, I thought I was actually making a difference in the lives of people and society at large. Compared to my past marketing stint with aesthetic healthcare, I feel that my current role adds direct value and more people benefit. Here I am at HemoCue, working for a real need in healthcare, solving someone’s problem. That really makes me feel proud to be associated with HemoCue.

In addition to helping people, what else keeps you at HemoCue?

What matters a lot is the culture, the people. HemoCue has an amazing culture, and the best part is you can be yourself. To work is one thing, right? You can get overwhelmed with work, which is perfectly fine. You’ll still learn to manage with the experience you gain. At HemoCue, we have a great set of teams driven by trust and respect toward each other, so that’s what keeps me here. I enjoy it and there’s absolute openness and freedom to be yourself here. I can vouch for this and with amazing leaders it makes it worth it.

There are a lot of people who have been here for a long time, so there is a good bond and trust among people, which is essential. Trust is the core that cannot be compromised. Respect for each other, for who you are, irrespective of the cadre or role is crucial. There are times when you agree and disagree on something, which is fine as long as you can justify why. There have been situations when an activity or an engagement has been proposed and I felt comfortable and candid enough to say, “I don’t see how this is going to help.”

My manager gives me the psychological safety to say “no,” which is very critical. If I’m just being pressured to execute, and I can’t do my work wholeheartedly, it is no fun whatsoever. Here, I have the freedom to speak my mind. If it’s rational and justifiable, it will be considered. There have been times when I was convinced my “no” should be reconsidered, and this was only possible through respectable constructive dialogues. And I would like to praise my manager, he’s extremely humble, reachable and has almost zero ego. There is no apprehension, there’s no fear. You feel very liberated. Being heard is important.

Here at HemoCue India, we are, to a great extent, contributing to the government’s vision of eradicating anemia. We’re touching lives by testing and addressing this area, which plays a big part. I feel good about what HemoCue is, directly and indirectly, able to add to people’s lives, and that makes me feel satisfied with being an HemoCue associate.

Does this tie into how you’re able to be comfortable as a woman on a leadership team that’s particularly male-dominant?

Definitely. I’ve never gotten those indications, or been made to feel I’m the only woman, or I’m the minority. I’ve never had that kind of incident. Since my background is in engineering, I’ve always been in the ratio of something like 60 boys and 4 girls in a classroom, so that’s been a standard for me. However, irrespective of gender, I think one has to see through the lens of capability rather than anything else.

There are still organizations that are very autocratic. HemoCue is certainly not. But we’re in an era when the days of total control are gone. Even parenting has changed. We’re not in an era when somebody else would decide things for us. There’s no hierarchical binding here at HemoCue. There are so many organizations out there that follow hierarchy and follow egos. But here it isn’t so. And it means there’s no micromanagement.

What excites you about the future?

The future looks bright and promising, there is lots to do and new opportunities to explore. There is a subtle responsibility for people who work in healthcare. If we can give them the right tools and support, they can change the direction of the industry, and the next generations of mankind will benefit.

At a personal level, I believe I can stand out as a leader globally as well. I look forward to higher responsibilities within or outside the region and, most importantly, I believe HemoCue-Danaher has the right approach and opportunities for their employees.

July 20, 2023
Developing Talent and Galvanizing Careers at Danaher’s India Development Center

When Venkataraman Ravikumar became Danaher’s Vice President of the India Development Center (IDC) two years ago, IDC contained seven operating companies (OpCos). Now there are 14. Below, Ravi discusses his experience and philosophy as a software technology leader, what brought him to Danaher, and the opportunities for growth and career development associates will find at IDC.

I’m a geek. A hardcore, bona fide geek. Problem-solving is what gets me excited, which is why I became an engineer. I grew up in India and earned my undergraduate degree here, then I went to the U.S. to Northwestern University for my Ph.D.

After Northwestern, I joined GE’s R&D group, where I worked for about 20 years, mostly in the U.S. In the late ’90s, I came back to India to set up a small R&D group for GE, which is now its largest engineering facility. I did the same thing in China, Munich and Rio de Janeiro, so I was exposed to the globalization of R&D and became quite excited about multi-industry product design.

Throughout my time at GE, we used Danaher several times as case studies on how to understand mergers and acquisitions. I thought the company was fantastic at identifying organizations to acquire and having a very light touch maintaining the OpCos’ centricity of operations

and marketing while putting the Danaher Business System (DBS) of continuous improvement as a cultural element around it.

I decided to move to India in 2008 to lead a large engineering design team that used several of the DBS principles around policy deployment and problem-solving. Throughout this time, I continued to be interested in Danaher as an example of how to best problem-solve without ever knowing I would get an opportunity to work here.

Perfect storm

When Danaher reached out to me, it was like a perfect storm. I had an absolute fascination and admiration for the company, and they wanted me to look into strengthening their global R&D footprint in India.

The India Development Center started about eight years ago as a Beckman Coulter R&D group. While it is housed under the legal entity of Beckman Coulter’s diagnostics focus, Danaher took governance of the IDC about two years ago, which is when I joined. Danaher’s desire to grow its footprint didn’t just mean the number of OpCos or its headcount. The company wanted to grow its impact, and I think my background and experience were the reason they brought me on to help achieve those goals.

The India Development Center

Leadership approach

Over the years, I’ve developed my leadership philosophy, which has three parts to it. First, I’m very big on authenticity, especially in a virtual or hybrid environment. If your authenticity doesn’t come through, it’s hard to get buy-in. It’s hard to get folks to agree with your thought process.

The next is purpose. There has to be a purpose aligned with your growth plans. Or, your transformation ideas need to be aligned to the purpose of the organization. Can you tap into the purpose of your colleagues? How do you nurture them? How do you help them grow? The work we do here has such a positive health effect on society and there’s a great opportunity to accentuate that purpose, which I’ve seen as a driving force at Danaher.

The last one is communication, which seems simple, but it’s very hard. This was probably the biggest struggle during COVID-19, since it’s much more difficult to communicate when you’re not face to face. I try to emphasize understanding what the expectations are and communicating how we are meeting those expectations. That’s how I’ve seen leaders I admire operate.

Unified ecosystem

One of the unique selling points for someone coming into the India Development Center at Danaher is the ecosystem. While you will be hired by one of our 14 operating companies, everything is under the same Danaher ecosystem. We have put together a governance methodology, so all of the operating companies have a seat at the table. This allows us to synchronize on the commonality of people’s agendas, the associate value propositions and the internal fill rate. We discuss how to build careers, as well as how to build systems and processes related to policies that are standardized across multiple operating companies.

Regardless of the operating company you are in, our IDC policy remains consistent. Our compensation philosophy is aligned and singular, and we talk about technology in India as a single entity. Therefore, anybody can consider and put their name in the hat for any opportunity that becomes available across different technology OpCos in India. At IDC, career growth cuts across Danaher and cuts across the 14 operating companies.

People bring their ideas from other OpCos with them, so there is a lot of cross-pollination. There are no walls. Anybody can stand up and wave, and they’ll be able to see me. While we have 14 different email tags, we are part of one large cafeteria. This Saturday, in fact, we have a family day, and about 1,800 people are going to show up—associates and their families.

Value propositions

When it comes to our associate value propositions, the first one centers on obvious elements around compensation, work-from-home benefits and health insurance coverage. That’s the easy part. These go back to the consistency of the Danaher ecosystem I mentioned.

The second value proposition is career development, which also has multiple facets. For example, we partner with Udemy, so every associate here has a license and they can get as many certifications as they want across any course Udemy offers. Given that we are in the field of software development technology, the tech stack changes every quarter. It’s a fast-moving cycle. Our partnership with Udemy provides associates with continuous learning, certification and opportunity for career growth.

Our Takshashila initiative, which gets its name from an ancient university in India, looks at technical core competencies, and we create a curriculum for people to get certified in that. Some examples we do through this university concept are things like testing, verification, validation, software development cycles and cybersecurity, which benefit all the operating companies.

The third associate value proposition is the ecosystem. Whenever a leader for any OpCo visits, there are opportunities for everybody at IDC to interact with them. This gives you the ability to network, and the ability to understand the industry and how the customers benefit from you across multiple platforms. This is unique to IDC at Danaher.

Beyond career development opportunities, I also think there is something important about a tangible impact on the society or ecosystem you live in. It’s exciting to amplify the purpose of realizing life’s potential. I’ve seen the spark in people’s eyes when you start talking about it. We can honestly say our tests save lives. Our tests help cure cancer. We can say that. It’s not fiction. It’s real. You’re part of something much larger than just your platform, and that motivates people.

Ready to take the first step toward your next career move? Explore open jobs and join our talent community!

December 14, 2022
Danaher’s India Development Center: Impacting Global Operations with a Silo-Free Approach to Problem-Solving

When Danaher wanted to strengthen its global hub for research and development two years ago, the company made Venkataraman Ravikumar (Ravi) the Vice President of the India Development Center (IDC). Below, Ravi discusses the IDC’s place in the Danaher family, how its work influences Danaher and the world, and how it provides top talent with career growth opportunities.

What is the IDC, and how did it start?

The India Development Center is a multi-platform, multi-operating company (OpCo) ecosystem that serves as the center of gravity for software delivery and product development for Danaher across the globe. We represent 14 different OpCos, and we have about 800 people working here, creating solutions that meet the needs of all Danaher OpCos, not just those represented in the IDC.

The IDC started eight years ago as a Beckman Coulter R&D group in diagnostics, but Danaher took governance of the IDC about two years ago. It was primarily a software design and delivery center, but there was a desire to move into hardware development, chemistry, and all product development globally. We are also slowly getting more into digital work, such as providing artificial intelligence, machine learning, data sciences, hardware design and subsystem-level engineering.

How do OpCos come together there?

Danaher is an OpCo-centric organization. We created a governance structure for the IDC so that when an OpCo signs on with IDC, it joins a steering committee which includes one member for each of the 14 OpCos.

The committee meets once every three months to evaluate which cross-platform IDC initiatives—processes, people or growth and innovation—need to be prioritized. The impact of this is felt by all of the OpCos.

We also use a multi-OpCo test bed to try and make improvements in our processes and the way we deliver software. Within the IDC, collaboration is key and we operate without silos; this model allows us to make improvements that not only serve individual OpCos, but Danaher as a whole. It’s common to see associates from multiple OpCos working together to solve a problem. If something works in the IDC across multiple platforms, we package it and push it through the Danaher Business System for continuous improvement across the entire globe.

How does the IDC develop talent and promote the career growth of associates?

The IDC has a very strong associate value proposition. For example, all of the 14 OpCos in the IDC are consistent with compensation and benefits around work-from-home and health insurance coverage.

We partner with Udemy, so every associate here has a license, and they can get as many certifications as they want across any course Udemy offers. We also have a separate education policy in which we reimburse up to a pretty large amount every year for higher learning.

And lastly, whenever a leader for any OpCo visits, there are opportunities for everybody at IDC to interact with them. This gives associates the ability to network and understand the industry and how the customers benefit from you across multiple platforms.

What challenges is IDC working on at this moment?

We are in the middle of our journey transforming from software development to product development. Different OpCos are at different maturity levels in this transition, which means there is a lot of work to be done to integrate some of the less mature OpCos.

For me, the definition of success would be when I don’t have to talk to people about the differentiation between software development and product development. When it becomes common knowledge that if something needs to get done, IDC is the only destination to get it done.

What skills are you looking for in candidates?

There are many skills required for candidates to succeed at the IDC. One of the most important is the “jugaad” mentality, which is a “let’s figure it out” solution mentality. However, Danaher believes in standard work and process, so we blend the “jugaad” mentality with the Danaher Business System collaborative approach to continuous improvement. A highly successful person in the IDC has that Indian element of crazy innovation, but at the same time, they are structured and able to follow through on an action plan, all while being comfortable with ambiguity.

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December 14, 2022