The green Chair

Department: Patient Insights 
With Grünenthal since: Januar 2008

What are your main tasks within your department?
Grünenthal aims to be the most patient centric company in the market. My role as Head of Patient Insights is to be the motor of this aspiration by creating awareness and motivation for this vision on a corporate level on the one hand, and by providing the strategy, framework, support services and guidance to the organization on the other. Furthermore, Patient Insights provides opportunities for direct and indirect contact with chronic pain patients...

Department: E-Marketing
With Grünenthal since: March 2011

What are your main tasks within your department?
In my department we have a multichannel approach for Closed Loop Marketing, where we set up E-Marketing projects like iDetailing, eDetailing, websites and Social Media. We work closely with the affiliates from Europe and Australia on implementing the projects.

Which interfaces with other departments exist?
For our projects we have to work with Medical Affairs, Product teams, Sales, Training Department,...

Department: Accounting Services
With Grünenthal since: August 1996 

What are your main tasks within your department?
I work in the accounts payable area and as ‘godfather’ for apprentices and application manager. At the moment I am responsible for various projects concerning process improvements and implements in the company and our department.

Which interfaces with other departments exist?
As accountancy, we work with almost every other department at Grünenthal when something is ordered...

Department: Global Strategic Brand Management
Working for Grünenthal since: February 2007

What are your main tasks within your department?
In my current area of responsibility, we are aiming to build an excellence center around our global brands and main indications in the fields of ‘Branding’ (meaning developing branding strategies for future products), ‘Learning’ (initiate innovative learning programs to learn about our products’ indications and brand management), and...

Department: Global Sourcing Management
With Grünenthal since: December 2010

What are your main tasks within your department?
Our department is responsible for selecting the most suitable external companies to perform specific activities from our clinical trials either because we do not have the resources available internally, the expertise or just because it is cheaper. Once the external vendor is selected we are also responsible for negotiating the best price for their services and executing a contract with them. My responsibilities include...

Department: Global Trade Marks
With Grünenthal since: September 1974

What are your main tasks within your department?
I am responsible for the trademark processing. This includes preparation of the opposition proceedings, collaborating on projects and the preparation of drafts of trademark license agreements.

How did you come to Grünenthal?
I completed an apprenticeship as an industrial clerk and was then...

Department: Global Toll Manufacturing
With Grünenthal since: September 1996

What are your main tasks within your department?
I am responsible for the business with third party customers at all production sites within Grünenthal. The TMA (Toll Manufacturing) department  takes care of our external customers. This does not concern customers who order from Grünenthal because of licensing agreements.

Which interfaces with other departments exist?
The most important interfaces lie within Global Product Supply...

Department: Global Compliance 
With Grünenthal since: March 2010

What are your main tasks within your department?
Ensure that all company activities are in compliance with internal and external regulations on local and international level. Protect and secure the integrity and reputation of the company, their managers and the employees with the goal to avoid compliance and reputational risks...

Department: Global Operating Commitee
Working for Grünenthal since: January 2009

What are your main tasks within the department?
Definition of the strategy and strategic objectives for the Grünenthal Group in alignment with the Group Operating Committee and the Supervisory Board, derive priorities, operational focus as well as resource allocation, and ensure collaboration across strategic business units and functions.

Calling, preparing and leading the meetings of the Group Operating Committee. Ensuring the regular communication from Executive Management to...

Department: Data Management
With Grünenthal since: April 1987

What are your main tasks within your department?
I take care of documenting side effects of Grünenthal products worldwide.

Which interfaces with other departments exist?
We have interfaces with Quality Organisation, Regulatory Affairs, the Drug Safety departments of all Grünenthal affiliates and Data Management Clinical Development...

Department: Global Human Resources
Working for Grünenthal since: April 2009

What are your main tasks in the department?
I am in charge – from human resources management perspective – of all employees who work at our headquarters in Aachen for the SBU (Strategic Business Unit) Europe & Australia. The tasks range from hiring to preparation of certificates and all other questions of executives and employees.

How did you come to Grünenthal?
More than 10 years ago I completed my apprenticeship...

Department: Global Industrial Operations Switzerland
With Grünenthal since: January 2002

What are your main tasks within your department?
I am responsible for Global Product Supply (GPS), which manages the worldwide supply of our medications. We have to produce medications at the highest quality standard and at competitive prices, while conforming to the "Good Manufacturing Practice" as well as safety, health and environmental laws. We are also responsible for purchasing all raw materials and for providing required infrastructure at our locations worldwide...

Department: Supply Chain Management
Working for Grünenthal since: July 2007

What are your main tasks in the department?
My main task is the order processing for all countries in the Middle Eastern regions and all South American countries. Moreover, I am in charge of the dispatch of registration samples and the transaction of all other consignments abroad that leave Grünenthal. These are for example substances, mechanical parts or electronic equipment.

My third task is the creation of manual invoices...

Department: Data Center and IT-Services
Working for Grünenthal since: August 1999

What are your main tasks within your department?
The management of mobile equipment and their link-up to the Grünenthal infrastructure, the selection of new models as well as the administration of our e-mail system “Exchange-Server”.

Which interfaces with other departments exist?
As we have contact to both internal and external customers, interfaces exist with most of the departments at Grünenthal: Procurement, Media Management, Research…

Department: Medicinal Chemistry Technologies
Working for Grünenthal since: August 2008

What are your main tasks within your department?
The identification and purity test of research substances.

Why did you decide in favour of this profession?
I was already interested in science when I was still going to school. When I did my A-Levels, I liked scientific subjects such as maths and chemistry best, so that I had the idea of applying at Grünenthal for a job as chemical lab technician...

Department: Global Preclinical Drug Development
With Grünenthal since: January 2005

What are your main tasks within your department?
The planning and coordination of projects focusing on the development of special dosage form technologies, for example Tamper Resistant Formulations (TRF), transdermal systems, effervescent tablets…

Which interfaces with other departments exist?
There are various interfaces with other departments, for example to Galenics, Analytics, Human pharmacology, as well as to the project management...

Department: Development Biological Laboratory Assistant
With Grünenthal since: August 2010

What are your main tasks within your department?
Each apprentice in the department gets to know the department’s specific experiments and carries out series of experiments. During these we are constantly supervised by our laboratory mentors, in case any questions arise. Moreover, there is the possibility to take part in the implementation of new experiments. Apart from that, there are theoretical trainings and practical preparations for our intermediate and final exams...

Department: TMA Business
With Grünenthal since: March 1997

What are your main tasks within your department?
I search for business opportunities in order to acquire more units for Tecnandina, Grünenthal’s production site in Ecuador.

Which interfaces with other departments exist?
We have interfaces with a lot of other departments, for example Pharmaceutical Technological Deployment, Production, Cost, Quality Control, Quality Assurance, Supply...

Department: Chemical Development
Working for Grünenthal since: August 1984

What are your main tasks within your department?
I manage the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-regulated sector of the chemical development. In this sector, the “Team Technical Centre” carries out the upscaling of the formulation from laboratory scale to production scale. Additionally, we produce Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) for different studies under GMP conditions...

Department: Medical Affairs
Working for Grünenthal since: April 2010

What are your main tasks within your department?
I am responsible for the development of ‘Non-Interventional Trials’ (NITs) and the collection of real-life data.

In the course of approval, examinations are not carried out in everyday life situations, but under clinical conditions, which means medication is used under laboratory conditions. The relatively few patients are under permanent supervision here, but side effects which only occur in per mill levels for example,...

Department: Distribution Center
With Grünenthal since: February 1973

What are your main tasks within your department?
My main task is to ship narcotics.                 

How did you come to Grünenthal?
I heard about the company through friends.

What do you like most about your job or what is particularly interesting?
It is very varied. There is always something going on...