Maria's path to leadership: A story of growth and development at Octapharma

The Dalai Lama tells us that “people take different roads seeking fulfilment and happiness”. But where will your road take you?

Career paths often take unexpected twists and turns, sometimes leading to opportunities in different roles and even in different countries. Judging by the rich cultural diversity at Octapharma, many of our employees have already seized interesting opportunities with both hands.

But what about those of us who are currently considering taking similar options right now, or thinking about doing so in the future? How do we make the first move? What does it take to step out of our comfort zone? How hard is it to adjust when we do? And what benefits can it bring to our careers?

Maria Klar, Section Head at the Stockholm production site, gives us her answers to some of these questions below. Maria’s story is one of growth and of overcoming challenges, with the help and support of some inspiring managers who have guided her along the way.

Setting out

“My journey with Octapharma Stockholm (OAB) began in August 2013,” remembers Maria. Starting out as a Product Manager/Product Responsible in the Production Support section, she immediately felt a sense of belonging. “The role was dynamic, presenting me with a myriad of tasks and challenges that kept me engaged and eager to learn,” she adds.

For nearly nine years, Maria was the Product Responsible for Octapharma's intravenous human normal immunoglobulin, the cornerstone of Octapharma's immunoglobulin enterprise. Throughout this tenure, she oversaw numerous projects aimed at enhancing yield and manufacturing capacity. “I led two large validation projects geared towards increasing the manufacturing output of human normal immunoglobulin at OAB, raising it from 3 batches per week in 2013 to today’s impressive >10 batches per week,” she adds.

Between 2015 and 2018, a period marked by intense activity, basic fractionation capacity at the Stockholm production site was effectively doubled. “In this pivotal phase, I assumed responsibility for validating the increase in capacity, as well as overseeing the establishment of new production lines for Fraction II and Albumin manufacturing,” explains Maria. “Furthermore, I served as the project manager for the validation of the cutting-edge LVP55 filling line, used for Albumin and human normal immunoglobulin filling.”

As Maria puts it, these years presented her with formidable challenges and tight deadlines, offering invaluable learning opportunities. Ultimately, though, embracing the responsibility for these large-scale projects significantly enriched her professional growth.

Preparing for the right opportunity

One thing that Maria knows well and values highly is continuous improvement, considering it a cornerstone of her professional mindset.  

“Throughout my career, I've been lucky to have supportive leaders who have always encouraged me to take opportunities for personal development. Their belief in me has helped me progress and even led to my nomination for the Octapharma Development Center in 2021,” she says.

That nomination was to be a transformative experience for Maria. As she puts it, it “pushed” her out of her comfort zone and challenging her to explore new horizons.

Fast forward to 2022, and an exciting opportunity knocked on Maria’s door – the chance to become Head of Production Support Freeze Dried. “It was a pivotal moment for me, marking my transition into a leadership role,” she recalls. As a line manager, she found herself drawing on her years of experience, whilst at the same time embracing the fresh and exciting challenges that came with the position. “Every day was an adventure, filled with opportunities to grow and innovate,” says Maria.

Maria's Call to Collective Development

Recognising the paramount importance of continuous improvement and its importance in her own life, she not only still actively participates in various training sessions herself but is also determined to foster a culture of personal development among her team members.

“My message to colleagues about learning and development is that, in the pursuit of growth, we're not alone: it's a collective journey where every individual's progress is a building block for the team's success and the organisation's prosperity,” explains Maria.