International Career

David Ojsteršek started working at Lek in 2008 as a financial analyst in the BPA department. He has always been fascinated by the overview of the strategy of the whole unit. Leaving to work abroad has allowed him to have just that.

What motivated you to go abroad and what characteristics you think a person has to posses if they want to have a successful international career?

I have always wanted to go abroad, my biggest motivation was gaining new knowledge and experience in the field of biopharmaceuticals and oncology. In 2010, I fulfilled my dreams and joined the global financial team of the former Biopharmaceuticals unit as a Global BPA Manager in Holzkirchen. After six years of working in the financial field, I have decided to move to project management. In 2014, I became the Global Project Office Leader, which is still my role today.

In order to have a successful international career, an individual has to be highly adaptable and open-minded. They need to be ready to face, accept and take advantage of changes. As a multinational company with several divisions, Novartis provides numerous options of working abroad, if the person is ready to take advantage of that opportunity.

How important do you think is the diversity in a team?

Diversity and inclusion are key values of Novartis. I agree with that and believe that diversity is of extreme importance. Even though each person is different, we all work towards a common goal. Collaboration and good relationships in a team are important for reaching any goal.

I have always enjoyed working in diverse multicultural teams. In my previous role in finance, our team had seven members, all of which had different nationalities. My current team is made up of wonderful people from four different countries (Tanzania, Portugal, Germany and Slovenia). I will continue to strive for diversity in the future.

What is your relationship with senior management?

I have a very good relationship with senior management. The Biologics Technical Development and Manufacturing (BTDM) management team and I are in constant contact, since we are their direct support function and we collaborate on various projects.  

It is important to realize that a good management team is crucial for a successful operation of a company and that the management team also needs to have good support. Our advantage is that the members of the senior management are almost always available. 

How do you balance your personal life and work?

Finding a balance can be difficult sometimes. Due to my global function and new technologies, I am almost always at work – if not physically, then mentally. The most important thing in my life is my family, so I like to spend my afternoons and evening with them, if possible. We have recently welcomed the fourth member of our family, which makes balancing personal life and work even more important. Family gives me energy and drive for future work challenges.