Gina Jung: Working on Vaccines at MCK, J&J, Sanofi, and Moderna | 20/100 Interviews

With beginnings as a sales rep at Merck, Gina Jung has paved her impressive path in the pharmaceutical industry. Her experience includes managing and directing vaccine portfolios for Merck, Sanofi, and Johnson & Johnson, and is now the Senior Director for Employer Partnerships at Moderna. She is also currently a student at 欧洲工商管理学院 (INSEAD) 's executive MBA program, and an angel investor, while also advising and mentoring individuals in the healthcare startup space.

Read on for Gina’s thoughts on what differentiates the biggest players in the market and her outlook on healthcare.

Gina Jung is an expert professional in the pharmaceutical space. She’s built an admirable career in the big pharma vaccine space, having been a director at many big names such as 强生公司 and Merck Group . She is now a Senior Director at Moderna , the pharmaceutical and biotech company that created the revolutionary mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.?

Although she has dedicated over a decade to the pharma and biotech industry so far, Gina actually studied English Literature and Psychology for her undergraduate degree. It was through the many internships that she realized that pharma was her way of contributing to society.

“I wanted to help people. I saw how my hard work in pharma could lead to saving people’s lives.”

While her altruistic mission led her into pharma, she credits the people for her reason to stay so long in the industry. The people she’s met in the industry embody the drive for self-growth and are constantly on a journey of self-development. No matter the industry, finding a community and workplace with people who want to grow is what makes fertile ground for your own self-growth. Look for this when choosing your job.

The Reputations of the Big Players

Unlike consulting’s MBB, big pharma doesn’t have a standard ranking of companies. Instead, companies are compared by their specializations. But each place has its own quirks, as Gina has summarized for us below:

Moderna, the “Entrepreneur”

• No place to hide - demands a sense of urgency and an entrepreneurial mindset?
• Lean and agile organization of 4000 employees → People do work beyond their job description (agile and collaborative)
• More modern (pun intended) and fast-paced?
• mRNA technology platform allows the development of medicines to help prevent or treat disease
• Technology is the emphasis above all - digitizing everywhere possible

Johnson&Johnson, the “Well-rounded”

• Work culture is family-friendly with great welfare and benefit programs
• The company encourages employees to take on new challenges and develop their skills
• Collaborative and supportive work environment
• J&J invests heavily in R&D, open to collaborating with other companies and institutions to develop new products and therapies

Sanofi, La “noblesse d'esprit"

• Sanofi Pasteur has made significant contributions to global health with a long and distinguished history since 1888?
• The company has a portfolio of over 30 vaccines
• Sanofi employees generally exhibit higher levels of loyalty and retention
• Sanofi’s "Play to Win” growth strategy streamlined its portfolio to focus on its most promising areas of growth; oncology, immunology, rare diseases, and vaccines

Merck, the “Luminary”

• Merck & Co. has a strong reputation for being a reliable and trustworthy company
• The company is committed to ethical business practices and to providing high-quality products
• The company consistently attracts and retains top talent from around the world
• It is known for its strong employee culture and its commitment to developing its workforce

The specialized nature of the pharmaceuticals and healthcare industries has traditionally confined talent movement within the same sector both vertically and horizontally compared to other industries. However, Gina has observed a shift in talent mobility within the pharmaceuticals and healthcare industries, driven by the growth of biotech, digitech, health tech, and medtech. This shift has led to an influx of talent with diverse backgrounds, including technology, consulting, and even entirely new industries.

Covid-19 also sparked a huge transition in the industry in terms of the mindset of key stakeholders.?

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the pharmaceutical regulatory process was renowned for its rigidity, and strictness, with typical approval times often exceeding 12 months following submission. However, the pandemic necessitated enhanced collaboration between the pharmaceutical industry and government agencies, resulting in an optimized approval process that upholds rigorous safety, efficacy, and scientific standards while expediting product development.

Secondly, the COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed a synergistic surge in collaborative efforts across the entire pharmaceutical value chain, encompassing research and development, manufacturing, procurement, public program financing, regulatory approval, surveillance and immunization guideline development, and distribution to administration.

Thirdly, In contrast to the usual challenges of building awareness and urgency for new vaccines, the COVID-19 pandemic created a unique situation where the public was already acutely aware of the need for prevention. This collective recognition, fueled by government, industry, medical society, media, and patient advocacy, facilitated a more rapid vaccination rate and demonstrated the power of vaccines as a potent tool in combating infectious diseases.

Gina observes a growing focus on accelerating drug development, personalized therapies enabled by technological advancements, and the transformative integration of AI across various pharmaceutical processes, including drug discovery, clinical trials, and sales and marketing optimization.

Here are some parting quotes from Gina’s interview:

“I always have the mindset that I am not the smartest person in the meeting room. Have the patience to listen, learn, and reflect.”

“It's always surprised me how many great entrepreneurs and leaders emphasize execution over planning. Without execution, planning is meaningless. Always be committed to delivering on your plans and promises.”

“Genuinely care about people. Be kind to others.”