Between Generations: A Conversation on Career, Challenges, and Change

Prefer reading over listening? We have provided a text version of the interview below. It has been slightly adapted for readability. 

Clara: I'm Clara. I work in the Corporate Communications Department at Fresenius Kabi. I'm currently a dual student in International Business in Germany, pursuing my bachelor's degree with Fresenius. I can work in any part of the Fresenius group, including Helios. If I wanted to do a semester abroad, I could go to any location at Fresenius Kabi or Quirónsalud. Before Fresenius Medical Care was deconsolidated, I worked with them in web operations, managing content for their website, and in the global Medical Office, supporting stakeholder management.

Montse: That's very interesting. Did you choose Fresenius on purpose?

Clara: Yes, I did. I've always wanted to work in healthcare. For the longest time, I thought I wanted to become a doctor, but I realized that might be too mentally demanding. Still, I wanted to stay in the healthcare sector to help people. I specifically looked for companies in the field offering dual study programs, and I was really happy to get the job at Fresenius.

Montse: That's a good choice then.

Clara: What about you? How did you end up at Fresenius Kabi?

Montse: Well, it was a bit by chance. I was 30 at the time and had just spent two years in Mexico with a publishing company. When I returned to Barcelona, I took a job there, but I didn't quite like it. Someone told me that Fresenius was looking for people because they had just acquired a factory near Barcelona. They needed new staff, so I applied without knowing much about the company. They explained the job would involve purchasing, supply chain, and a bit of everything.

And I said, well, I don't know much if that's what I want in my life, but I want a change, and this company looks okay. So I went for an interview, and they hired me as a supply chain procurement for Spain, Portugal, and France at that time. And it was many, many years ago, as you can imagine, and we were still working with fax. I think I was the first one to have email in the company! So it's a long, long time ago. 28 years. And I started like that, which tells you that you can start anywhere and end up anywhere, you know? There is not only one way to get things in life. There are many, many different paths that you can take.

I started in the supply chain – specifically in procurement – and after four years, I was offered the opportunity to move to the UK as head of supply chain. I took it, and spent four years there. It was fantastic, an incredible experience. I had already worked abroad in places like Mexico and other countries, but I think it was in the UK where I learned the most. It was a valuable experience for me. After four years, I returned to Spain, and then I was offered the chance to work with Latin America alongside a boss who has been with me for almost 20 years, Alain Mollard. Three years later, they offered me the position of general manager of Spain, which I’ve held for 15 years now. It’s been a long time, with different paths leading me here. That’s a bit of my overall experience at Fresenius Kabi.

Clara: That's really good.

Montse: I appreciate that about Fresenius. No one ever said, "Montse can't do this because she's a woman." But of course, there are certain ways of working that can make life a bit more complicated for a woman, especially if she has a family. So, I think it’s less about stereotypes and more about the environment you're in. Companies need to create an environment where everyone can succeed. That’s the challenging part—not whether you’re a woman or not, but how the environment supports you in achieving what you want to do.

Also, I think it's important to remember that there’s no single way to build your career. As you can see, I’ve done many different things. And for women, it might be a different path. We sometimes see success differently than men do. It’s important to define what success looks like for you and then go after it in your own way, not someone else’s way.

This mindset helps in the company as well. What might represent success for someone else may not be success for you, or it may not be what you consider to be your best work. It's important that every woman in the company understands what success means for her. For some, success might not be having a high-profile job with lots of travel. It could be having an interesting role, maybe doing clinical studies somewhere in Germany. That, too, is success. Everyone’s contribution is needed.

Clara: Exactly, as you said, there are so many different ways to reach your goals. I think when you're just starting out, there's this feeling that you have to follow a certain path for the rest of your life. You’re thinking, "What if I don’t like it in ten years?" But it’s reassuring to hear that there are many ways to get to where you want to be. And if you don’t like it anymore, you can always study again. Worst case scenario, right? I never thought I’d end up working in an office. As a kid, I was always like, "No way, I’m never doing that. It sounds boring. I don’t want to sit around all day." But I think perspectives change over time. If you have the right motivation behind it, office jobs aren’t just about sitting behind a computer. You’re working towards a cause. That’s one of the things I really like about working at Fresenius Kabi – you can still see the connection to the patient and the outcomes. That was really important for me too.

Montse: Yes, I think that's a very important motivation to have in a career. First, I think it's important that your values are aligned with the ones of the company, otherwise it will not work on the long term. You can be for some years in a company whose values are not the same as yours, but not for a long time. And second, you have to have a purpose. There is a story in Spain about a stone cutter who was asked what he was doing. He replied, I'm building a cathedral. Even though he was just cutting stones, he saw the bigger purpose.  So I think this it’s important early in your career to have in mind what's the bigger purpose you want to serve.

This will help you to find your way, because you can start in one place, as I did in supply chain, and end up as a general manager going through different places. And the only thing you need is to have opportunities or to create opportunities and to tell people that you are eager to take opportunities. And then when the opportunities come, you take them. And you're brave enough to take them. 

Clara: You give really good advice.

Montse: No, because, you know, I've seen it many times – in the office and throughout my years as a general manager – that some women don't believe they can do things. When you offer them a higher or different position, I'd say 80% respond with, Do you think I can do it? Am I really capable of that? Whereas men – and this is nothing against one or the other, it's simply a fact – almost never ask that. They typically say, Oh yes, thank you very much, and move on. But women often question themselves. I think sometimes we need that extra push to remind ourselves: I'm here, and I can do it.

Clara: Yeah, I do think we sometimes underestimate ourselves. I also feel this tendency to want to please others – worrying if I'll do things right or if people will like what I'm doing.

Montse: That's very common, Clara – I still feel it myself sometimes. Not pleasing people can be hard. But over time, you realize that if the price of pleasing others is too high, it's more important to trust yourself, focus on doing things well, and not constantly doubt your own abilities.

Clara: That's something I really appreciate about the dual study program. It helps you learn how to work, find your place in a company, and figure out how to manage yourself and the expectations others have of you. I really like that aspect.

Montse: And what's your ambition then? What does success look like for you?

Clara: That's a good question. I don't think I really aspire to be in a leadership position. For me, it's more about balancing personal well-being with my job. I'm studying International Business, and I'm really interested in going abroad – maybe working in another country for a couple of years to experience a different lifestyle. I already spent three months in Greece during my studies, and I enjoyed getting to know another culture.

So right now, it's less about climbing the career ladder and more about working in international teams, discovering new things, and connecting with people. That's also what I like about working in communications – you get to talk to so many different people, like we're doing right now. My aspirations might change over time, but for now, that's what I see for myself.

Montse: What you learn in your job is far more important than the level or title you have. If you're in a role where you're constantly learning, meeting people, and being creative, that's what really matters. The title will come if it's meant to – but the truly important thing is having a job that you really like, that excites you, and allows you to show everything that is in you, where you can really be creative and really be who you are.

You mentioned multicultural teams – that's something I find so valuable, especially for young people. When I started my career, it was much harder to work with colleagues from other countries. I remember my first time coming to Fresenius in Germany for two weeks of training. Back then, I was the first non-German person doing the job I was hired for. Some colleagues were skeptical – How is someone from Spain going to manage this job in procurement? they wondered. But it worked.

One part of the job I really enjoyed when I started was talking to people from different countries every day. I was calling plants in Germany, France, Portugal — and of course, colleagues in Spain. It gave me such a broad view of the company and really opened my mind to what was possible. That’s something you don’t get in a team where everyone comes from the same background.

Diversity like this – working with different cultures – is very enriching. But diversity isn't only about cultures, it's also about gender or different ways of thinking. And having diversity in teams is great – but it's not the same as inclusion. You can be part of a diverse team, but you also need to feel included. It’s not just about being at the table – it's about having a voice at the table. There's this saying: Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance. When you're part of a team, make sure you're not only there, but that you're participating, speaking up, and owning your place.

Clara: So would you describe yourself as an outgoing person?

Montse: Yes, I like people – a lot. I enjoy talking to people and being around them. I think that naturally influences the way I lead. I'm a very open manager, maybe sometimes too close to the team. I don't know if there's such a thing as too much, but for me, it's not an effort – it's the opposite. I don't think I could work without a team or without people around me. But there's no right or wrong. You can be someone who prefers more distance, who doesn't need to have many people around – that's perfectly fine as well.

Clara: That's really interesting. Because you're saying you're close to the team, and I think there are so many different kinds of leaders. Sometimes there's this big gap between the manager and the team. You respect them so much that you're almost scared to approach them – because they're busy, or you don't want to disturb them. And then there are leaders where you'd never guess they're the manager because they're so much part of the team. I feel like a lot of the female leaders I've seen – at least from my personal experience – tend to be very close to their teams.

Montse: I think that not everyone is the same for sure. And you have to find your own leadership style. One important thing for your life and for your career is that you have to be authentic to who you are. You should not try to imitate or to say “That's the role. That's the person I want to be like.” Because it doesn't work like that. You have to be yourself! And this sometimes is not easy.

For myself, for years, I remember going to industry association meetings, for example, where other general managers would be present. I would think, "These are real general managers. I'm really not like them." Often, they were men, and I felt I didn't belong because I didn't fit the stereotype. It took me a while to realize: I'm not like them – and that's okay. Everyone leads differently. I have my own leadership style, and I don't need to be somebody else. What matters is being authentic and true to myself.

Clara: But when you started, was the field very male-dominated?

Montse: Yes. And it still is. The pharmaceutical industry has made progress, but there's still a gap. The percentage of women in general management positions is much lower than that of men. In pharma, the balance is improving, but in the medical device sector, the difference is even more pronounced. One reason is that fewer girls choose technical studies like science and technology, which is a pity. When I attend meetings outside of pharma, I notice how stark the imbalance still is.

Clara: Really?

Montse: For example, I'm on the board of the German Chamber of Commerce in Barcelona – sorry, in Spain. There are about 20 people on the board, and probably only three of us are women. It's a mix of companies, from larger to smaller ones. So, yes, there’s still a long way to go. A long way. People of your generation will need to take over, because this change is essential for the long-term future.

I also think it's just a matter of time for these male-dominated behaviors to change a little. In my case, for example, when my boss told me I could become the general manager of Spain, I was in the process of trying to have a baby. I said to him, "Look, if I get pregnant, it might be a bit complicated." And he asked me, "Are you going to stop working if you have a baby?" I said no, and he replied, "So where's the problem?" That mindset is key to fostering the idea that you can be both a mom and a general manager at the same time. In fact, the day I was announced as general manager was the same day I found out I was pregnant. So, I always know how many years I’ve been a general manager because my daughter is the same age.

Clara: That's kind of funny. But did you manage well with your personal well-being, with your family life then as well? Or do you feel like it was harder for you?

Montse: It's hard. I will not say it's easy. It's hard. You need help. You have to have support at home. I'm also a single mom, so that makes it even more complicated. But I managed only because I had help at home. I asked my daughter not long ago whether she was feeling I wasn’t there enough when she was younger. And she said, oh, no, no, no, that's fine. And she said, I know you have a very interesting job. So that's the price a little bit that you have to pay for not being with her 24 hours a day, which she doesn’t think is necessary.

Clara: So what piece of advice would you give someone like me, at my stage of professional development?

Montse: I think you have to take every challenge, every new thing that's put in front of you as a big opportunity to learn and to prove to yourself, first and foremost, that you can do it. Demonstrating your capabilities to others is important, but the key is to prove it to yourself—especially when you have doubts about whether you can succeed. Take every opportunity you can to show yourself and others that you’re capable.

Then also, be authentic, be yourself. You cannot try to be somebody else, because that won’t work in the long run. It's not going to be sustainable. So, you are who you are, and your leadership style should reflect that. It's not somebody else's. I remember thinking at one point, Oh, this person is much better than me, he is a real general manager. Well, what is a real general manager? We don't know. We all have our own ways of doing things.

Finally, own your place in the room. When you’re in meetings, make sure people listen to you and recognize that you have something valuable to contribute. Don’t be shy about speaking up. Sometimes, women hesitate to speak, thinking, "I’ll wait until I’m asked." But if you see something that needs to be addressed, speak up. Own your space, and don’t wait for someone else to ask.

Clara: Yes, that's always what I tell myself. What's the worst thing that could happen? Nothing. The world will keep spinning.

Montse: Exactly. Exactly. Nothing major. So.

Clara: I think this might be a good place to wrap up the conversation because I feel like we could just keep talking forever. But we probably both have things to do afterwards as well.

Montse: Thank you very much. It's been very nice meeting you and talking to you.

Clara: Yeah, thank you so much, Montse. I really enjoyed the talk. And maybe we'll also see each other again.

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