Emese Kovacsne Palvolgyi - Growing Beyond Boundaries

Inspiration

I have never been the type to idolize a single person. We all have our strengths and flaws, and perhaps that is why I never had posters of celebrities or role models on my wall as a teenager. Instead, I choose to be inspired by the good I see in everyone through positive interactions, authentic stories, and fresh perspectives. I am fortunate to encounter these every day, and I truly consider myself spoiled by the inspiration around me.

Loving Roche because of…

Trust. Throughout my career I have always been supported by my leaders, my peers and by my subordinates. I was given space to grow at my own speed and was provided a “playground” to explore, improve, and also, build certain things from zero. This helped me shape the future of our organization as well as my self-confidence, as I was able to contribute by relying on my capabilities and strengths.

My career journey 

I began my journey as an accountant in 2011, already a mother of two. Since then, I have taken on several leadership roles within finance. First, across the EMEA region covering areas such as General & Management Accounting, Accounts Receivable & Treasury, and Credit & Collections. Today, I am proud to lead two dynamic global functions within R2R: Manufacturing Supply Chain and Management & Divisional Reporting. Along the way, I also welcomed my third child. This truly is the career story of a mother and I am grateful that my journey has inspired many colleagues who once hesitated to pursue leadership roles while embracing the most meaningful and complex role of all: motherhood.

Self-development 

I don’t just learn by doing. I enjoy learning from observing those who surround me, including watching my colleagues solve complex problems they never faced before. This method brings significant returns relative to input (financially speaking: excellent ROI). I have become a lot more creative by internalizing what I witness just by observing others. I give myself time to contemplate on what I see and how I can best apply and personalize the learning I get from this exercise. The end result is diversity from within. It is a very exciting journey.

Maintaining passion

There are challenges every single day. Yet, not a day goes by without some form of progress. Over my 14 years here, I have had moments when it felt like I took two steps back and only one forward. On those days, I remind myself that Roche is an R&D company. It takes on average, 12 years for a molecule to become a medicine, and the success rate in pharmaceutical research is less than 20%. Our scientists surely face their share of difficult days, but our pipeline continues to grow and inspire. If they never stop moving forward, why should I?

My career advice

You may feel lucky knowing where your responsibilities end. But you are even luckier if you don’t. Growth begins where comfort ends. Lasting success comes from consistently going beyond what is expected.