Leadership in the Workplace: Angela Weston
International Women’s Day takes place on March 8th and is an important day in the calendar as it celebrates the social, economic cultural and political achievements of women. It’s theme this year is “An equal world is an enabled world”. Women today are still striving to close the gap in the workplace, and many seek out networking opportunities by sharing life experiences, philosophies and making new connections.
We have taken the opportunity to talk to Angela Weston, Chief Commercial Officer, PM Holding. Angela has been an influential leader for over 20 years, working with multinational companies in the pharmaceutical, medical device and CRO environments. Angela has an impressive track record of implementing strategies to support global sales, marketing and proposal management.
Do you think there are any differences between how men and women lead?
Yes – I think it is clear in our approaches. Women tend to be far more critical about their own abilities; instead of being proud of their achievements. There is always a need to strive for excellence and for a woman this can sometimes influence decision-making. Men can come across as more confident in certain situations and this can sometimes work to their advantage and sometime not
A real challenge that remains today is the lack of progress being made across many industries in women climbing the corporate ladder although the glass ceiling is beginning to crack. Women in board room positions fell in 2019, but I see a change afoot.
What are some patterns you’ve noticed over the years about how women develop and manage their careers?
Women have a natural ability to multi-task and prioritise with; family, career, managing social commitments and maintaining outside of work friends and interests. I may be biased, but I think women and multi-tasking are ahead of the curve in this respect. Example: I can run a Global pipeline call, have a glass of wine in hand and be ironing and all at the same time!
What are the biggest challenges you face in management and what keeps you pushing forward?
The biggest challenge is always people management – my role requires me to work cross functionally and with multiple stakeholders. It is important that the work environment is a fun, collaborative but productive one. I always go the extra mile to ensure my team are happy, motivated and well looked after – it’s a big and very important part of my day to day life.
I am always pushing myself and my teams, to exceed in all that they do, being a driven person doesn’t allow me much time to sit still for long – however this approach has always brought success and has allowed me to have choices throughout my career.
Who is one female entrepreneur who you personally admire and why?
Margaret Thatcher, the “Iron Lady” of British politics, she was not afraid to speak her mind and she was driven by her passion and beliefs – she went above and beyond to achieve her goals.
What advice do you have for the next generation of women leaders?
- Reach for the stars – dream big, you can do anything you want to when you put your mind to it.
- Have a can-do attitude.
- Invest time and effort to learn, don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone.
What are you most passionate about?
Health, wealth and happiness.
The health and wellbeing of family, friends and colleagues is very important to me. I also have tremendous passion for business and relish new challenges and contributing to the Healthcare Industry gives me a good feeling.
What are your personal values?
Integrity – this has helped me throughout my career, I believe it’s important to be honest and transparent even if the message you sometimes communicate is sometimes a difficult one.
What is your favourite film, website and brand?
- Top Gun
- Amazon
- Channel
Thank you for taking the time to talk to us today.
Verona, Italy (30 January 2019) – PM Holding, a group of diverse service providers in the life sciences industry, announces the appointment of Jan Back as Marketing Director to manage marketing across the entire group.
