Veronica Swindale, nesma MD, has been following the progress of Sterling Pharma Solutions and its international acquisition trail and talks to Emma Greenwood, Marketing Director at Sterling Pharma Solutions, about managing teams whilst executing successful marketing strategies during intense change.
What are your main challenges as Marketing Director when taking on new companies?
I don’t see them as challenges; they are more opportunities to spread the word about Sterling and our work. Acquisitions are hard work for everyone involved, but they are exciting to work on and offer our team considerable rewards in terms of personal development.
How difficult is it to adapt the branding, culture and behaviours to the Sterling way of doing things?
I think it is more difficult for employees of the company we are acquiring; it can be an unsettling process, especially for those who have been with the business for many years. People are a key focus, and we ensure mechanisms are in place to support our future employees. Consistent, regular two-way communication is vital.
Sterling has been built on strong values. They are used to guide behaviours and decisions at board level down. We are clear about our values from the outset and ensure new employees can see our values being lived daily, which makes a real difference.During acquisitions and times of cultural change, if you do what you say you will do, then you can build trust.
How do your team support you in overcoming these challenges?
We are a team, so we work together, playing on each other’s strengths and providing learning opportunities where we can. Planning is vital, so we all have many checklists and spreadsheets!
People may forget that amid an acquisition, we still have to continue with other internal comms, events, and other external comms. So, we tag team; whilst one person is immersed in acquisition comms, another will concentrate on our other responsibilities. It’s like juggling plates a lot of the time!
What skills stand out most in your team to achieve this?
They all have many skills, but I think the one thing that honestly makes a difference is that they care; they want things to go well, they want to achieve, they want to be supportive of each other and their colleagues, and they care about outcomes, people and the business.
Other than this, it is probably being able to see the bigger picture, understanding strategy, business and why we do the things we do. Not forgetting attention to detail – this must be the key skill in everything we do! How do you ensure your team members are up to the job demanded of them?
I think the CIM qualifications do just that; they give people a grounding in what marketing means and how it can impact businesses, aside from the more obvious marketing skills. Studying whilst working is tough, but it does help as well, as you have real-life examples right in front of you to use in coursework and in class.
What do you think are the main traits of an effective Marketing Director?
I think a marketing director needs to be commercially and financially astute, a strategic thinker, creative, and have the ability to challenge the status quo; to innovate and think differently in a way that motivates and inspires. Marketing is a department that works across the business, with every department and every level of employee, so building relationships is vital. I think this can only be achieved through mutual respect of everybody’s role.
And what did your team say when you asked them the same question?
They said, ‘An effective marketing director empowers their team to make decisions, take responsibility, innovate and test new ideas. They are so much more than a manager, but a mentor, supporting growth and development, guiding their team towards their career goals. They effectively coordinate projects; they can take control and challenge ideas to achieve business objectives whilst looking out for their team’s best interests’.
