Voices of Biotech Episode 4: Bristol Myers Squibb on the limited diversity of the hiring pool

When it comes to hiring, there is not enough diversity at upper leadership levels says Bristol Myers Squibb’s Executive Director.

In the next episode of Voices of Biotech, brought to you by BioProcess Insider Expression Platform, Vibha Jawa, Executive Director of Bristol Myers Squibb discusses the limited diversity of the hiring pool, building a network of female professionals, and career mentorship.

Jawa shares her career journey and the challenges in transitioning from academia to industry. “There is always a mindset that people from academia are not made for biotech or the pharmaceutical sector. So, it took me a while to get out of that academic mode,” says Jawa.

This leads her to highlight the importance of mentoring and developing a strong network of support at the beginning of your career, “I could’ve benefited initially with a better network which I did not have.”

Jawa moves on to discuss diversity in leadership. Whilst this has improved on a graduate level, “if I'm looking for someone who can do a role where they manage a bigger group, I don't find the diversity. I don't even find it in the job pool,” says Jawa.