How An MBA Landed Me A Job With One Of The Biggest Danish Pharmaceutical Companies

Healthcare is one of the fastest-growing industries among MBA students. In fact, according to a Bloomberg survey, it is now the most sought-after career path behind consulting, tech, and finance. 

Danish pharmaceutical companies, including the likes of Novo Nordisk and Lundbeck, offer some of the most exciting opportunities to MBA grads. 

Plus, Denmark is currently one of the most promising countries to begin a pharma career for MBAs. Not only there is a strong tradition of collaboration between the Danish pharma industry, universities, and the public health sector, the Scandinavian nation’s pharma sector is projected to draw in a revenue of almost $3 billion by the end of 2024.  

So, how do you get your foot in the gold rush? 

Former scientist Vasundhara Vigh is one graduate who managed to secure a lucrative role as a business partner at one of the biggest Danish pharmaceutical companies: Lundbeck. She reveals how an MBA from Copenhagen Business School helped her shift from a career in the lab to entering one of the business world’s fastest growing fields. 

Why the Copenhagen Business School MBA?

Vasundhara never intended to leave the lab. She initially pursued a degree in biotech in the US and entered straight into medical laboratory management, a field that immersed her in DNA sequencing and scientific research. That changed when Covid hit. 

Returning to India and beginning a new role in business development, she then realized she wanted something different out of her career. “I wanted to formalize my knowledge of business,” she says.  

To achieve this shift from science to business development, Vasundhara decided to search for MBAs abroad.

When evaluating different schools internationally, the CBS program stood out for several reasons—the first being the program’s compact, one-year structure, which suited her better than the commitment of a two-year degree. 

The school’s small MBA class size of just 37 was also an important factor. “I come from science, so I knew that in a large class, I would just feel drowned,” she explains. 

A third key element was the sustainability focus embedded in the CBS MBA curriculum. Some of the program’s core modules include Managing Sustainable Corporations and Innovation Management, which are designed to teach future leaders social responsibility.

This focus, on top of the opportunity to study in Copenhagen—a hub for biotech and pharma—sealed the deal. 

What skills did you learn?

Once the semester was underway, a class that particularly stood out to Vasundhara was Human Resource Development, since it focused on building communication skills, as well as featuring guest speakers from leading Danish companies.

“It was fascinating to learn about the people side of business and how organizations grow from within,” she continues. 

She also partook in the school’s Leadership Development Program, which runs throughout the year and includes self-assessment tools and coaching techniques.

“It was a journey of self-discovery,” Vasundhara adds. “I learned that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to leadership.”

The school’s emphasis on cross-cultural learning was another highlight for Vasundhara. Opportunities to take classes like Transnational Management and Global Strategic Marketing gave her key insight into managing across cultures and understanding different communication styles. 

“The MBA program was designed to ensure we understood cultural differences and their impact on business,” she says. “That’s not something I would have learned working in a biotech lab.” 

How did you a land a job with one of the biggest Danish pharmaceutical companies?

With Denmark’s well-established pharmaceutical industry, Vasundhara knew it would be an ideal place to apply her biotech background in a business setting. She was further encouraged by the fact that CBS MBA grads regularly enter roles with the biggest Danish pharmaceutical companies such as Novo Nordisk, LEO Pharma, and ALK. 

“The alumni network is very strong,” she says, noting that through the MBA she was able to connect with professionals across industries and learn about various companies’ expectations. 

After graduating, Vasundhara leveraged both the extensive CBS alumni network as well as the school’s career support services to land her current role at Lundbeck—a position that draws on both her scientific and newly acquired business knowledge. 

Vasundhara says the MBA’s impact has been invaluable, particularly in the ways she approaches day-to-day tasks. 

“Leadership skills are so intertwined with my everyday work. I use coaching techniques frequently and approach tasks with a strategic mindset, using frameworks to identify synergies.” 

Another major benefit of the MBA is that it provided her with a lasting support system. Upon leaving CBS, Vasundhara received advice not just from professors, but also from the career team, who offered guidance on the transition from academia to the job market. 

“They prepared us for life after the MBA, which was essential for me, as my background in science didn’t naturally prepare me for this transition,” she says.

Now, aiming to pay it forward, Vasundhara operates as a CBS Career Mentor for other MBA students attempting to land jobs with Danish pharma companies. 

By fully embracing her MBA journey at CBS, Vasundhara has not only transformed her career, but also discovered a lasting community that values her scientific background and unique perspective.