Technology integrations were a daily fact of life, whether brought on by M&A activity, outsourcing and business partnerships or carrier bankruptcy. That later type of technology integration sometimes occurred without warning. The environment was very demanding; the ultimate in “real time” decision-making on a global basis. At any minute, we would be called on to integrate physical network infrastructure and ensure continuity of diverse services across dissimilar technology bases. I brought with me to Abbott extensive experience in this type of real-time technical integration.

When Abbott acquired Kos Pharmaceuticals in late 2006, I had the opportunity to integrate several pharmaceutical products into Abbott’s commercial organization. Since healthcare is a regulated industry, underlying processes, systems and technologies do not change without regulatory review and approval.

This results in a transition process that has more analytical rigor at the front end of it, because there is limited ability to change things quickly once the integration is underway. I grew my change leadership skills as a consequence, complementing the dynamic and responsive approach that worked in telecom operations with a sensitivity to the review and approval requirements that support regulatory compliance in healthcare.

Q: How do you keep abreast of changes and keep learning? What are you learning now, and what do you want to learn in the future?

Ms. Lillo: The energy and innovation of high tech and the operational focus of telecommunications have provided wonderful foundations for me. I’m now focused on translating what I’ve learned in other environments to the healthcare industry. I’m inspired by the positive impact that Abbott’s products have on people’s lives, and I’m eager to contribute to those positive outcomes.

Information is so readily available. I’m a regular reader of information from a variety of sources, including industry, technology and university publications. I’ve been fortunate to complement my informal learning with formal education. IBM’s sponsorship enabled me to earn my MBA from Kellogg – a program that consistently ranks among the top in the nation.

I’ve just completed another two-year program – this one an internal Abbott program called “Leadership Development for Scientists”. It involved professors from Harvard and Kellogg, as well as internal and external experts from a variety of functional areas.

The program took a dozen people from technical backgrounds and provided us with training ranging from media skills to financial analytics in a healthcare environment; from high level leadership skills to simulations that helped us test our ability to navigate complex changes in the business of science. Complementing the program content, Abbott’s two year investment in me helped build my Abbott network – giving me a platform for gathering applied expertise from trusted sources, and complementing my own skills on an ongoing basis.

Since change is now a constant, you have actively developed a transcendent set of skills that can migrate between industries. Thank you for sharing what you have learned.

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