Performing While Transforming: Interview with Tiziana Mele – Managing Director, Lundbeck, Italy

Meeting highlights: 

• Lundbeck’s commitment: Lundbeck is a biopharmaceutical company focusing exclusively on brain health. With more than 70 years of experience in neuroscience, Lundbeck is expanding into neuro-specialty and neuro-rare from its strong legacy within psychiatry and neurology. 
• Key Behaviors for Success: Curiosity, adaptability, and accountability are the foundational behaviors driving Lundbeck’s Focused Innovator strategy. Accountability, which lacks a direct Italian translation, involves taking responsibility beyond one’s specific role. 
• Lundbeck’s Impact in Italy: Italy is a priority market due to its innovation ecosystem and potential impact on patients. Lundbeck is one of the only pharmaceutical companies in the sector that solely focuses on brain health with more than 70 years of heritage. 
• Beyond the Pill: Lundbeck prioritizes raising awareness, both in neurology and psychiatry, through social campaigns, events, and strategic collaborations to create a positive impact on patients, people, and society. 
• Industry Collaboration & Sustainability: Lundbeck fosters strategic partnerships with stakeholders such as the Danish embassy, Scientific Societies, Institutions, and Patient Associations. Tiziana plays an active role in Farmindustria, leading efforts in ethics and sustainability. 
• Workplace Culture & Talent Retention: Lundbeck Italy fosters a unique, flexible work environment emphasizing employee well-being. Initiatives include open-plan offices, wellness programs, and external collaborations to inspire and engage employees, reinforcing a strong corporate identity. 

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EF: What are your key priorities, and what can we expect from Lundbeck in Italy in 2025? 

TM: We kicked off 2025 with a meeting in Trieste, a beautiful city that feels more European than distinctly Italian, influenced by Austria and Eastern Europe. The theme of our meeting was "Performing While Transforming." At a global level, our company is implementing its Innovator Strategy, which was introduced by our CEO at the beginning of 2024. The transformation aspect comes from our shift towards narrower specializations while still maintaining our focus on neuroscience. We are expanding into neuro-specialty and neuro-rare areas from its strong legacy within psychiatry and neurology, which means significant opportunity for us. 

Until now, we have primarily worked with treatments for diseases like depression and schizophrenia, launching multiple compounds in Italy for these conditions, as well as for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and migraine. Now, our portfolio is evolving to include treatments for neuro-specialty and neuro-rare diseases. This shift follows Lundbeck’s recent acquisition of Longboard at the end of 2024. This transformation is exciting but also requires us to adapt and develop new skills to meet these challenges. It is a journey that will push us to grow, gain new expertise, and prepare our organization for the future. I see this as an incredible opportunity, and I am ready to embrace the changes ahead. 

EF: How are you preparing the company for this significant transformation? 

TM: Our transformation will be driven by the right mindset and behaviors. During our meeting in Trieste, we focused on the key behaviors needed for success: 

• Curiosity – A willingness to explore, learn, and ask questions. 
• Adaptability – The ability to embrace change and adjust to new challenges. 
• Accountability – This is the one I value the most. Hold yourself and others accountable to meet commitments, act with integrity, and take ownership. 

Accountability is a concept that does not have a direct translation in Italian. It is more than just responsibility—it is about owning the bigger picture. It is not just about doing your specific job well. It means recognizing when something is wrong, even outside your direct role, and taking action. If you notice a problem, you do not ignore it—you step in, raise awareness, and help find a solution. 

To illustrate this, I showed a video of a conference speech by Magnus Scheving, a Norwegian gymnast. He told a story about a glass of water left in a bathroom. The issue was not the person who made the mistake of leaving it there. Instead, the real problem was everyone who saw it and did nothing. That is accountability—not just noticing a problem but taking responsibility to fix it. By using real-life examples like this, we can help our teams understand the importance of accountability and embed it into our company culture at Lundbeck.  ‍

EF: Why is Italy important for a multinational like Lundbeck, and why is Lundbeck's presence valuable for the Italian population? 

TM: Recently, Lundbeck reorganized its global operations, and Italy has become one of its key priority markets, alongside Germany, France, Spain, the UK, and Canada. This is due to Italy’s size, approach to innovation, and advancements in healthcare, making it an ideal place for Lundbeck to make a meaningful impact on patients with neurological and psychiatric diseases. 

Why is Lundbeck Important for Italy? Lundbeck is a unique company with over 100 years of history, and for the past 70 years, it has been fully dedicated to neuroscience—a rare commitment in the pharmaceutical industry. Working in neuroscience is incredibly challenging, especially when it comes to developing treatments for schizophrenia and depression. Lundbeck has successfully launched four different antidepressants, each bringing something new to the field, but it is never an easy process. In schizophrenia, the challenges are even greater, as recent clinical trials from other companies have unfortunately failed. Despite these difficulties, Lundbeck remains committed to neuroscience, constantly pushing for progress. As an Italian, I see great value in having a company like Lundbeck in our country—not only for its innovative products but also for its broader societal impact. Lundbeck does not just develop medicines; it actively works to raise awareness and support brain health initiatives. 

Over the past five years, Lundbeck Italy has led several awareness campaigns in neurology and psychiatry, including the Together for Mental Health social campaign, the People in Mind art contest, Supporting Teatro Patologico of Roma, Brain & Cinema, the Longevity Summit in Milan, and other Beyond the Pill initiatives. At Lundbeck, we believe that our mission goes beyond simply developing medicines. While our core purpose is to create innovative treatments, we also aim to positively impact society. This means not only providing effective products but also engaging in meaningful activities that promote brain health awareness and education. By taking this "beyond the pill" approach, we can truly make a difference—not just for patients but for the entire community. 

EF: Can you share insights on industry collaborations and your work on sustainability with Farmindustria? 

TM: Lundbeck is part of a larger healthcare network, and working together with different organizations is essential. One important partnership is with scientific societies, such as the Neurological and Psychiatric Societies, which help us stay informed and connected to the latest developments in our field. Another key relationship is with the Danish Embassy. Just last week, I was in Rome, meeting with the Danish Minister of Economic Affairs to discuss the competitiveness of the pharmaceutical industry in Europe. We also work closely with patient associations to understand their needs and find ways to support them. This could mean raising awareness about certain diseases or helping people with brain health challenges integrate into the workforce. 

Beyond these collaborations, I am also involved with Farmindustria, the pharmaceutical industry association. I serve on its board and take an active role, particularly in the Ethics Committee, which is something I consider very important. Additionally, I co-lead a strategic group with Angelini focused on sustainability—not just environmental sustainability but also social aspects, such as workplace equality and inclusion. The group consists of twelve companies, both multinational and Italian, and we meet regularly to align with European regulations and discuss key industry topics. The pharmaceutical sector stands out when it comes to gender equality, as many women hold leadership positions, including executive and board roles. We see this as an achievement and hope that sharing our experiences will encourage other industries to follow suit. 

EF: How do you attract and retain top talent in Italy’s competitive market? 

TM: Lundbeck is a unique company, and you can feel it as soon as you step inside. One example of this is how we approach remote work. We do not use a rigid "smart working" model with set days at home. Instead, we have a truly flexible work system. Employees can work from home as needed, even for extended periods. However, when the job requires it, they are expected to be in the office. This is not about a lack of trust—it is about effectiveness. Spending endless hours on virtual meetings cannot replace the value of in-person interactions with colleagues. 

Employee development is also a top priority for us. We invest heavily in training and skill-building. A recent example is a specialized course we ran with Bocconi University, bringing together office and field employees to encourage collaboration. We have many training initiatives designed to keep our people at the top of their field. 

The work environment at Lundbeck is also something special. Our headquarters is not a typical office. I do not have a private office or even a fixed desk—I move around each day, working from different spots. The office space itself is designed to foster collaboration and well-being. We even have a vegetable garden, and, in the past, we offered in-office massages. Now, instead, we have a team-building fitness program every Friday morning. It is a functional training designed specifically for our employees. We call our office "Casa Lundbeck"—Lundbeck Home—because it is more than just a workplace. We often host inspiring guest speakers, such as Alec Ross, an advisor to former U.S. President Obama, who spoke about the role of Europe and Italy on the global stage. We open these events not just to our employees but also to others, including “competitors”, because we see it as an investment in knowledge-sharing, not just for our team but for society as a whole. All these things make Lundbeck a special place to work, and they contribute to the happiness and satisfaction of our employees. 

EF: What achievements are you most proud of as Managing Director of Lundbeck Italy, and what are you most looking forward to in the future? 

TM: Looking back on my journey so far, I feel incredibly proud of how Lundbeck Italy has embraced challenges and change. I vividly remember the difficult days of COVID-19, with lockdowns and red zones. Despite the uncertainty, my team did not complain—they focused on making the best of the situation, even when everything was unknown and unprecedented. One of the things I am most proud of is our openness to change and our willingness to take on challenges. I also love pushing boundaries, and it is inspiring to see how my team has embraced this mindset, raising the bar even higher for themselves. Looking ahead, my vision for the company is to continue fostering curiosity, adaptability, and accountability. These qualities are already part of our culture, but I want to see them grow even stronger.