Read the Conversation
EF: What mission did you set yourself in this new role, and what would you like to achieve as country manager of Spain?
SD: Boston Scientific has been a major international company in the market for over 40 years, dedicated to transforming lives through advanced technology and solutions for various medical conditions. We have six key business units: Interventional Cardiology, Cardiac Rhythm Management, Peripheral Intervention, Urology, Endoscopy, and Neuromodulation, which position us as MedTech leaders in the market. We have over 500 employees in Spain and are experiencing significant expansion due to business growth and market acceleration. We are also developing a major European educational hub in Madrid - Institute for Advancing Science (IAS)- making it a unique center of excellence for Boston Scientific in Spain. My mission as a country coordinator is to leverage this growth, focus on innovation, and maintain our commitment to developing advanced solutions. Additionally, I aim to continue promoting our patient-centric approach across all divisions.
Our approach has three key aspects: internally, we need to enhance our patient-centric mindset (1), and externally, we must ensure the best outcomes and experiences for our customers and patients (2) while developing strong partnerships based on the solutions and therapies we provide (3). Cultivating talent and expertise within our teams across all divisions is crucial. Our strategy also includes maintaining market leadership. We are ambitious and strive to offer the best medical technology in Spain, aiming for the largest market share in all business units.
Operational excellence is essential for our success. Providing the best services to our customers relies on the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations. As the country coordinator, I focus on sharing best practices and implementing innovative strategies to enhance productivity, ensuring profitability and ongoing success for our company at the local level.
EF: Could you tell us more about the portfolio's evolution and how it has adapted to the Spanish market?
SD: Innovation is part of our DNA at Boston Scientific. Our evolving portfolio aligns with our core business, constantly pushing to provide the best for our customers across all six business units. We are a dynamic company, anticipating market needs and reinforcing our leadership through strategic acquisitions. This mindset drives us to aim for the top position in every market we enter. We strive to offer a unique portfolio, combining top-tier products and digital health solutions.
Additionally, our two latest advancements in Spain have set us apart from the competition: on the one hand, our Institute for Advancing Science (IAS) is a significant advantage in providing extensive training for healthcare professionals on new products and therapies. On the other hand, the RhythmCARE hub – capable of assisting and providing remote support for surgical procedures located anywhere in the world - supports our goal of enhancing partnerships and delivering value through innovative solutions. The Spanish healthcare system is known for its high standards and focus on patient care, making it a critical testing ground for Boston Scientific’s cutting-edge technologies.
EF: How would you describe the strategic significance of Spain if you had to pitch to headquarters to attract resources to Spain hypothetically?
SD: The market here is experiencing significant growth, surpassing our past expectations. We strongly believe in innovation as the driving force at Boston Scientific. Especially in the last decade, we have worked on the continuous training of clinicians, creating a local team of experts able to provide internal and external training at our Institute for Advancing Science (IAS), where simulating a hospital or lab environment, we invite healthcare professionals from all over Europe to apply our entire portfolio of therapies and solutions in our own offices. This totally differentiates us as it is not just another technology that we sell but innovation on real work. It's about helping clinicians continue to improve the lives of patients all over the world. Additionally, Spain offers a remarkable opportunity with the RhythmCARE hub in Madrid. From the hub, we provide technical support for cardiac rhythm management procedures across EMEA. This support is crucial as it facilitates real-time collaboration between clinicians and our engineers, who can now assist remotely. This setup enhances sustainability and offers immediate emergency support, benefiting clinicians and regional hospitals. We were the first in the industry to launch this service, even before COVID.
EF: How are you approaching collaboration with stakeholders like Fenin (Spanish Federation of Healthcare Technology Companies)? What role do these common spaces play in leveraging Boston Scientific's work?
SD: Our expansion over the past three years led to significant growth, requiring the expansion of our Madrid offices. We informed Fenin to ensure they are familiar with our new setup. We aim to provide excellent services to our external customers and offer them training opportunities at our Institute for Advancing Science (IAS), Boston Scientific's largest in EMEA at the moment. This hub is strategically located, making it convenient for Spanish and European customers. It allows Fenin and other administrative healthcare organizations to see how we can support and train clinicians effectively. We are committed to working as a team to offer these valuable services and training opportunities, benefiting the entire healthcare community.
EF: How does Boston Scientific attract and retain the best talent in a competitive market?
SD: First, our mission and values at Boston Scientific are foundational. Over the last year, we’ve hired many new employees to strengthen our position. From the start, our culture focuses on delivering our customers the best service and solutions. We aim to be their best partner through operational excellence. This culture is the company’s backbone and is shared with all employees.
Inclusiveness and diversity are also critical. We ensure a comfortable atmosphere where everyone has a place and every talent is valued. We offer personalized career development, encouraging self-motivation and confidence in professional growth at all levels. Thanks to our company's dynamic, flexible, and agile nature, growth opportunities can be horizontal and vertical. We believe in meritocracy. If you are ambitious, have a winning spirit, have high-performance DNA, and would like to be involved in different projects, you will find a place at Boston Scientific.
Of course, salary is important, but it's not enough to retain talent, especially with the new generation. That's why we, as management, must adapt. It's crucial to emphasize the values I mentioned and create an atmosphere where each employee feels valued and cared for. Flexibility and access to various opportunities within the company are essential. Whether working with teams, engaging with customers, or connecting with global headquarters, feeling supported and having the freedom to grow personally and professionally is vital. Salary is important, but motivation comes from feeling confident, having transparency, two-way communication with managers and colleagues, and working in a respectful environment. When employees feel represented and respected, they wake up motivated every morning.
EF: What is Boston Scientific doing to ensure the sustainability of its operations?
SD: It starts from home, or in this case, our offices. I don't want to sound biased, but from my experience with different companies, I would say our offices in Spain are outstanding, perhaps even the best in the industry. Our commitment to sustainability is evident in everything we do. We continually consider how we can positively impact the environment through our daily operations, packaging solutions, or the innovative RhythmCare hub. As explained, this center significantly reduces travel and logistics, contributing to sustainability by minimizing the need for technical journeys. Additionally, we've implemented a hybrid car policy to further our eco-friendly initiatives. Our offices - accredited with LEED & Well certification, are designed to be green, focusing on digital solutions to minimize paper use. These internal and external efforts make a meaningful difference in our environmental impact.
EF: Do you have anything else you want to discuss or any final message?
SD: For us, the mission is clear: we aim to contribute to becoming the leading MedTech company. We're experiencing significant growth and are in an excellent position to achieve this goal. We recognize that our success depends strongly on the talent within our organization. People are at the heart of every company, and at Boston Scientific, we take great pride in our team and the values we uphold. Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, we swiftly adapted and managed to retain all our employees. We embraced new ways of working focused on work-life balance, leveraging digital developments while prioritizing inclusiveness and equity. One aspect I'm particularly proud of is our commitment to diversity. With almost 65% of our management roles in Spain held by women and the different ERGs (employee resourcing groups) that we support with volunteering employees-PRIDE, YPN, EmpowHER, we are leading the way in industry diversity, equity and inclusion. As we look to the future, we remain dedicated to fostering an environment where every team member can thrive and contribute to our shared success.
