“The greatest driving force in carrying out one’s mission is realising that one’s work helps save lives”
Self-discovery, personal development, travel: it pays off! The career of Mr Saad Kanbris, head of the Moroccan, Tunisian and Libyan branches of the Swiss pharmaceutical Group Novartis since early 2018, is a fine example. A member of the select club of Lebanese business leaders in Morocco, he has known how to capitalise on opportunities and lessons learned to develop and climb the ladder within the company.
Aiming for the clouds, feet on the ground
It all began in 2001, when the young Saad Kanbris started at Novartis Lebanon as a member of the administration. Two years later, this graduate of Beirut Arab University and Glascow Caledonian University in Scotland made a decision that would prove crucial to his professional advancement. A great lover of travel, he packed his bags to join Novartis United Arab Emirates as a Medical Representative. “My best professional experience, which pushed me to persevere and surpass myself”, he recalls nostalgically. Things moved quickly and his responsibilities grew. Mr Saad Kanbris became Marketing Director, Franchise Director and then Head of Product Launch and Commercial Excellence for the entire MENA region. But the business leader keeps his feet on the ground. “A journey is always marked by important events, but none is an achievement in itself. Personally, my greatest achievement is being blessed with the presence of three wonderful people in my life: my wife and my two children”, he admits.
Innovation serving the patient
To develop, it is essential to have inspiring guides. And Mr Kanbris has not been deprived of them. “I have been lucky enough to have a few mentors in my life who encouraged me to grow. People who make their way despite obstacles with determination and humility, who work hard and who have impressed me enormously”, he explains. But the greatest driving force in carrying out his mission is realising that his work helps save lives. “One of the defining moments of my career was meeting a patient whom we had helped to access an essential treatment, in record time, despite many challenges. The treatment literally saved his life after a lung transplant. It was a completely unexpected encounter that brought meaning to my work and my life”, says the executive, who believes it was this precise moment that helped him understand his mission in life. And his position within the pharmaceutical giant allows him to fulfil it. His hobbyhorse? Patient-focused innovation. At the same time, Mr Kanbris also calls for stronger economic relations between Morocco and Switzerland. “The good long-term relations between the two countries have stood the test of time, proving that their foundation is solid. With the trust established and the many open channels of communication, I hope that these economic relations will be strengthened further for the benefit of both countries”, he hopes.
If you were…
A colour, which would you be?
Green.
A country, which would you be?
The world, without any barriers.
A personality?
Myself.
An animal…?
The cheetah.