Ceva Santé Animale

Veronique Kodjo

Véronique serves as the EVP of Global Manufacturing, Supply Chain & Quality at Ceva Santé Animale. She is renowned worldwide for her extensive experience in biological and pharmaceutical operations. She oversees 2800 employees, 15 main industrial sites worldwide, and an extensive external manufacturing network. She also manages Global Quality, Global EHS, Global industrialization, and Global engineering across the company. Prior to joining Ceva Santé Animale, Véronique served as a Senior Vice President at Boehringer-Ingelheim Animal Health Business Unit and Merial, the Animal Health Division of Sanofi. She also contributed as a Non-executive Board member at Nemera, a leading drug delivery device solutions company. Véronique holds a doctorate degree in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Lyon, France, and an MSc in Business and Administration. She has also completed her executive training for Board Members.

Could you briefly share your career journey in the industry and your current role and responsibilities?

For the past five years, I have been a part of Ceva Animal Health, a company dedicated to the production of a diverse array of animal health products, including vaccines and pharmaceuticals. I currently hold the position of Head of Quality for all manufacturing operations.

Prior to joining Ceva, I gained extensive experience in the animal health industry. I served in industrial and technical operations roles at companies such as Boehringer Ingelheim and had been in the animal health division of Sanofi.

In addition to my expertise in the animal health sector, I also have an experience in sales and marketing within the human pharma space.

My veterinarian background equips me with a unique and diverse perspective in an industry often dominated by engineers and pharmacists.

What are challenges or trends that have significantly impacted pharmaceutical manufacturing?

The pharmaceutical manufacturing industry has witnessed the significant trends of technological advancements, particularly in biotech after the COVID-19 pandemic. Companies are increasingly adopting new approaches, such as mRNA vaccines, and expanding into biotech areas. The shift is driven by the need for faster development and improved collaboration, leading to acquisitions and investments in new technologies. One such example is of us acquiring a U.S. company specializing in the development of monoclonal antibodies and other technologies.

Despite the technical advancements, selecting the most promising technologies amidst numerous options becomes a challenge. Companies must navigate through numerous choices while ensuring that these technologies align with their health goals and desired outcomes. This challenge is intensified by the rapid pace of technological evolution and the necessity to maintain regulatory compliance.

The second trend is the widespread adoption of AI across various aspects of pharmaceutical manufacturing, including in quality control, automating manual task and assisting in decision-making. AI has immense potential to enhance efficiency, streamline operations, and improve execution, although it still requires human validation.

Another trend is the concept of "One Health" which emphasizes on the interconnectedness of human and animal health is gaining attraction. This is because of an understanding in the medical community that almost 75 percent of emerging diseases impacting humans originate from animals. By addressing animal diseases, particularly zoonotic ones, the industry can contribute to preventing emergence of diseases that can affect humans and have a holistic approach to healthcare.

What are some of the leadership strategy for implementing and adopting AI in your organization?

The strategy is to emphasize the importance of agility, continuous learning, and adaptability in the face of rapid technological changes. We embrace a 'learn, test, and learn' approach, using proof of concepts and trials before scaling to other areas. This is facilitated by our development of a platform called beta testers that tests different tools available in the market.

There is also a need to acquire people with new skills, such as data science and biotechnology, and new companies to embrace a different journey. This is why we focus on maintaining external collaboration with universities, schools, and institutes in my organization. We also focus on developing collaborative tools and communities of facilitators to further foster collaboration and agility.

The upcoming change in the industry, demands for new leadership skills and the leaders to adapt to changes. The leader of tomorrow may not be the same as that of today. As a result I incorporate agility and adaptability in my leadership approach.

What would be your piece of advice to your fellow peers in the industry?

I would emphasize on the importance of learning from every step of a process, including failures. Failures should not be seen as setbacks, but rather as opportunities to learn and improve. One should look at every experience weather good or bad as a contribution to personal and professional development.

In a world where things are moving at a rapid pace, people should be resilient and adaptable. They should also think differently and be ready to adjust plans when circumstances change.

It is always good to have a backup plan. If plan A doesn't work out, having thought about a Plan B can help in quickly adapting and moving forward. It promotes strategic thinking and preparedness, enabling navigation towards unexpected challenges more effectively.