Sometimes our principals and customer need our support in different countries so we can help them contacting the right subsidiary as well. Our global presence makes our relationship broader and easier.
Our People : Ivan Coromina
A deep dive (literally) into the life and daily experience at Safic-Alcan from Ivan Coromina, a Pharmaceuticals Account Manager from our Spanish office and a Sea lover!
Introduce yourself...When and why did you join Safic-Alcan? What made you consider joining us?
Back in 2004 I had just finished my Chemical Engineering degree, and I was looking for my first serious job online, browsing through sites and I saw one advertisement where a Junior salesperson was required. I did not know SAFIC-ALCAN then, but I decided to apply anyway. After a couple of interviews, I was hired as an Account Manager in Pharmaceutical and Nutrition at SAFIC-ALCAN ESPECIALIDADES responsible for API’s . I choose to join SAFIC mostly because I felt really comfortable with the people, I met during the hiring process and was a good opportunity to belong to a European Multinational, something new for me. I have been here for the past 16 years!
How do experience your relationship with other collaborators, partners, principals or customers?
Definitively Safic is a big family! I had the opportunity to see how the company has been growing from 2004, with many acquisitions happening and having new colleagues in several countries and experiencing and important growing plan of the company in Europe, Asia, USA, Middle East etc during last 10 years.
We are working closely with our colleagues from other SAFIC European subsidiaries, like China, Turkey etc and we collaborate through synergies with our principals and common projects together. Sometimes our principals and customer need our support in different countries so we can help them contacting the right subsidiary as well. Our global presence makes our relationship broader and easier.
What is something curious or funny we should know about you? (your hobbies, passions, etc)
I love the Sea and all the related things to do nearby, sports like sailing or just spending the day in the beach resting with your family and friends, having the opportunity to enjoy a good meal there. I am lucky to live and work from our office in Barcelona, where you can do things like that easily.
How do you try to incorporate Safic values of Commitment, Differentiation, Ethics, Trust & Reliability, Sustainable Development, Team Work, Transparency in your day-to-day work.
Business relationships, especially within the pharmaceutical business/industry, are really developed over time and based on trust. They are not an immediate process, but a connection based on reliability and transparency. So Safic values such as sustainability, ethics and commitment make us remember that we are not in this for the single, one shot journey, but to build solid relationships with our partners and colleagues daily. They are a great way to understand the type of business that we are in, which deals with quality, efficiency, trust and much more.
Do you have any illustrative fun/light stories to share from your time at Safic-Alcan?
Every year, when we join an overseas exhibition, like CPHI China, it is always an exciting experience. To find yourself in a country far away from your home, traveling, sharing different experiences, scheduling professional meetings, and sometimes experiencing fun and difficult moments as well with SAFIC colleagues, partners and principals, is something to always remember. After many years of attending this kind of environment, the experiences you live give you the opportunity to discover different countries, cultures, food, etc. One of the most memorable moments to me, and also really funny, was when I experienced a very heavy flooding in Wuhan (China), making the travel back home a real odyssey, almost missing flights, trying to arrive on time at the airport, but always relying on the good spirit of the team.
What is the one main takeaway candidates wanting to join Safic-Alcan should know and look forward to?
As I said at the beginning, SAFIC is a big family, and the company also gives you the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally while in here. Candidates should know as well that Safic values mobility and opportunity , so you might start in one specific position, and then move to another a few years later. There is a real opportunity for growth.
Safic-Alcan in 5 words:
Mobility, Long-Term Relationships, Growth, Dynamism. It is a company where you will be able to have a long and growing professional carrier, that gives you the opportunity to collaborate with different principals, customers and colleagues overseas and to grow !
