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Biogen Idec Taps NC State Poole College’s Innovation Management Experts for Executive Education

Poole College’s Executive Programs staff worked with Biogen Idec to create a custom ‘business collaboratory’ for the company as an extension of the college’s Innovation Management Executive Series first offered in fall 2010.

Applying the Business Collaboratories Model

“The development and delivery of this custom program is an example of our Business Collaboratories approach to executive education that we announced earlier this year,” said Dan McGurrin, director of Poole College’s Executive Programs. “Using the collaboratories model, our innovation management experts are working with Biogen Idec to create an incubator platform for current and emerging operations leaders within the company’s PO&T unit,” he said.

“As with all Innovation Management Executive Series offerings, the ultimate goal of this collaboratory is to help the company’s leaders address the unique challenges and opportunities they face in today’s increasingly complex global marketplace, focusing specifically on hurdles in the competitive pharmaceutical and life sciences industries,” McGurrin said.

“Our faculty experts are working with the company to create a team of up-and-coming, market-savvy executives with the tools and the agility to exploit opportunities as they arise and avoid obstacles before they occur,” said Lee Clark-Sellers, program director of the Innovation Management Executive Series.

Managing Disruptive Innovation, Building Excellence

“To be successful, a biotech company needs a systematic approach to managing innovation, one that is adopted by all departments and even branded. In Biogen Idec’s case, we’re aiming to create a cross-functional, global leadership team within its Pharmaceutical Operations and Technology business unit that will focus on decision agility, teamwork, accountability and priority setting,” Clark-Sellers said.

This custom collaboratory began in May 2011 and continues through September 2011, with about 20 Biogen Idec employees participating.

“We chose NC State Poole College’s Innovation Management Executive Series for its unique approach to executive education which we believe will support our efforts to foster a culture of excellence within our organization that can improve the way we work. With a network of faculty leadership, expertise and experience combined with our company teams, we are working one-on-one with the college to implement a framework for managing disruptive innovation and advancing the talent of our future leaders,” said John Cox, executive vice president of PO&T at Biogen Idec.

Dr. Christie Knittel Mabry, who leads leadership development initiatives for PO&T, adds that “innovation is a core leadership competency that is not only critical to advancing our product pipeline and meeting patient needs, but also to our continued ability to attract, develop and retain the best and the brightest employees. We truly have appreciated our partnership with NC State and Poole College over the past couple of years as they have helped us to integrate the most cutting-edge research on innovation, strategy and supply chain management in way that is accessible, provocative, and eminently practical.”

The Innovation Management Executive Series

The Innovation Management Executive Series is a comprehensive, six-day open enrollment executive workshop for senior team members focusing on managing disruptive innovation and business transformation. It is offered as an open program and can be customized to meet a company’s specific challenges, as in the case of Biogen Idec.

The series features the leadership and contributions of three Poole College units that are part of the Business Collaboratories network: the BioSciences Management Initiative, Executive Programs, and the Center for Innovation Management Studies (CIMS).

About Executive Programs at the Poole College of Management:

The NC State University Poole College of Management focuses on management education for today’s technology driven global marketplace. Its Executive Programs and Business Collaboratories draw upon the college’s faculty and associated industry experts, centers and initiatives to enable businesses to develop solutions to their most pressing challenges. These programs are especially relevant for technology-intensive, innovation-driven companies. Included in Poole College’s Business Collaboratories network are the BioSciences Management Initiative (BioSci), Center for Innovation Management Studies (CIMS), Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) initiative, Supply Chain Resource Cooperative (SCRC), and Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization (TEC) program. The Poole College of Management’s Executive Programs are contracted and delivered through the NC State Executive Education LLC, a non-profit (501)(c)(3) under the NC State University Foundation, Inc.

About Biogen Idec

Biogen Idec uses cutting-edge science to discover, develop, manufacture and market therapeutic products for the treatment of serious diseases with a focus on neurological disorders. Founded in 1978, Biogen Idec is the world’s oldest independent biotechnology company. Patients worldwide benefit from its leading multiple sclerosis therapies and the company generates more than $4 billion in annual revenues. For product labeling, press releases and additional information about the company, please visit Biogen Idec.

Contacts

Poole College Media Relations: Anna Rzewnicki, Director of Communications

Poole College Innovation Management Executive Series: Lee Clark-Sellers, Program Director

Poole College’s Business Collaboratories Network