Interview with Karin Wörsdörfer-Nestby
Please introduce yourself and your role at Centrient Pharmaceuticals.
My name is Karin Wörsdörfer-Nestby. In my current role at Centrient, as Deputy General Counsel, I’m responsible for all commercial API legal matters and corporate governance. In the Commercial API Management Team and the EMEA Leadership Team, I try to lead by example. Previously, I’ve worked both as an in-house lawyer and attorney-at-law and practiced mainly commercial and corporate law, including M&A. To be able to combine these legal skills with the values and pride of working in a sector where saving patients’ lives is core to our purpose has been very rewarding.
Outside of work, I love being outdoors and participating in various sports, including hiking, running, and swimming. Active travel and spending time with friends and family make me happy.
What do you like most about working at Centrient Pharmaceuticals?
I enjoy the entrepreneurship, the energy, and the high speed of working that comes with a role at Centrient. Since I joined Centrient, I have always felt it to be an environment where taking responsibility, picking up new challenges, going the extra mile while having a proactive, flexible, and agile mindset is strongly appreciated and rewarded. All values in a career that I highly value. I get to feel like both an entrepreneur and lawyer at the same time.
What does it mean for you to be a leader and what is one lesson you have learned in your career?
The possibility to contribute and steer to achieving Centrient’s purpose is a great opportunity. I aim to stimulate the most efficient ways of working and guide other people’s personal developments. I enjoy challenging my team and colleagues to go outside their comfort zone daily. I find it very important never to stop developing oneself and to be learning new skills continuously. Within Centrient, these are shared priorities; the personal development of all employees is key to our success as a company.
Luckily, I’ve learned a lot of lessons. One lesson that I would like to share is: do what you like best and don’t be afraid to make the difficult choices to achieve your goals.
What advice do you have for women aspiring for leadership positions?
Pursue your aspirations and make them known. Don’t let classical stereotypes or outdated role hierarchy hold you back. Always trust your skills and capabilities over everything else.
