A Launch Pad for Board Leadership
Paula Davila Martinez (GMP 18) has already made her mark in the pharmaceuticals industry. As vice president and chief procurement officer at UCB Biopharma S.A. in Brussels, she has channeled her international experience and strategic expertise to transform the company's procurement and supply chain management. Now, she's considering her future options. She explains what drew her to the Women on Boards program at Harvard Business School (HBS) Executive Education, and how the program has prepared her for her next challenge.
Why did you choose to attend this program?
For a number of years, I've been thinking about how to continue making a difference beyond the boundaries of my corporate role. Serving on a board became a meaningful option to pursue. I started researching how to get started and came across several organizations offering webinars, workshops, or master classes on the topic. But Women on Boards was the only program that promised to address and connect all the components in a holistic way.
Did you have specific goals for your time in the program?
I wanted to have a clear understanding of all the formal elements related to boards and board governance. That is, how does a board work? What are the roles of the different committees? What does good governance look like? What are the skills and capabilities boards want? I also wanted to connect the board experience to myself as an individual: How can I add value to a board? Having a clear answer to that question requires a lot of thinking and self-reflection, but it is a huge milestone!
Was there anything that surprised you about the program experience?
I learned that there is no direct way or magic bullet to become a board member. Women have to start thinking about boards early in their careers, network strategically, and make their aspirations known to people already on boards.
How did the program change or influence your view of corporate boards?
I'm an optimist. I see the need and the opportunity for boards to become better through diversity. The caliber of the female participants in this program left me with no doubt that having more women on boards is not a talent issue but a visibility one. The timing for highly talented female leaders to actively pursue this aspiration could not be better than today!
How did the living group contribute to the program experience?
The living group experience is a key component of the many learning moments that you have during the program. The participants' diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences contributed to making the case study discussions valuable and rich. It is a humbling experience that also helps you expand your own thinking.
How would you describe the program's value to someone considering it?
This is a great program for women who have the aspiration to join a board as well as those who have nonprofit or private board experience. Those women with no board experience will leave with a very clear understanding of how a board operates as well as the difference between corporate governance and management. In addition, they'll leave with a clear, personal action plan for moving forward. Those women who already have some board experience will leave with very pragmatic and powerful frameworks for becoming even more impactful board members.
How did this program compare to your previous HBS experiences?
I have never been disappointed by any HBS experience to date. The caliber of the faculty in this program was truly outstanding. In addition, the insights shared by board members of Fortune 500 companies were invaluable. It was also helpful to explore issues related to cyber security and discuss the perspective of executive search firms.