Liliana Niño Pintor

What is the biggest challenge in our industry today and how do you overcome it?

The biggest challenge I've faced is maintaining strong market presence while adapting to rapidly changing healthcare systems across different regions. In the Dominican Republic, we faced significant market access barriers during the Victoza launch. We overcame this by developing strong relationships with key opinion leaders and creating a targeted education program that helped us achieve a solid market share in the first year. It taught me that success comes from understanding local needs and being agile in our approach.

What healthy habits do you employ to maintain your mental health and wellbeing?

Moving between countries and managing high-pressure roles taught me the importance of establishing routines. I maintain a strict morning routine that includes exercise and planning, regardless of which country I'm in. When I moved to Canada, I made sure to schedule regular virtual coffee chats with my family in Colombia - maintaining these connections helps keep me grounded.

How can we best empower and support women & gender diverse professionals in their organizations?

I believe in creating concrete opportunities. In my teams, I've always implemented a structured mentoring program where team members could learn from different leaders across the organization. I believe in the power of women to inspire, lead and create successful outcomes for the organizations they work for and for their own families.

What is the greatest piece of business advice you have received from a mentor/sponsor?

My mentor once told me: 'Tu sello personal es tu mejor herramienta' (Your personal stamp is your best tool). This reminded me that while we should always learn from others, our unique perspective and authentic leadership style are what truly drive success. I've carried this through every role, from Colombia to Canada.

How do you define and/or manage your career progression?

"I view career progression as a strategic journey of continuous growth. Early in my career in Colombia, I focused on mastering the fundamentals of pharmaceutical sales before deliberately seeking roles that expanded my geographical and managerial scope. For example, I transitioned from managing a local team in Colombia to leading the Caribbean region for Novo Nordisk, which required not just leadership skills but cultural adaptability. Each role I've taken has built upon the previous one, adding new competencies - from sales to marketing, from local to regional management, and finally to the Canadian market.

What is the most important thing you have learned that makes you an effective and inspirational leader?

The most valuable lesson I've learned is that authentic leadership transcends cultural boundaries. When I led the Caribbean team at Novo Nordisk, we achieved a 35% growth in Modern Insulin Market not because I had all the answers, but because I created an environment where team members felt empowered to contribute their local expertise. I listened more than I spoke, and we succeeded together.

How do you advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion in a meaningful way as a leader?

As a Latin American woman leading teams across multiple countries, I've learned that meaningful inclusion starts with genuine curiosity about different perspectives. In the Caribbean, I built a team that represented various islands and backgrounds. We celebrated our differences and used them as strengths - for example, our diverse team helped us develop more culturally relevant marketing strategies that resonated across different Caribbean markets.

Can you share any past experiences where you successfully negotiated aspects such as salary and increased responsibility with your scope of work?

When I transitioned to the Caribbean role, I negotiated not just for salary but for resources to build my team. I presented a clear business case showing how additional investment in team development would drive results. This approach led to securing a dedicated training budget that helped us achieve our 35% growth target.