WOW! Dominiek Rossillion has been working for QbD for 10 years now, and counting! Thank you for your dedication and commitment, Dominiek, and our heartiest congratulations!
During his ten years at QbD, Dominiek has taken on a variety of projects and roles, resulting in an impressive career path.
Curious about Dominiek’s career and insights? Then be sure to read our short interview with the man himself below!
Hi Dominiek! Could you briefly introduce yourself?
Dominiek: With pleasure! I am Dominiek Rossillion, 38 years old and graduated as an Industrial Engineer in Chemistry. Since the beginning of my professional life I have been working in the pharmaceutical industry and I still enjoy doing so.
In the beginning it was an unknown world, but one that has stimulated and inspired me from my first assignment. I still discover new insights and applications every day.
I also like what Belgium has to offer in terms of traditional pharmaceutical production, medical devices and steps towards personalized medicine (ATMPs).
How did you get to know QbD and what was your first project?
Dominiek: After graduating, I started working for our CEO Bart Van Acker in the Quality business unit. The story he told was one I believed in and that’s why I ended up signing with QbD.
My first project involved the qualification of primary packaging for sterile medicines. It really opened my eyes to how much engineering and thought goes into the development of what – at first glance – appears to be a trivial stopper or bottle.
“I can say with my hand on my heart that I would easily start over as a consultant.”
How has your career evolved since then? What were the most important steps for you and why did you take them?
Dominiek: From the beginning, I have mainly chosen to broaden and extend my expertise. Call it an eternal curiosity about how the industry is put together and what the different steps in the chain are.
I started as a validation consultant and was able to advance into project management, quality systems implementation and accreditation, and drug distribution.
As my career progressed, I wanted to see more and more impact from the decisions and implementations of projects up close. Return on investment, if you will.
If that is your ambition, you will automatically get to management level where you will be given responsibility but also have to take responsibility for investments and execution of projects of 100k+.
I think that from the beginning I could always indicate quite clearly where my interests lay and they were clearly taken into account. Best of all, I think that the knowledge I gained from different assignments opened the door to new projects in which I could apply that knowledge.
Since 2020 you have been Business Development Manager at QbD. Quite a change! Why the career switch and how do you like the job so far?
Dominiek: Business development is a position in which you will see the full range and scope of projects within the industry pass by.
Whenever there are impressive developments (and there are quite a few in Belgium and abroad), you are in the front row to advise and assist clients in bringing their product to the market successfully and in compliance with the regulations.
From a broad background knowledge, as a partner you can then really take the inventors and discoverers into the world of life sciences.
Even though I no longer carry out the work myself, I get to see how a client grows in that story and how they learn to stand on their own two feet and successfully bring a product on the market that has an impact on the quality of life of the patient.
What makes QbD a company to work for over 10 years?
Dominiek: QbD is a company that is true to its values. Start-up companies with a handful of employees and a growing reputation do not compare to the established value that QbD has become over the years.
Change has been a constant in those 10 years (in terms of people, service offerings, new product developments, acquisitions, etc.). But it’s all about how you deal with it, i.e. how you make sure your employees know they are valued and are clear about mutual expectations.
If you set goals in your career and want to achieve them, you need someone to guide you in the right way and applaud the smooth-running aspects, but also someone who is honest about what development is still needed to take the next steps.
Consulting is a people business and QbD has understood very well that employees are crucial in this story.
What advice would you give younger consultants/your younger self?
Dominiek: That’s a tough one… and perhaps a philosophical approach is most appropriate here: I learned a lot by experiencing it. Some things could have been told to me, but they wouldn’t have stuck, or at least not like an experience.
From that standpoint, I still see consultancy as a very nice course. In just a few years, you can get a taste of different directions within the industry and determine what you enjoy most or what you want to explore next or additionally.
I can say with my hand on my heart that I would easily start over as a consultant.
“Consulting is a people business and QbD has understood very well that employees are crucial in this story.”
How do you see yourself evolving in the future?
Dominiek: I want to develop even more into a strategic partner within the industry. To bring products to market, the business case has to be right.
The earlier and smoother you can guide a customer, the better they will understand the whole picture of getting a product to market. I intend to do my part to bring the evolutions within the industry to the patient.
And we thank you for that and wish you all the best! Thanks also for the interesting insights, Dominiek.
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