Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics - Region North America re-org

No "like" button on this site? Failures indeed.

 

What was the outcome of the town hall meeting? any updates on the acquisition

 

I don't think that anyone who attends these can even comprehend what is said there. The only ones left and that do attend these farces were once Admins or Interns and who are now Dirs with titles like "The Global Head of some very important shit" and who couldn't understand much of anything of value communicated. I don't know how the speakers can stand there, look out upon the crowd, and take these events seriously. I don't know of anyone who attends this shit that I would even acknowledge let alone accept a meeting from.

Everyone else just stays home. What are they going to do? Not promote you or fail to invite you to the next "strategy" meeting?

 

There was a huge turnout and GSK was there. There was some information that was useful, watch the replay.

 

whats the news?

 

Very very very very few of you will be kept on 2-4 months after close. The real problem is knowing when they will close. Will they close in December? Or January? Or closer to March/April. I'm hearing from a few key people independently of each other that the word is the push is for EOY 2014, but that it is wishful thinking. Early to mid Q1 2015 is more realistic

 

Oh, it was "THE place to be". All of the recently self promoted "Global Heads
of some very important shit" were there.

The most common comment from the GSK folkes after they had a chance to look at is was "WTF?!"

 

Interesting, as I have heard the same. There is a big push to close the deal by year end, but stars might have to align for it to actually happen. Once it does close, the clock starts officially ticking and the countdown to layoff begins assuming you are still here when that time comes.

 

Some of the projects that are currently under construction and have started within the last 2 months, have been for the sole purpose of having things in place to keep certain functions humming along without the need for "knowledge employees" or people with functional skills in place. I know those last two phrases will open the flood gates for the 1 person with sarcastic comments how that is an oxymoron at NVD, and while I agree, all jokes aside this is an actual warning.

What this all means is cuts and using these "tools" that are under construction to keep as much of things going along as usual, being run by someone with little experience or knowledge in that subject area. I was taking a small break with the job search, but after what I saw very recently, I am back at it 100%.

They have zero intention of keeping 90% of you any longer than 1 quarter after the deal closes. Maybe even sooner.

 

What's up with Vas?

 

Vas Witty or Vas Jimenez

 

Ha! People here are as bitter as a bitter gourd (Momordica charantia). Give the guy a break -- as if he cares about what's being said here. He's a rock star destined to take over Novartis in 10 years. I will bet on that.

 

The man fucked up every thing he touched. Novartis deserves him.

 

What amazes me most is how some around here continue with things as though the GSK announcement never happened. Without going into a lot of detail, let's just say that I scratch my head at some of the decisions being made and the money still being spent so late into the year on stuff that won't matter one bit once this thing closes (I think) by the end of the year. I guess the idea is spend it while you've got it. Then again, fiscal irresponsibility is one of the primary reasons NVx is where it is. Party on!

 

Mass exodus!

 

You would think so, but it never happened. We are all still here. The job market can't accommodate everyone.

 

There was a reason why Novartis had to pay GSK $1.5B to take us.

 

Bingo

No biotech or pharmaceutical company is hiring in Massachusetts in large enough numbers for the available labor pool. It is not just NVx employees. Development in NIBR know cuts are coming this Fall. Shire was just bought out by AbbVie as an inversion deal. Covidien, which yes is Med Devices, are in the same boat. They have already been told their Mansfield, MA HQ is going to go away. J&J have announced layoffs in their Taunton offices recently in the few hundreds. Parexel is laying off a large chunk of people in their Billerica, MA location. Vertex laid off 400 last Fall and there's consistent rumors of a looming buyout for them. Milleneium had a ton of cuts last summer as well. Smaller up and comers like Aveo and Ariad have basically closed up shop and have cut back, leaving several hundred jobless since last Fall. I could go on and on and on including the lists of companies that shifting their employees to FSP in-sourcing providers like an RPS or InventivHealth (formerly i3) and Randstad.

If you cannot find a job in this bad and highly competitive job market, the only thing you can control is your spending/savings rate. Make some cut backs and save up. No one is going to be able to find a job as easily and as quickly as they used too.

 

But I am the Novartis Vaccines Head of some very important shit.

 

This seems to be the case. I have over 15 yrs experience at 4 big name companies and can't even get an interview over the past 3 months. I'm getting worried. Meanwhile at NVx they have hired/promoted people with 2 years of experience to Head of something or other.