Michelle Weese

[anonymous]

The BMS “mean girls” continue spinning their yarn and obsessing over Michelle. Instead of tearing her down, you should be thankful to Michelle—she upgraded the talent in a function that hadn’t seen fresh perspectives in 20 years. She took on the hard job, which had already started before she joined.

You keep ignoring the fact that Giovanni recognized the need to elevate the function and brought Catharine into the organization. But because the BMS “mean girls” brought out their pitchforks, she lasted only six months. They tried to do the same to Michelle. You can’t keep blaming all the previous leaders and not take accountability for your actions.

Since Michelle left, the function has been in disarray, relegated to a support role akin to secretarial work, returning the function to its so-called “glorious past.” Now, without Michelle to blame, they still obsess over her. It’s pathetic.

Thanks Michelle

 

[anonymous]

The BMS “mean girls” continue spinning their yarn and obsessing over Michelle. Instead of tearing her down, you should be thankful to Michelle—she upgraded the talent in a function that hadn’t seen fresh perspectives in 20 years. She took on the hard job, which had already started before she joined.

You keep ignoring the fact that Giovanni recognized the need to elevate the function and brought Catharine into the organization. But because the BMS “mean girls” brought out their pitchforks, she lasted only six months. They tried to do the same to Michelle. You can’t keep blaming all the previous leaders and not take accountability for your actions.

Since Michelle left, the function has been in disarray, relegated to a support role akin to secretarial work, returning the function to its so-called “glorious past.” Now, without Michelle to blame, they still obsess over her. It’s pathetic.

It’s true that Giovanni was making a statement by hiring externally rather than elevating internal candidates. We ‘mean girls’ recognized that immediately. However, we’re not mean, a petty word that too often is used to describe smart, dedicated professionals who happen to be females. Did we push back and challenge Michelle and her gang? Yes, we did. However, we felt we had to push back because some of Michelle’s ideas were just ridiculous. If there were legit business reasons for the changes, Michelle failed to sell it to a bunch of mature, smart people who knew the industry better than she did. That probably applies to Novartis, too. Smart leaders know how to implement changes. Smart leaders know how to influence teams so that everyone can align with a new vision. That’s what Giovanni wanted, in my opinion, a new vision. Unfortunately, he hired the wrong ‘girl’ for the job.

 

[anonymous]

The BMS “mean girls” continue spinning their yarn and obsessing over Michelle. Instead of tearing her down, you should be thankful to Michelle—she upgraded the talent in a function that hadn’t seen fresh perspectives in 20 years. She took on the hard job, which had already started before she joined.

You keep ignoring the fact that Giovanni recognized the need to elevate the function and brought Catharine into the organization. But because the BMS “mean girls” brought out their pitchforks, she lasted only six months. They tried to do the same to Michelle. You can’t keep blaming all the previous leaders and not take accountability for your actions.

Since Michelle left, the function has been in disarray, relegated to a support role akin to secretarial work, returning the function to its so-called “glorious past.” Now, without Michelle to blame, they still obsess over her. It’s pathetic.

BMS assigned its chief ethics officer to lead corporate affairs and clean up after Michelle left. That tells you everything you need to know about Michelle's so-called 'leadership' and the damage she left behind...

 

[anonymous]

Mich hell is already being found out by the bright people who are left at Novartis. She doesn’t even hide that she’s a bit thick and out of her depth. Krispy Crème is her obsession but she’s one sandwich short of a picnic.

 

[anonymous]

That’s quite offensive to bread and a filling. Not sure there’s much filling.

 

[anonymous]

BMS assigned its chief ethics officer to lead corporate affairs and clean up after Michelle left. That tells you everything you need to know about Michelle's so-called 'leadership' and the damage she left behind...

Yep. That really says it all.

 

[anonymous]

Apparently Novartis needs more “mean girls” to stand up to this nonsense. Since senior leaders won’t do it.

 

[anonymous]

Apparently Novartis needs more “mean girls” to stand up to this nonsense. Since senior leaders won’t do it.

All the mean girls have been fired and replaced with fakes who will do anything for Frau Weese.
Programmed to be automatons reimagining nothing.

 

[anonymous]

Novartis communications, public affairs and patient engagement will NEVER recover from this disastrous awful cruel process. These are highly educated professionals with deep knowledge of their subject matter. The reason why the Swiss press don't like Vas is because he doesn't speak the language and treats them like second class citizens. The Swiss journalists are hugely intelligent and thorough and he doesn't like them asking questions.

True. As we end another year what exactly has Michelle achieved rather than chaos, division, loss of massive talent, and people at Novartis absolutely detesting her wherever she opens her mouth?

 

[anonymous]

Mich hell is already being found out by the bright people who are left at Novartis. She doesn’t even hide that she’s a bit thick and out of her depth. Krispy Crème is her obsession but she’s one sandwich short of a picnic.

It’s because glazed donuts is all she understand. Pharma is too complicated for her, hence taking same ineffective reorg playbook from BMS to Novartis (who clearly didn’t do their due diligence)

 

[anonymous]

It’s true that Giovanni was making a statement by hiring externally rather than elevating internal candidates. We ‘mean girls’ recognized that immediately. However, we’re not mean, a petty word that too often is used to describe smart, dedicated professionals who happen to be females. Did we push back and challenge Michelle and her gang? Yes, we did. However, we felt we had to push back because some of Michelle’s ideas were just ridiculous. If there were legit business reasons for the changes, Michelle failed to sell it to a bunch of mature, smart people who knew the industry better than she did. That probably applies to Novartis, too. Smart leaders know how to implement changes. Smart leaders know how to influence teams so that everyone can align with a new vision. That’s what Giovanni wanted, in my opinion, a new vision. Unfortunately, he hired the wrong ‘girl’ for the job.

Let’s be clear: Giovanni’s decision to hire externally was a strategic move to bring fresh perspectives to a function that had become stagnant. Clearly you felt threatened by that, perhaps it’s worth reflecting on why external talent was deemed necessary in the first place since you had so many “talented” individuals in the function already.

Yes, leadership involves selling a vision, but it also requires a team willing to step outside its comfort zone and embrace change, even when it’s challenging. Resistance for resistance’s sake isn’t constructive—it’s self-serving. The failure wasn’t in Michelle’s ability to influence but in certain individuals’ unwillingness to be influenced.

Blaming the ‘wrong hire’ for your inability to adapt misses the point. Strong teams rise to the occasion and work with leadership to drive progress, not undermine it at every turn. That’s leadership, too.

 

[anonymous]

BMS assigned its chief ethics officer to lead corporate affairs and clean up after Michelle left. That tells you everything you need to know about Michelle's so-called 'leadership' and the damage she left behind...

Bringing in a head of compliance to oversee corporate affairs is a clear sign the organization lacks a clear vision for the function itself. Compliance and corporate affairs are fundamentally different disciplines, and this move demonstrated a lack of strategic direction rather than a reflection on Michelle’s work. If the organization truly understood or respected the function, they would have built upon Michelle’s foundation rather than outsourcing leadership to a completely unrelated area to render the function irrelevant.

However, it’s challenging to engage with individuals with a narrow perspective and believing they were wronged by an external leader for raising performance standards.

 

[anonymous]

It’s because glazed donuts is all she understand. Pharma is too complicated for her, hence taking same ineffective reorg playbook from BMS to Novartis (who clearly didn’t do their due diligence)

It’s interesting how much energy you’re expending on Michelle. She probably doesn’t know you exist. Maybe it’s time you tried those ‘glazed donuts’ you mentioned—sounds like they could do wonders for your anger. While you’re at it, consider channeling that energy into something constructive. Pharma might be complicated, but holding grudges seems to be where you excel.

 

[anonymous]

Mich hell is already being found out by the bright people who are left at Novartis. She doesn’t even hide that she’s a bit thick and out of her depth. Krispy Crème is her obsession but she’s one sandwich short of a picnic.

It’s cute you think you’re in a position to critique someone operating in a league you’ll never step foot in. While you’re busy obsessing over her love of Krispy Kreme, Michelle’s thinking is far beyond your depth. Sounds like the only thing missing from this picnic is your self-awareness. Maybe stick to the sidelines—it’s clearly where you’re most comfortable.

 

[anonymous]

It’s interesting how much energy you’re expending on Michelle. She probably doesn’t know you exist. Maybe it’s time you tried those ‘glazed donuts’ you mentioned—sounds like they could do wonders for your anger. While you’re at it, consider channeling that energy into something constructive. Pharma might be complicated, but holding grudges seems to be where you excel.

Getting your dad to defend you isn’t going to end well Mish.

 

[anonymous]

It’s cute you think you’re in a position to critique someone operating in a league you’ll never step foot in. While you’re busy obsessing over her love of Krispy Kreme, Michelle’s thinking is far beyond your depth. Sounds like the only thing missing from this picnic is your self-awareness. Maybe stick to the sidelines—it’s clearly where you’re most comfortable.

That’s Michelle’s automaton

 

[anonymous]

It’s cute you think you’re in a position to critique someone operating in a league you’ll never step foot in. While you’re busy obsessing over her love of Krispy Kreme, Michelle’s thinking is far beyond your depth. Sounds like the only thing missing from this picnic is your self-awareness. Maybe stick to the sidelines—it’s clearly where you’re most comfortable.

Michelle finally gets someone in her team who can write.

 

[anonymous]

Michelle is like the Grim Reaper, wreaking havoc and fear wherever she goes. She is also a really good salesman, there is nothing she can’t sell! And she is initially at least, able to persuade people with her mumbo jumbo speeches. How else can you explain why Vas hired her and Giovanni over at BMS? I see people from her former companies at Mars and Danone on this board also sharing their very negative experiences with her. So now we are talking 4 companies where she had caused so much pain. Everyone can’t be wrong. So pay no heed to the very few on here who try to defend Michelle Weese. They are her minions. What she does is hire people who are not qualified, are semi competent and who would otherwise not get these big jobs anywhere else. This makes them extremely loyal to her because they are grateful for the big titles and jobs! View every single person she has hired with jaundiced eyes. My heart goes out to the team at Novartis because I know what they are going through. My advice is to keep your head down and stay out of Michelle’s path. She will self destruct just like she did at Mars, Danone and BMS. The sad part is that she will have deliberately destroyed so many people‘s lives with her callousness, incompetence and sheer malice. She will reimagine nothing but herself as she moves on to another company to start the vicious cycle all over again. What a sad person Michelle Weese is. This is someone who is truly a bad person.

 

[anonymous]

Michelle wreaks havoc wherever she goes. She also has mad skills in the used car salesman department. How else can you explain how she persuaded Vas to hire her and Giovanni from BMS? She brings chaos, confusion and malice to every company she works for. We have people from 4 companies on this thread sharing their horror stories. People from Mars, Danone, BMS and now Novartis. All these people can’t be wrong. So ignore the few people on here who try to defend her. These are her minions. Her modus operandi is to hire junior, not qualified, semi competent people who are given bigger titles, titles that they would never get elsewhere. This makes them very grateful and loyal to her. So look at all her hires at Novartis with very jaundiced eyes. My advice to folks is to keep a low profile and stay away from Michelle until she self destructs and move on to her next job. Because make no mistake, she will self destruct. It’s disheartening how one person can willfully cause so much pain, ruining people’s lives. She is callous, mean, vapid, self unaware and frankly intellectually challenged. She has been given so much power and wields it with a heavy, cold hand. So much pain, to so many. How does she sleep at night? May God have mercy on her soul. Stay strong Novartis team, this too shall pass.

 

[anonymous]

Michelle wreaks havoc wherever she goes. She also has mad skills in the used car salesman department. How else can you explain how she persuaded Vas to hire her and Giovanni from BMS? She brings chaos, confusion and malice to every company she works for. We have people from 4 companies on this thread sharing their horror stories. People from Mars, Danone, BMS and now Novartis. All these people can’t be wrong. So ignore the few people on here who try to defend her. These are her minions. Her modus operandi is to hire junior, not qualified, semi competent people who are given bigger titles, titles that they would never get elsewhere. This makes them very grateful and loyal to her. So look at all her hires at Novartis with very jaundiced eyes. My advice to folks is to keep a low profile and stay away from Michelle until she self destructs and move on to her next job. Because make no mistake, she will self destruct. It’s disheartening how one person can willfully cause so much pain, ruining people’s lives. She is callous, mean, vapid, self unaware and frankly intellectually challenged. She has been given so much power and wields it with a heavy, cold hand. So much pain, to so many. How does she sleep at night? May God have mercy on her soul. Stay strong Novartis team, this too shall pass.

Ah, another anonymous manifesto—so brave, so noble. It must take a truly extraordinary level of self-awareness to criticize someone’s intellect, character, and career from the comfort of anonymity. Bravo.

Let’s break it down: we have grievances from people spanning four companies, which either means Michelle has the uncanny ability to live rent-free in your collective heads or you’ve formed a support group for people who are allergic to change. Either way, impressive dedication.

As for your analysis of her hiring practices: hiring junior talent and giving them opportunities? Scandalous. It’s almost like she’s… mentoring people and building teams. How dare she. And chaos, confusion, and malice? Sounds like every great leader who’s disrupted the status quo.

To your final concern: how does she sleep at night? I’d guess soundly, knowing she’s still making moves while you’re busy drafting your next anonymous blog post.

Stay salty.