A career built on leadership and innovation led Rob Kowalski from regulatory affairs to shaping global talent

By Katie Ginder-Vogel

“People ask me how I went from doing regulatory affairs to doing HR for one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world — and it’s actually not as different as you might think,” says Rob Kowalski (BS ’91, PharmD ‘93).

In 2021, Kowalski transitioned into Novartis International AG’s top human resources role — chief people and organization officer — after serving as executive vice president and global head of regulatory affairs and U.S. head of global drug development for more than a decade. All told, he’s spent over 30 years in the pharmaceutical industry, including leadership positions at Schering-Plough Corporation (now Merck) and Pharmacia Corporation (now Pfizer). Through his many roles that left a global footprint, he noticed a common thread.

“I’ve always had a deep passion for developing people, making sure organizations work well, getting the best talent, and being efficient in how we do things,” says Kowalski.

“Pharmacists can grow in so many different directions, within the pharmaceutical industry or other related sectors.“My pharmacy education has prepared me to succeed in so many realms.”
—Rob Kowalski

Now, Kowalski leads Novartis’ strategy to do just that: develop talent and organizational capabilities to deliver on its long-term priorities and purpose as a focused medicines company.

“Once I got into this role, I quickly realized I was an HR professional in hiding most of my life and never knew it,” he says. “It draws upon so many things I was already doing and allows me to practice them and get people aligned on a grand scale.” 

Finding the perfect fit

Kowalski’s career has largely been built on his philosophy that “if you’re not feeling a little uncomfortable, you’re probably not stretching yourself enough.” Nearly every step in his career was unexpected, but he embraced each opportunity to explore new environments and skills.

When he first joined the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s first graduating Doctor of Pharmacy class, his plan was to do a two-year fellowship after graduation, then go to law school to work in pharmaceutical or patent law. But the fellowship ended up connecting him with a role in regulatory affairs at Sandoz, a predecessor to Novartis.

While industry was not his plan, he became an international leader in the field, even serving as one of the founding advisory board members of the Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO) and securing the approval of more than 100 new products and indications across his career.

“Pharmacists can grow in so many different directions, within the pharmaceutical industry or other related sectors,” says Kowalski. “My pharmacy education has prepared me to succeed in so many realms.”

As he advanced in leadership, he found himself increasingly drawn to mentoring and cultivating talent, recognizing that his greatest impact extended beyond regulatory strategy. His ability to guide teams, foster innovation, and empower colleagues set the stage for his transition into human resources leadership. When the opportunity arose to stay with Novartis and focus entirely on developing people and their talents, it turned out to be the perfect fit — one he hadn’t even realized he was looking for.

“I’ve always had this very deep passion for developing people,” he says. “I started homing in on that several years ago, realizing that’s an area of strength that I enjoy and where I can make an impact and help people grow. This has always been a part of who I am, and I’ve really tapped into it later in my career.”

Bringing R&D to HR

With over 75,000 employees at Novartis, Kowalski oversees wide-ranging activities including corporate strategic initiatives, leadership and talent development, recruitment of over 10,000 new employees a year, and core foundations like payroll. He also plays an advisory role as a member of the executive leadership team and represents management on the Novartis Board of Directors 

“I get to help shape and drive the company according to the leadership team’s vision and make sure the senior executive team works together really well,” Kowalski says. “One thing I’ve learned, especially on product development teams making medicines, is how to be the glue for a team and get to the desired outcome that is core to our mission.”

Kowalski appreciates the unique lens he’s able to bring to his role in HR.

“Because of my background, I have a deep perspective on R&D — how to research drugs and commercialize medicines — which is the at the core of a company like Novartis. Bringing that into this role is a strength I can leverage as we’re building organizational capabilities, making strategic decisions and shaping the company for the mid-and long-term,” he says. “Coupling that with people and being able to grow and live our culture that fosters innovation makes my job interesting.”

In one of his first projects as chief people and organization officer, Kowalski helped steer Novartis through the largest corporate transformation in its history to a new structure and operating model, designed to support the company’s next phase of innovation and growth as a focused medicines company. As part of this journey, it was also critical to continue to strengthen the company’s “inspired, curious, and unbossed” culture.

“We want everyone at Novartis to be inspired by our purpose, curious about new ideas that can produce better outcomes for patients, empowered to be their best self and accountable to deliver individual and collective impact,” he says. “Many people at Novartis are part of a team — it could be a product team or a functional team. We made major changes in 2022 and rewired the whole company and had to find a way to keep teams connected.”

Through the new structure Kowalski helped design and implement, teams can work together across the organization, aligned around a common purpose, with communication and collaboration across commercial, research, and product development divisions. 

“We’ve spent the past two years working on building and rewiring these networked teams, and it’s exciting to finally see it in practice,” Kowalski says.

Continuously cultivating leadership skills

Kowalski says a leadership journey is a continuous one — not marked by a single promotion or direct report, but instead by a growth mindset.

“Even the most accomplished leaders are always evolving, growing, and being thoughtful about how they show up and how they’re making a difference,” he says. “It’s something I’ve always tried to be self-reflective about.” 

He says he often thinks about how he could have done certain things differently, or how he can project himself to make an impact in a certain situation, including supporting the development of those around him. 

“Those are the constant things you have to improve on, and part of it is learning what your strengths are, how to leverage them, and what skills you’re still developing,” he says. “My curiosity, courage to pursue new challenges, and passion for serving others has not only helped me to advance my own career but also the mission of the great companies I have had the privilege to work in.”

Kowalski’s journey — from regulatory affairs to human resources — illustrates the power of embracing change and recognizing growth opportunities in unexpected places. Even now, in a role he never anticipated, he remains committed to learning, adapting, and helping others do the same to find their perfect fit.

“If you’re self-reflective, you catalog important moments with employees in your head and ask yourself, what have I learned here?” he says. “I always want to make sure I’m growing and moving forward.”