The event introduced ISPE to Novo Nordisk employees and emphasized why professional communities matter. Around 70 participants joined in person, with additional attendees online. It was both a membership recruitment event and a conversation about engagement within the life sciences community.
The afternoon was hosted by Søren Pedersen, Senior Director, External Affairs, Novo Nordisk, who welcomed participants and highlighted the value of cross-company collaboration. Arie Menachem, Vice President, Quality Audits and Inspections, Novo Nordisk, and Chair of the ISPE Nordic Affiliate, shared how the Affiliate continues to grow—including through the Baltic expansion initiated in May 2025, which strengthened ISPE’s presence across the region.
Learning Purpose Over Time
Mike Martin, President and CEO of ISPE, visited Denmark shared his personal story. Coming out of school, he believed he knew what he needed to succeed. Over time, through working with senior colleagues and mentors, he shared that realized how much learning happens through others.
He noted how advancing quality in human health is never abstract and how it connects directly to real people’s lives. He also shared that purpose is what turns daily work into meaningful impact.
For Mike, purpose shows up in action. Members share expertise, contribute to guidelines, mentor ISPE Emerging Leaders, and collaborate across companies—all ways to turn knowledge into real impact for the industry and, ultimately, for patients.
Finding Support Early in Careers
Anna Kleine, Corporate Vice President, Quality, Innovation and Excellence at Novo Nordisk, shared a practical example from early in her career. Looking for guidance, a colleague had recommended that Kleine download a guidance document that proved highly relevant. It turned out to be an ISPE Guidance Document—and served as Kleine’s first exposure to the organization.
She encouraged members to engage to create the community one needs, which can help set new boundaries for what pharmaceutical engineering could look like.
Kleine’s story illustrated how ISPE supports professionals through ISPE Guidance Documents, mentorship, and networks. Engagement does not stop with reading. Members contribute to panels, act as coaches for Emerging Leaders, participate in hackathons, and help shape industry standards.
Collaboration at Industry Level
Line Lundsberg-Nielsen, Consultant at Novo Nordisk Engineering (NNE), shared an example of industrial collaboration enabled through ISPE. She presented a case involving Novo Nordisk, NNE, and Hoffmann-La Roche, working toward a simplified operational model for pharmaceutical manufacturing.
The case focused on fleet management in distributed manufacturing, often summarized as “Design One, Build Many.” It demonstrated how collaboration across companies supports shared learning, standardization, and scalable solutions for the industry.
By aligning across organizations, the industry can simplify operations and raise common standards—a clear example of how collaboration benefits not only individual companies, but patients and society as a whole.
For The Benefit of Patients
Anna Kleine concluded the session by posing two questions to the audience: how can we encourage and strengthen this type of collaboration—and what mechanisms best support ongoing knowledge sharing and innovation across the industry?
The questions were not rhetorical. They reflected the core role ISPE plays: creating a trusted space where companies, professionals, and regulators can come together to shape the future of pharmaceutical engineering —for the benefit of patients.
Other Perspectives
Thomas Zimmer, Vice President of European Operations at ISPE, highlighted the value of ISPE’s global network—particularly the opportunity it provides to engage in dialogue with regulators and gain guidance through shared forums and discussions.
Looking Ahead
In April 2026, the 2026 ISPE Europe Annual Conference will take place in Denmark for the first time. It marks an important milestone for the Nordic and Baltic region and reflects the steady growth of the ISPE community across the region.
The event in Bagsværd, Denmark, offered a clear reminder of what ISPE is at its core. It is a place where professionals come together to learn, share experiences, and contribute—whether at the beginning of one’s career or many years in. Purpose is not something abstract; it is built through participation and shaped through community.
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