Joanne
What I’ve heard consistently from healthcare leaders across Croatia is that Roche is seen as a trusted partner who looks beyond today’s problem to tomorrow’s solution. When I meet clinicians, hospital directors, and policymakers, they often speak about how Roche has stood alongside the healthcare system through decades of change.  From a Diagnostics perspective, that legacy is particularly visible in the role we play behind the scenes. Many of the clinical decisions that shape a patient’s journey start with a test result. Our platforms, laboratories, and data solutions quietly support thousands of decisions every day across Croatian hospitals. In fact, around 70% of clinical decisions rely on a diagnostic test.

Francis
To put it simply, people see us as the 'steady hand' in the room. Whether I’m talking to physicians, patient groups, or policymakers, the feedback is consistent: Roche isn’t just passing through. Over these 35 years, we’ve built a reputation for being a fixture of the system. They don't just see us as a company that provides products; they see us as a reliable partner that actually cares about the long-term stability and the future of Croatian healthcare. Our legacy is built on the fact that when the system faces challenges, we are there to help solve them.

Joanne
The thread I hear most often is pride in making a real difference for patients, even when that impact happens behind the scenes.  Many of our colleagues work in laboratories, hospitals, or support roles where their work may not always be visible. But they know that a timely and accurate diagnostic result can guide a life-changing treatment decision, and that creates a strong sense of purpose.  That connection to patients is what gives our culture its energy - and it’s a big reason why Roche has built such strong trust in the Croatian healthcare community.

Francis
‘Passion, Courage, and Integrity’ are Roche's values, and one can sense they are part of our DNA. When I talk to colleagues who have lived this 35-year story, their pride comes from the fact that we don't just talk about patients; we actually obsess over how to help them. That drive, built on a foundation of trust and mutual respect, is what I sense every single day.

Joanne
Healthcare today is no longer just about individual products - it’s about integrated solutions across the whole patient journey.  In Diagnostics, we’ve moved beyond simply providing instruments and tests. Increasingly, we work with healthcare partners to use data, digital tools, and clinical insights to improve how care is delivered. It’s about working alongside the healthcare system to shape how innovation is implemented in everyday practice. In Croatia, this means working closely with hospitals and healthcare leaders to bring diagnostics, data, and clinical workflows together to support earlier detection, more precise treatment, and better outcomes for patients.

Francis
We’ve fundamentally evolved from 'shipping boxes' to co-creating the future of care. Because we have Diagnostics and Pharma under one roof, we can look at the entire patient journey end to end. Our focus has shifted toward prevention, getting ahead of the disease — using advanced testing to catch things early and picking the right medicine for the right person to stop the disease and ideally cure the patient. By focusing on the biggest health burdens like Oncology, Neurology, and CVRM (Cardio Vascular Renal and Metabolism), we are moving the needle from simply managing illness to truly restoring health.

Joanne
Looking ahead, my North Star is simple: ensuring that more patients in Croatia benefit from earlier and more precise diagnosis.  Our ambition for the next chapter focuses on three priorities - expanding patient access and impact, strengthening trusted partnerships across the healthcare ecosystem, and continuing to build an inclusive and inspiring environment for our people.  Diagnostics is often the starting point of the patient's journey. By working closely with hospitals, clinicians, and healthcare leaders, we aim to bring innovation into everyday clinical practice. Together with our Pharma colleagues, this helps support a more connected and personalised approach to healthcare - from the first diagnostic insight through to the most effective treatment for each patient.

Francis
My 'North Star' is straightforward: Better health outcomes for more patients, faster. For the next decade, our goal is to ensure the incredible science happening in our labs doesn't just stay on a shelf or in a research paper. We want to be the team that bridges that gap, ensuring the latest breakthroughs actually reach Croatian patients in real-time. We will continue to partner with everyone in the ecosystem to smooth out the patient journey from the first diagnostic test to the final stage of treatment.

Joanne
It’s difficult to point to a single moment. What has struck me most is how often those moments appear - more frequently than I expected.  For me, they usually come from the energy and commitment of our people, both in the work we do and in how we give back to the community.  Alongside our work with hospitals and laboratories, our teams are deeply engaged in social initiatives. Whether it’s building bee and insect hotels to support nature or preparing ‘Boxes of Happiness’ for women and children in shelters, there is a genuine desire among colleagues to contribute beyond healthcare. That same energy and ambition is visible in our professional impact. Our team continues to punch above its weight. One of our hospital partners in Croatia has become a global digital reference site, we contribute to areas like sequencing alongside much larger countries, and our teams are often among the first to bring new innovations into practice.  For me, that combination - purpose, community spirit, and the ambition to lead and innovate - truly reflects what 35 years of Roche in Croatia stand for: people working together to improve patients’ lives.

Francis
It’s difficult to pick just one moment because so many things about leading this team truly get me excited, but the Children’s Walk is something special. We’ve been doing this annually for 22 years now, and there is a specific kind of energy that takes over when the whole team pulls together for a purpose that goes beyond our daily office work. Last year, walking to support ‘Nismo Same’ and their project for children who have lost their mothers to cancer was incredibly moving for me. It perfectly captured the heart of Roche Croatia. In those moments, it isn’t about business; it’s about showing up for our community. That’s what 35 years in Croatia really boils down to — being a part of people's lives when it matters most.