“Having joined Johnson & Johnson (J&J) as a graduate on the Financial Leadership Development Programme, I started my career working in Finance team. After 6 years working across different aspects of Finance from Financial Accounting to Commercial Finance and qualifying as Chartered Management Accountant, I gained a strong understanding of the business and my role within the wider organisation.
However, a passion to explore other functions led to an opportunity to move laterally into the Commercial organisation as an Account Manager. This transition was somewhat challenging given the lack of precedence and the steep learning curve. It was made possible by having open career conversations with the company leadership and expanding my network to better understand the Commercial organisation. The transition was hugely rewarding and my development accelerated significantly while using my Finance background in key aspects of the Commercial role. I was lucky to work with various retailers covering several different categories from Healthcare to Baby Toiletries, each with their own unique learning experience.
More recently I spent time in our Commercial Strategy team working on our Nicorette brand. This provided a fantastic perspective on brand strategy and driving joint value. I am currently the Business Unit Head within the UK Commercial team and continue to thoroughly enjoy the Commercial function and learning every day.
Gaining breadth early on in my career has certainly worked well for me; with the decision to move laterally allowing me to gain those learning experiences early on and equip me with the skills needed.”
Will Runciman
Business Unit Head