Iker Martin

About me

I was born/grew up in: Bilbao, Euskadi, Spain

I now live in: Toronto, Ontario

I completed my training/education at: Universidad del Pais Vasco (Pharmacy) and University of York, UK (Health Economics)

What I do at work

My daily activities are related to getting new products developed and ready for the market. To do this I have to keep up with what is happening in healthcare and within our company. I spend time keeping up to date on the news related to the healthcare environment. I have regular conversations about different topics with members of our US-based teams. Most communication is through a computer using Spanish and English. I use my STEM skills and knowledge in medicine, statistics and math at all times. I also engage in a lot of problem solving. For example, I have to address the Canadian population’s concerns around access to drugs and learn about the cost of disease treatments. A lot of my decision-making is around how to apply global strategies in a Canadian context. To do this I collect information related to the decision I have to make. I analyze the pharmaceutical market and consider healthcare professionals’ views of the system.

My career path is

I had a high school teacher who talked about the pharmaceutical industry and how much effort they put into bringing future therapies to market. This stayed with me and helped shape my decision of what to do after high school. Ever since I was a teenager I liked health sciences and working with numbers. This led me to study pharmacy and then economics.  It was not easy to get to where I am, because I had to learn many broad concepts.  My passion to pursue my goals and dreams helped me make the right decisions in my career. I worked with a number of different companies before I came to Amgen. At each company, I took on different challenges and learned more about the pharmaceutical industry. 

I am motivated by

I like being able to bring new ideas to address a problem. I also like doing things different than the way they've been done before. I like being surrounded by and working with knowledgeable people. I believe this is the right career for me because we provide new products and solutions to patients. We can help to improve people’s lives.

How I affect peoples’ lives

My team and I make sure that new drugs and treatments get to the market. We also make sure that innovative medicines are introduced. Our job matters because it keeps society healthier.

Outside of work I

I like team sports such as soccer or basketball. I usually enjoy watching TV and playing video games. It is always good to have hobbies outside of your work.

My advice to others

Keep your mind open and don’t narrow down your career options too soon. Always listen to people that you trust and can help you deal with your mistakes. Keep in touch with friends and others around you.