From bench to bedside – a parent’s talk about her career in the pharmaceutical industry
When students learn about careers from professionals such as engineers, nurses, entrepreneurs and designers, they see how their school subjects connect to the real world, and they gain a better understanding of the different career paths that are available to them.
When that professional is also a parent, with her daughter in the audience, the message reaches a new level of significance. Seeing a mother in her role of industry expert breaks down barriers and demonstrates that, through ambition and hard work, achievement is within reach of every girl sitting in that room.
In anticipation of a fascinating talk, we were delighted to welcome Anitah Njonga to the Sixth Form to share her experiences in pharmaceutical science with students from Years 10 to 13.
Anitah captured everyone's attention by explaining that she has worked on the world’s most expensive drug, as well as some current, high-profile ones. She offered valuable insight into the highly competitive field of drug research and development, and into the breadth of her role. For example, the development of a single drug can take ten years or more, progressing through multiple stages including preclinical and clinical testing, to product registration and sales. At every stage, success depends on clear communication, meeting deadlines, and coordinating effectively with multiple stakeholders.
While many functions and roles are still male-dominated, she identified the clinical development phase as one in which women excel, bringing oversight and integration of all aspects of a project together simultaneously.
In response to a question about the role of AI in future drug development, she explained that she sees AI as useful in driving the vast amounts of data that must be processed, rather than in the drug design process itself – so working in complement to current processes.
Her advice for students considering a future in pharmaceuticals was clear:
"Work hard and get strong grades. Specialist universities are worth considering, to benefit from the best teaching there is in your chosen area, but before that, get networking, get a placement or internship to find out what aspects of an industry interests you, and don’t specialise too early!"
Anitah has more than 10 years’ experience in clinical research and development and is a global public health consultant registered with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the biggest healthcare organisation in the world. She is an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion in clinical research, and the mother of Valerie, in Year 11!
We were immensely grateful to Anitah for her inspiring contribution to our Sixth Form "Inspire My Future" programme, which allows students to engage directly with professionals from a wide range of industries, helping them to make informed decisions about their own futures.
February 2026