Voice of Experience: Linda Drumright, General Manager of IMS Health’s Clinical Trials Optimization Solutions Group
By Michelle Hendelman
“My father was a long time IBM employee, and when I was in seventh grade he brought home a pamphlet describing the computer sciences career path at IBM. On the back it stated how this was a good career path for anyone who excelled in math and science, but it also indicated that there were few women in the field at the time,” explained Drumright.
She added, “It was at that singular moment and because of the statement on the back of the pamphlet that I decided to pursue computer science.”
Career in Technology
Drumright followed through with her plan and eventually graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Computer Science. Despite her father’s connection to IBM, Drumright set her sights on smaller tech firms in her job search immediately after college. “I wanted to work for a smaller company because I felt like it would give me a better understanding of how the business ran and an appreciation for how all of the different roles within a company work together to create a product,” explained Drumright.
Early on in her career, Drumright recognized that she had an inherent propensity for management, which is something her colleagues saw in her as well. “In just about every role I held, I started out as a programmer and was moved very quickly into leading the project or managing the team,” Drumright said.
Throughout her career, Drumright continued to be drawn to smaller companies because she really enjoyed leveraging her technology experience to help companies expand and grow. This also allowed Drumright to continue to develop her own knowledge and skills. “I took on a lot of things that I didn’t know everything about,” said Drumright, “But I wasn’t afraid of the unknown, and this is critical to your career advancement in the tech field.”
After she spent some time at an Internet startup called DigitalThink re-architecting their technology platform and eventually taking on the services side of the business, Drumright decided to switch gears and become a management consultant. Drumright noted, “I advised companies on how to effectively and efficiently build out their product teams and strategies. I ended up helping out the founders of a small life sciences company called DecisionView who needed help managing their distributed team in India.”
She continued, “I became the COO of DecisionView, and within a few years, I became the CEO of the company. We were sold to IMS Health eventually, which is where I am today.”
According to Drumright, her proudest professional moments occurred when she was the CEO of DecisionView. She said, “Taking an early stage company, as a first time CEO, in an unfamiliar industry, and guiding it through a series of transitions all the way through to a successful exit was a pinnacle of my professional achievements.”
Advice for Professional Women
“In my career, there were very few women in tech, but I always felt that as long as I worked hard, I would be distinguished by my accomplishments and the quality of my contributions, not my gender,” Drumright said.
She advised women entering the technology industry today to advocate for themselves and also support each other. Drumright also suggested that there needs to be a more concerted effort from tech companies to market to the younger generation of women and make them aware of the career opportunities in tech.
Drumright encouraged professional women to manage their integrity. She advised, “I always tell people to know their values and think, speak and act in a way that aligns with those values.” She also emphasized the importance of loving what you do. Drumright explained, “This can be a cutthroat industry and you have to really love what you do in order to show up every day and bring your best self to work.”
According to Drumright, professional women should take control of their work/life balance and decide what they want that ratio to look like. Then, find a company that is going to align with their wants and needs. “There is a lot more flexibility now,” said Drumright, “You can find ways to balance your personal needs as well as the needs of the company.”
Women’s Career Advancement
IMS Health is a large multinational company that offers a lot of opportunities for women to shape and shift their careers, said Drumright. “One of the CEO’s goals is to advance the transformation of IMS Health through a strong and dynamic learning culture, so there is tons of support around career development and advancement.”
Drumright has been a mentor through the company Menttium Corporation since 1998. “I have informally been a mentor throughout my entire career, but being involved with this structured community has been extremely rewarding,” said Drumright. “I am aligned with a new relationship every year, and many of those relationships have continued for years to follow.”
Outside the Office
In her spare time, Drumright loves to travel and explore other cultures. She also enjoys being a parent to her two children who are just starting to carve their own paths in the world now.
