About Dr. Michael A. Kurr

I am the founder of Dr. Kurr Advisory, and I work as an operator: I build teams, install governance and make operating models perform. I stay until what we build is in place, running and delivering.

At Boehringer Ingelheim, as Global Head of Human Pharma Services from 2019 to 2025, I grew a small nearshore team into a global services platform, stabilised the operation, put a management team in place and handed it over. The platform served 100+ markets with €75m+ annual operating spend. It ran at around 50% lower structural cost than the less centralised model it replaced.

I established the operating model and processes first: explicit, harmonised and governed the same way in every market. From autumn 2024, I started an automation programme on that foundation.

Previously, at Novartis from 2011 to 2019, I worked in commercial, medical and global services operations. At Novartis Germany, I took over an existing services organisation and reshaped it to connect local delivery with global capabilities.

Before pharma, I led operations transformation programmes as a consultant for SMI- and DAX-listed companies in pharma, diagnostics and automotive. Engineering at RWTH Aachen, a doctorate in technology management at the University of St. Gallen, an Executive MBA, and executive education at MIT and IMD.

What I bring

• Commercial, medical and global services operating models, designed and run
• Hubs, content and creative factories, near- and offshore delivery
• Governance that bridges business, IT, procurement and finance
• Digital and AI ambition turned into delivery that holds

Where I work

Based in Germany, working where I am needed.

Speaking and writing

• Keynote, NEXT Pharma Summit 2025, Dubrovnik: "Big Pharma, Global Services, Daunting Challenges: Leading the Transformation Circus", winner of the audience award. Watch the keynote on YouTube
• #TransformationCircus: The Uncomfortable Sunday Question, every week on LinkedIn. Follow on LinkedIn
• Operator notes and publications: Insights