Tomris Örs:
One Sanofi Career,
Many Chapters

Bold moves and saying ‘yes’ drives growth

Istanbul-based Şayan Tomris Örs, currently Polio, Pertussis, and Hib (PPH) Head of Eurasia for Vaccines at Sanofi, discusses her journey from chemical engineering graduate to marking leader to head up a franchise. Her decade-long career spans multiple business units and therapeutic areas, offering valuable insights for those looking to break into healthcare marketing and engineer cross moves.

Your academic background is in chemical and biological engineering with a double major in molecular biology and genetics. What drew you from the lab and into pharmaceutical marketing?

I worked in a lab during my undergraduate studies, and while I admired the impact that kind of work could have, I realized it didn’t energize me personally. The timelines were long, and I wanted to see the impact of my work more immediately. I also knew I thrived in more dynamic, collaborative environments – and that’s exactly what I found at Sanofi.

My career pivot began when I took a part-time marketing role while completing my second major. I discovered that marketing was where I could make still a difference for customers and patients, through educating people about the medicines on offer. That realization set my new direction.

You describe yourself as the "black sheep" in your family of academics. How did your family react to your career choice?

They still don't fully understand what I do. My mother is a professor of political science and my father is a mechanical engineer. I get great pride knowing what I do impacts patient’s daily life directly. When I started as a sales representative, no one in my family could understand why someone with my educational background would choose that path. I was truly on my own. That's why I call myself the black sheep – I ventured down a path undiscovered by my family.

You were working at a local pharmaceutical company. What attracted you to Sanofi?

At that time, I felt like I was operating a machine that needed to run. I couldn't feel the purpose of my work. With Sanofi, I knew my efforts would contribute to something bigger — new launches, R&D, real innovation. That really appealed to me.

Sanofi also has a strong legacy in my country, which made it even more attractive. And since I come from a French education background, there was also this natural connection with Sanofi being a French pharma company. It just felt right.

Your career at Sanofi has spanned multiple business units – from General Medicines to Specialty Care and now Vaccines. How did those transitions happen?

In seven years, I've worked across three business units, which has allowed me to see what we do from different vantage points. At times it could be challenging navigating the transitions, and I’m grateful that Sanofi supported me through to see my growth. I've also worked in different roles – from brand management to becoming a Project Management Officer for Specialty Care in Turkey, Iran, and the Levant.

When I raised my hand for these changes, Sanofi backed me, even though it might have been easier for them to develop specialists rather than someone moving between business units.

In your current role as PPH Head for Eurasia in Vaccines, what are your main responsibilities?

I lead the Primary Pediatric vaccines and Hib franchise for 18 countries across Eurasia. PPH stands for Polio, Pertussis, and Hib – different diseases that our combination vaccines help protect against. This portfolio helps protect babies from the womb until they become toddlers from various diseases.

It's Sanofi's largest franchise after Dupixent globally, and much of our Eurasia sales come from the PPH business, so it's enormous. My role has multiple dimensions: maximizing the portfolio's value, maintaining Sanofi's legacy as a trusted partner to health authorities, finding growth opportunities across Eurasia, and generating resources to fuel new product launches through both expertise and financial strength.

How has pharma marketing changed during your time in the industry?

Our way of thinking has changed significantly with Sanofi's "play to win" transformation - to drive growth, innovation, and accountability to better serve patients. We focus intensely on patient journeys, identifying pain points and how we can address them. Importantly, these solutions aren't always linked directly to our products.

While marketers certainly need to focus on brand value, we also need to recognize that Sanofi's diverse portfolio gives us credibility with healthcare professionals and authorities. They understand we're not solely focused on promoting our products but are genuinely committed to improving patient journeys. We are proud to be a trusted partner.

What advice would you give to someone looking to break into pharmaceutical marketing?

Starting from the ground up is invaluable. When I worked in the lab, I began by washing dishes. That might seem like a basic operational task, but it's actually crucial – if you don't clean the dishes properly, your entire experiment is ruined.

My next big leap came when I chose to start my pharma career as a sales representative. This foundation gave me direct contact with customers and patients, helping me understand their needs firsthand. Understanding the field reality is essential before you can effectively create marketing strategies.

Beyond that, I'd emphasize the importance of seeking experiences rather than job titles. I've never pursued specific job titles – instead, I've sought diverse experiences that broadened my skill set and perspective. This approach has served me well at Sanofi.

What makes Sanofi's approach to career development unique?

Someone once told me: at Sanofi, if you raise your hand for additional challenges and perform well, you'll always receive more opportunities. My career path demonstrates this – I've moved across departments, business units, and taken on various stretch assignments and "Gigs" in seven years.

I've been informed about different opportunities because people have seen that I deliver results. It's a symbiotic relationship – the company provides growth opportunities, and I deliver value in return.

The culture also fosters genuine connections. My colleagues are also my friends. We have rituals – grabbing coffee together before work, sharing lunches, and planning dinners when we need to stay late. Whether I was in General Medicines, Rare Diseases, or now in Vaccines, this has been consistent. Each business unit has different dynamics, but the core friendship remains the same.

What has been most fulfilling about your career journey so far?

I feel incredibly fortunate to have found my passion within my work – that's quite rare. I genuinely love what I do, and those around me recognize that enthusiasm.

Once, a general manager was preparing us for talent interviews and asked what profession we would choose if we were millionaires and didn't need to work. Everyone answered on my behalf, saying: "Tomris would still do this job, for sure."

That validation from colleagues who recognize my genuine passion has been tremendously fulfilling. I don't know what my next role at Sanofi will be, but I'm confident it will benefit both the company and my personal growth. Exciting opportunities naturally follow when you focus on experiences rather than titles and deliver consistent results.