Divya Vijay Pratheek smiling to the camera
16/03/2018

An open and warm environment

What attracts a talented individual to a global company? Many would say it’s the corporate culture and work environment that make all the difference.
QIAGEN was established in Germany and its global headquarters are there too, but its corporate culture is definitely not German. “The one word I’d use to describe our culture is open,” says Divya Vijay Pratheek, who works at head office. “I love that for a German company. We don’t have hierarchies and we do have an open-door policy.”

With operations on five continents, QIAGEN is a truly global company with multicultural teams a common feature. “I share my office with a Frenchman and we have team members from the US, Germany and India. That makes for interesting perspectives and discussions, and it also keeps things lively,” Divya says. “Our personalities and experiences give us a unique outlook, and the different backgrounds make our work life fun.”
I enjoy the freedom I'm given to make informed decisions and steer my products
DIVYA VIJAY PRATHEEK, GLOBAL PRODUCT MANAGER
Divya’s views of the work atmosphere at QIAGEN are confirmed by Alvin Lee, who works in QIAGEN’s Singapore office: “When you look at my colleagues, you’ll see serious faces focused intently on their computer screens, or fingers busily tapping away on their keyboards. But take time to engage them in conversation and you see a whole new side of our office life. They are very willing to exchange ideas, offer advice or just share a joke or two. It’s a great balance between serious work and a warmer mood that opens up when you least expect it! It’s my colleagues who make my working environment both enriching and enjoyable.”

Alvin knows for sure what characterizes the corporate culture at QIAGEN: “To me it’s the three I’s that shape our culture. ‘Identity-Inspire-Impact’ sums it all up. They guide every QIAGENer in how we behave and communicate, whether it is with our colleagues or with our customers. This ensures every action reflects our values – Identity; how we motivate and bring positive energy to others – Inspire; and finally how our daily work and interactions bring real benefit to our customers – Impact. I’m proud and honored to work for a company that has a clear mission of ‘Making Improvements in Life Possible’.”

Is it possible to speak of a QIAGEN culture in a global company with operations in 70 countries around the world? Alvin is convinced it exists. “Although the QIAGEN color scheme makes all our offices look like ‘home’, the people are obviously different. Some offices look very multinational, like ours in Singapore. But all the differences melt away when we start talking to each other, or go out for a meal or a drink together,” Alvin says. “This is when we can feel the warmth of the QIAGEN culture, where every QIAGENer is a member of the family, and we’re just visiting ‘home’, wherever in the world this may be.”
My colleagues make the working environment enriching and enjoyable.
Alvin Lee Associate Director Market Development
Divya particularly likes working at QIAGEN’s headquarters: “I often visit our Swiss site in Hombrechtikon and it’s full of wonderful people too. But working at HQ is a completely different feeling. Here I’m right in the middle of the action and it’s always dynamic and lively.”

Two people with Asian backgrounds and international job experience working for a company headquartered in Germany: Divya and Alvin are the kind of people you typically find at QIAGEN. And both of them find inspiration in the open and warm work environment they experience throughout the company.

Divya Vijay Pratheek was born in Mumbai, India, moved to Dubai at the age of 5 and back to Bangalore at 16 to finish her schooling and attend university there. Her BSc was in Microbiology and after jobs in advertising and marketing, she gained an MSc in Communication Sciences at North Carolina State University. She joined QIAGEN four years ago and has been a Global Product Manager for over two years.

Alvin Lee gained a PhD in Molecular Biology from the National University of Malaysia, a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship from the National Cancer Centre of Singapore, and an Executive MBA from Würzburg University, Germany. He began working for QIAGEN in 2006 and has been responsible for QuantiFERON since 2014. Alvin is based in Singapore and is married with three children.
Alvin Lee