At NAWO, we work with organisations, leaders and individuals to advance gender balance in operations. Our 100 Women in Operations campaign is part of this work – sharing women’s stories and journeys in operational roles to show what’s possible at every level.

Today we welcome Simone Thomassen, Head of Global Marketing at Ego Pharmaceuticals, to NAWO’s 100 Women in Operations Wall of Fame!

Simone began her career as a QC Chemist and progressed to Supervisor and then Manager, leading several laboratories across multiple shifts for 20 years. She then made a leap into projects, managing scientists and engineers to deliver products from concept to market.

In 2020, Simone became Packaging Projects Manager, leading a highly technical team of Packaging Technologists to deliver projects from design through to development and production. This work required close collaboration with Engineering, Maintenance, Procurement and Production teams, broadening her operational impact.

Since then, Simone has taken on global leadership, working with stakeholders across many countries, which has challenged and expanded her approach to leadership and collaboration.

In July this year, Simone was appointment as Head of Global Marketing. In this new role, she now oversees all of Ego’s global marketing teams, including the creative studio, digital and e-commerce, and global projects. This appointment is a testament to her people leadership skills, and her ability to advance the teams under her stewardship.

In addition to her operational roles, Simone became Ego’s Sustainability Committee Lead in 2021, aligning company goals with the United Nations Global Compact. In 2022, she also created – and now leads – a Global Sustainability Team, ensuring the organisation remains up to date with global regulations and trends in sustainability.

Nominated for:

  • Consistently championing the growth and success of others, mentoring countless individuals with advice, encouragement and guidance across all levels and teams.
  • Establishing graduate programs at Ego that have shaped the future workforce, ensuring emerging talent is nurtured, challenged and positioned to succeed.
  • Fostering high-performing, inclusive teams and building a culture that inspires meaningful and rewarding careers in operations.

Congratulations, Simone! Your career journey reflects the breadth of opportunities in operations, and we’re proud to share your story as part of NAWO’s 100 Women in Operations.