Guillermo Albanesi: How Sanofi Taught Me That Purpose Drives Performance

From Chagas disease to flu vaccines: how Sanofi taught me that purpose drives performance

Guillermo Albanesi, Site Manufacturing Head at Sanofi Mexico, recounts how a chance encounter with Chagas disease patients in Argentina sparked a career in biochemistry dedicated to serving Latin America's most vulnerable populations through vaccine innovation.

It started with a phone call. Then another. First, my manager in Argentina, where I was based, then regional leadership, then global operations. Each conversation had the same question: could I move to Mexico quickly to lead flu vaccine production for the country? 

By the fourth call, I knew it wasn't really a question. I joked with my family: "It’s like The Godfather - an offer you can’t refuse." But in truth, I didn't want to refuse. When you’re given the opportunity to lead producing 40 million flu doses in three months to protect families across Mexico, you say yes. 

Today, I’m in Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico, leading a team of 100 people through one of the most challenging vaccine campaigns in our region's history. It's the culmination of a journey that began with a simple question: how can I use science to serve people who need it most? 

How Chagas disease pushed me to pursue a career in science

My path to pharmaceuticals began with watching someone close to me suffer from Chagas disease - a parasitic infection that predominantly affects Latin America's poorest communities. Seeing how this "disease of poverty" could devastate families while remaining largely ignored by global healthcare systems left me wrestling with a fundamental question about my future.

As a biochemistry student at the University of Buenos Aires in the early 2000s, I found myself faced with two paths. Should I continue with chemistry, or shift to social sciences and politics to tackle these inequalities more directly?

A mentor changed my perspective: "You can learn many things, but there are three subjects you must master while young: math, physics, and chemistry. These hard sciences become much harder to learn as you get older."

That guidance led me to complete my biochemistry degree in 2002, but I never abandoned the question of social impact. I spent nearly two years working in government consulting with Argentina's National Senate, conducting research and learning to connect technical knowledge with policy frameworks. The experience taught me valuable skills, but I realized I wanted to create change through science, not politics.

After completing research work in protein purification at Bremen University in Germany, I returned to Argentina with a clearer vision. When Sanofi offered me a position helping to produce vaccines in 2008, it felt like destiny: chemistry in service of prevention, protecting the very populations I'd seen suffer.

Vaccine manufacturing became my launchpad

I joined Sanofi during an exciting transition as our Argentia site evolved from research to commercial production. Leading industrialization and validation work for the new component for a new product launch taught me that precision and purpose must work hand in hand. Every batch we validate would help protect children across the globe.

Over seven years, I progressed through various roles in production, operational excellence and manufacturing science and analytical technology. I put my hand up for the challenging assignments others avoided – complex investigations, new production line validations, problem-solving projects that required both technical expertise and leadership.

It opened doors abroad for me

In 2015, an opportunity arose to move to France. I'd been learning French since joining Sanofi, anticipating exactly this kind of possibility. What I initially expected to be a three-year assignment became seven transformative years.

Working from Lyon, I led industrialization projects across Europe and Asia, implementing digital solutions and process improvements for vaccine production. During the pandemic, I helped coordinate manufacturing responses across multiple sites. I also completed a master's degree in history and philosophy of science and technology, deepening my understanding of how scientific innovation creates social change.

Returning to Argentina with a new perspective

In 2022, I returned to Argentina as Head of Production, leading the incorporation of a new meningitis vaccine product. The role felt like coming full circle, using everything I'd learned in Europe to strengthen vaccine production in my home country.

A bold move next for me as I transitioned to public affairs, finally connecting directly with my initial intention of making strategic social contributions to healthcare policy. I thought I'd found my perfect role, combining scientific knowledge with the systemic thinking I'd developed during my government consulting years.

Serving regional health through partnership

Then came those calls about Mexico. The urgency required producing 100% of the country's flu vaccines domestically, with a team that included many new members. Someone unknown to the local team had to arrive and immediately build trust while delivering unprecedented production volumes. And three months later, we delivered the product, after building 100-person team that achieved cycle time improvements while maintaining quality standards.

What drives me through this challenge is both simple and powerful. We're producing flu vaccines that will protect Mexican families.

This is preventive medicine, the only medicine that healthy people receive. In Latin America, where healthcare access can be challenging.

My experience has taught me that opportunities exist for people who combine three elements: clarity about what you're seeking, consistent delivery of results, and openness from leadership to listen to your aspirations.

I've been proactive about preparing for opportunities. For instance, learning French wasn't required for my role in Argentina, but I knew it might open doors later. When complex investigations needed resolution or new production lines required validation, I volunteered for the challenging assignments that others avoided.

For anyone considering a career in biopharmaceuticals, particularly in Latin America, Sanofi offers a unique opportunity. There's a clear ambition to lead in immunology, combining science and technology in ways that will transform how we live over the next 20-30 years.

Whether you're starting in Argentina, Mexico, or anywhere across our region, remember that vaccines represent hope made tangible. Every dose we produce helps protect someone's family, someone's community, someone's future.

When you find work that serves people who need it most – that turns your chemistry knowledge into community protection – you've found something worth building a career around.