Meet Alex Bowditch, Associate Director, Internal Communications, AstraZeneca
With over twenty years of experience at AstraZeneca, Alex has seen first-hand how quickly things can evolve within the industry. From his first role with the company, to now being a key player in corporate affairs – Alex continues to inspire others with his ability to build upon ideas through magic (literally) and imagination as a proud ambassador for AstraZeneca.
Discovering His Own Path
When Alex was a child, his family moved from England to embark on a new journey in the United States to support his father’s pharmaceutical career. Throughout his upbringing, Alex was constantly encouraged to take risks in his personal and professional life and explore his passions. While following this advice, he found an ardent interest in theater.
After graduating from Temple University with a degree in the arts, Alex continued to hone his creativity on stage while also working at a small pharmaceutical start-up. Alex worked alongside his father and the two bonded over their shared enthusiasm for the pharmaceutical industry.
Eventually, Alex found himself at AstraZeneca, where he blossomed in the industry that first brought his family over to the United States.
Building Upon Ideas
Over two decades ago, Alex started with AstraZeneca as an administrative coordinator. This led to an opportunity to contribute to the evolution and development of finding the company’s digital voice.
While helping to advance AstraZeneca’s digital presence within the United States, Alex learned on the job how to manage the company’s various digital channels and to conceive creative solutions to help bolster engagement.
I enjoy the challenge of building upon ideas and seeing where that takes me in terms of my work. It’s exciting to see what all is possible when it comes to developing engaging ways of telling the AstraZeneca story.
During his tenure, Alex has held a number of roles with progressive responsibilities in digital/interactive communications. He is now an associate director of internal communications within US corporate affairs.
Embracing Leaps of Faith
In both his personal and professional life, Alex believes in taking leaps of faith. While based in Massachusetts, Alex had the opportunity to fulfil a rotation at AstraZeneca’s US headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware to help develop and launch a refreshed US corporate website.
Serendipitously, this move led to Alex meeting his wife, Melanie, and finding a home within the local theater community.
Taking leaps of faith has opened up so many fantastic doors in my life.
Finding Magic in Everyday Life
Along with theater, Alex is extremely passionate about magic and has been a hobbyist magician since he was 7 years old.
I consistently try to adopt a magician's mindset in everything I do, including my role at AstraZeneca. Doing so can uncover new and unexpected ways to foster engagement and find the possibility in the seemingly impossible.
Alex has always taken tremendous pride in working in an industry that has a profound impact on people's lives. On a personal level, Alex, too, has experienced the loss of a loved one due to a cancer diagnosis.
Alex lost his beloved mother, Geraldine, to head and neck cancer last year. This deepened his awareness of what the reality is for patients and caregivers – further sparking his passion and motivation as a member of the AstraZeneca team.
Seeing what my Mum went through and the impact it had on my family was a stark reminder that patients and their caregivers aren't faceless strangers. They’re relatives, friends, and colleagues.
Those who work with Alex are in awe of his drive and innovative, purposeful approaches to finding solutions. The creative magic Alex brings to the table allows him to continue to shine and inspire at AstraZeneca.