Quality and IT are usually kept separate in the corporate world—or considered two different beasts. But in his interview with Shelly LaPointe, senior manager of IT, Quality, Regulatory and Clinical Affairs, at Thermo Fisher Scientific, Quality Digest CEO, Jeff Dewar, discovers a different relationship emerging. One of multiple interviews conducted during MasterControl’s Masters Summit, which boasted approximately 1,000 attendees and multiple speakers within the manufacturing, life sciences, and tech industries, Dewar’s conversation with LaPointe reveals insights into how IT professionals and quality management can work together to create a more cohesive and skillful workforce.

LaPointe, who took a leadership position at Thermo Fisher in 2018, is no stranger to the world of compliance and regulatory standards. However, her shift to working with such a large company came with unexpected challenges. For one, scope: Thermo Fisher, by her description, is enormous—and growing constantly.

“I think when I started they were around 70,000 employees. Now, we’re over 120,000 employees, so a huge footprint really, in all aspects of science,” says LaPointe.

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