Martijn Bauters, transforming clinical research since 2022

Which of the 4 Cerba Research values (commitment, boldness, excellence, respect) fits you like a glove?

“Boldness. I’m all for direct communication. So, if you ask my honest opinion, you’ll get it in a respectful way. I expect that from other people as well. Instead of surrounding myself with yes-men or yes-women, I look for people with a critical mindset. People who’re not afraid to stand in front of the mirror, propose bold plans, and take a step back now and then. Only by putting many different perspectives and opinions next to each other we can innovate and challenge the status quo for our customers.”

What are you most passionate about at work?

“I see myself as a problem solver. That’s where I get my thrills from. Identifying problems, narrowing them down to their core issues, exploring the feasibility of different solutions … From my professional point of view, there’s nothing more satisfying than a plan that comes together in a platform, application or other digital solution that users love. But once it’s finished and out here, I lose all interest. Then, it’s time for the next challenge.”

The question: how do you transform clinical research to help people live healthier lives?

“The answer is obviously related to the digital solutions my team creates. Basically, it’s our job to make our customer-facing colleagues better at their jobs. Either by helping them to perform their tasks more effectively, competently, accurately, connectedly … For example, we recently developed a scanning application for testing samples. That eliminates the need for tedious and error-prone manual work. Important: solving a problem, and solving a problem efficiently without repeated issues, are two entirely different things. We always look for long-term solutions, not just temporary fixes. In the digital transformation Cerba Research is carrying out, we prefer to get it right the first time – even if it takes a bit more time.”