I worked with Nikola Bogdanov and Bogoy Bogdanov from Agile Pool from April to September 2022.

In early 2022, Novartis Bulgaria embarked on an organizational transformation to explore alternate business models, accelerate innovation in customer and patient engagement, and improve operational speed and efficiency. We engaged Agile Pool as partners and facilitators in this transformation. Nikola and Bogoy worked directly with members of the leadership team and the broader business to plan the transformation, foster a new organizational mindset and develop new skills in working and thinking in an agile way.

Initially, Nikola and Bogoy acted as Scrum Masters in several Novartis Bulgaria teams that were new to Agile/Scrum methodology. This was followed by Scum Master and Product Owner training for a select group of associates and ongoing coaching and mentoring of all teams to ensure reflection, iteration and improvement. Additionally, Nikola and Bogoy conducted several successful Design Thinking workshops to ensure broad engagement and diverse contributions from across the organization. Throughout the transformation process, Nikola and Bogoy proactively sought to align with me and key members of the leadership team and demonstrated strong commitment to the transformation goals but flexibility in their approach. They removed barriers and ensured strong team performance by celebrating successes and holding others to account when needed.

Thanks in part to the efforts of Nikola and Bogoy, Novartis Bulgaria has changed significantly as an organization over a short period – starting in 2022 as an organization with a conventional way of working, we are now a more flexible, focused, and agile organization, resulting in the emergence of new fast-moving, cross-functional working groups and the development of several innovative and value-generating initiatives.

I have no hesitation in recommending Agile Pool as a partner for similar organizations looking to undertake a transformation to a more agile way of thinking and working.

Yours sincerely,
Nick Hagan

General Manager Pharma, Bulgaria, and North Macedonia