Interview with Anna Mulock Houwer
Who are you?
Hah, it depends what we are going to talk about! Mainly, I am a business professional, mom, poet, and good friend of Redbridge. :-)
What are three things Red Bridgers would be interested about and should know about you?
1. Kindness is my compass.
Kindness is central to how I live and work. I take pride in having built a professional and personal life surrounded by kind and inspiring people. Cultivating this ‘kindness quotient’ is something I value, especially in midlife. Gary Vaynerchuk who I met a couple of times inspired me to take kindness seriously!
2. I’m a Polish ‘world citizen’.
Though my last name may not show it, I’m Polish. Since early adulthood, I’ve lived in multiple countries, speak six languages, and have always had an international career. Thinking globally comes naturally to me; I see the bigger picture and love conversations about global growth, ambitions, and possibilities.
3. I specialize in health and leadership.
After starting my career at Pepsico and Novartis, I built an international consulting business focused on marketing excellence and commercial effectiveness. Over the years, I’ve worked with some of the world’s biggest names in health and food, companies like AstraZeneca, Biogen, Danone, Fresenius, Merck, Medtronic and many more - collaborating with senior leaders at global HQs in Europe and the US.
Today, I work exclusively with boards and leadership teams of corporates and PE portfolio companies to elevate board performance, accelerate strategic decisions, and align leadership to drive results. If you’re in food or health and need c-suite connections, I’m happy to help.
What do you do and what particularly drives you in it?
I grew up as a child of two surgeons in a Polish hospital in the 1980s. It was in the dark era of communism in Poland and so my parents worked with very little to save and improve people's lives. I've been exposed to the hope and desperation of medicine since early childhood.
Health is - for most of us - the number one priority. Being able to move things forward in healthcare is incredibly rewarding. My interest for the last two decades has been to fuel growth and innovation in life sciences. Patients, families, doctors can't really wait. Now with the convergence of exponential technologies we finally have a chance to move the needle and experience massive breakthroughs with big impacts for longevity and quality of life.
I have helped big corporates involved in health write countless stratplans, and growth plans, supported many launches of drug and medical device innovations, and created and deployed programs and services to doctors and patients worldwide.
To see the difference that those new products and services make in patients’ and doctors’ lives has been very cool. The very large organizations I’ve been working with, while slow, have an enormous power to shape the present and the future of care. It’s been extremely satisfying to see their big innovations in action.
What makes you proud at work today?
Today, I focus on supporting boards and management teams through high-impact workshops, strategic interventions, and advisory services. I feel proud when I see my senior clients gain greater clarity on their strategy, achieve stronger alignment, and grow as leaders.
I’m also dedicating more time to mentoring, which has become one of the most rewarding parts of my work. I value the one-on-one connections and the opportunity to support the growth of individuals who lead companies and shape industries.
What is your next big thing or project that you have in mind?
I’ve been living in Portugal for three and a half years now, and yet despite being here physically, my professional focus has remained outside this country. I don’t have it all figured out yet, but I do know this: I would love to establish a professional anchor point in Portugal. I want to find ways to be a part of Portugal’s story.
I am also thinking about getting more involved with mentoring and supporting women in midlife. Being a woman in midlife is a tricky proposition. There is a big need to tackle women’s health and wellbeing; 40+/50+ women, often at the peak of their careers are suffering from massive hormonal disruption while at the same time being confronted with major societal taboos and expectations. To help these high achieving (and all!) women would be awesome.
Let's talk about Redbridge. What does Redbridge represent for you and why does it matter?
I’ve loved the RedBridge value proposition from day one. It was the name itself and the powerful symbol of connection between two great ecosystems: the rising Lisbon and the mythical innovation hub of San Francisco/Silicon Valley.
Redbridge is about cross-fertilization, exchange, and collaboration - a way to help both sides of the Atlantic thrive through shared knowledge, ideas, and opportunities. But it can also be about more than this. The bigger vision for Redbridge could be bridging Europe and the Americas thus positioning Portugal as a central hub for innovation and growth
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What's your personal connection to the US?
I’m one of those Europeans who loves the US. I studied at an American university, worked at PepsiCo, and began traveling to New York for business early in my career. Over the years, my work brought me even closer—I was involved with US-based startups, scaleups, and East Coast pharmaceutical companies, averaging 6–10 trips a year for about five years.
In total, I’ve visited the US over 100 times and probably know Manhattan better than Lisbon! For the longest time, I thought I’d end up living in California. Fittingly, I now live in the ‘California of Europe’ and am a proud member of Redbridge.
You have been in Portugal for 3 years, what are your views on Portugal? And which contribution do you want to make?
Ahhhh. Where do I start? Portugal is a country with phenomenal assets, a land of true potential, currently lacking a bigger growth vision. It has great talent—extremely well-educated individuals, plus exceptional foreigners, entrepreneurs, investors, and other professionals who have chosen to make Portugal their home. The innovation coming out of Portuguese universities is remarkable, producing great ideas and cutting-edge technology. In fact, Portugal is one of the EU’s top producers of engineers, with an educational system that delivers excellence and matches the best EU schools. This theoretically makes Portugal a breeding ground for innovation.
However, to fully realize its potential, Portugal really needs to embrace a bigger, more expansive, and global vision.
Portugal’s lifestyle is a treasure in itself. The quality of life here is extraordinary, and there is an opportunity to share this with the world in new and creative ways.
What makes your heart sing in Portugal?
I absolutely adore Portugal. I think that life here is quite simply incredible; a wonderful mix of great weather, beautiful landscapes, rich history and so many other positive aspects. I can’t quite contain my love for Portugal and thus express it through poetry (check here). I recently spoke about it at TEDxMarvila too. I definitely hope to live here for the long term and be an asset to this wonderful country!
Want to connect to Anna?
Follow her on LinkedIn or Instagram at @Bruxellesblonde.
Visit her professional website River Bank Advisors or check-out her inspiring poetry.
