Life @ Westburg: Silvie Cloosen

“Tubes will never talk to you,” Silvie says with a smile.

After more than 15 years in life sciences research, including university laboratories and biotechnology companies, Silvie decided to change direction.

Today, as an Account Manager at Westburg, she still works closely with science and helps researchers find solutions to their experiments.

For much of her career, Silvie was immersed in laboratory research. Working on specific projects meant developing deep expertise, often focusing on one scientific question for extended periods.

While she enjoyed the scientific work, she gradually became curious about what was happening beyond her own research.

“I wanted to broaden my knowledge and see what other kinds of research were going on,” she explains.

She also missed social interaction.

Moving into account management offered the combination she was looking for. She could stay connected to life sciences and spend more time working directly with people.

Today, her customers span a wide range of fields, from academic research and biotechnology to pharmaceuticals, veterinary science and agricultural applications. She enjoys that diversity.

Having spent years at the lab bench, Silvie knows that research rarely goes exactly as planned.

She understands the importance of reliable materials and familiar workflows. And she also knows that researchers aren’t necessarily looking to change a process that has served them well for years.

“As a scientific researcher myself, I know we’re not open to change just for the sake of change,” she says.

That understanding shapes her customer conversations. Silvie starts by listening. She asks what the researcher is working on and where Westburg could make a difference. Her scientific background helps her recognize researchers’ challenges, and she considers listening equally important.

For Silvie, good account management combines product knowledge with an understanding of when a customer needs support and what matters to them.

Working with people brings its own challenges.

The transition from research to account management required Silvie to develop a different set of skills. Building relationships and knowing when to be flexible or assertive became part of her daily work.

Much of her customer contact takes place in Wallonia, where communication requires attention to language and style, as well as scientific terminology.

Having previously worked in the Netherlands and with customers across Belgium, Silvie has experienced different ways of working and communicating.

She believes that making an effort matters, whether that means adapting to someone’s communication style or speaking their language.

Even when a conversation gets challenging, her approach stays the same: listen first and work toward a solution.

Westburg describes itself as the scientist’s sidekick. For Silvie, that means making researchers’ lives a little easier.

Scientists often rely on established products and methods they’ve used for years. When costs increase or they become curious about alternatives, finding a suitable solution can take time.

This is where Silvie sees an opportunity to help.

By understanding what a customer currently uses and what they are looking for, she can work with Westburg’s internal sales and support colleagues to explore possible alternatives. The team can identify relevant products and provide the information researchers need to consider a different approach.

Silvie particularly values Westburg’s responsive customer service and scientific support.

For her, being a scientist’s sidekick means being there when researchers need advice or a helping hand, while respecting the methods that already work for them.

Whether you're exploring alternatives to your current products or looking for advice on a specific laboratory challenge, Westburg is here to help.

Our team combines scientific expertise with a personal approach to help you find solutions that fit your research needs.