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Ahead of Pharm Exec’s 30th Anniversary Issue later this year, we are assembling a list of pharma leaders who have made the most impact on the industry.
Which individual(s) or institution(s) do you think has had the most influence of the industry in the last 10–30 years?
Please leave a comment in the box below or drop the editor at line at wlooney@advanstar.com We look forward to receiving your suggestions.
Julian Upton
News and Online Editor
10 Comments
I am putting two names forward – Doug Watson and Bill Sheldon – both from their time at Ciba-Geigy. With their combined leadership – doug leading the US division of the Swiss-based company and Bill leading sales and marketing – they made Ciba US into a marketing powerhouse. They pushed innovation well before it became the word of the day. How else can you even consider the gall of advancing the 13th NSAID onto a marketplace AND making it the number 1 drug inside of 3 months – this drug was Voltaren.Ciba had one o two drugs easilly destined for blockbuster status – Lopressor and Tegretol – but due to innovation it made most of their drugs into blockbusters. Ciba continually pushed the envelope on different marketing strategies to the point where some marketing roles were even outlawed due to the amount of influence these roles had – ie marketing consult managers; using the market research model in a promotional manner. Doug and Bill both also had very strong leadership qualities. They cared deeply about the people in their organizations. They both made a point of knowing their people, developing their people AND promoting a diverse group of people. As a black woman who entered this industry in the mid-1980’s I can easily tell you that there were very few women or minorities at that time. I was given every chance to advance and take on leadership roles – unlike what has happened at so many other companies even until today. Bill & Doug were a unique combination, one I did not fully appreciate until I spent time at Merck and working with Pfizer or sanofi. They both deserve recognition for being highly ethical – before any sort of code or guidelines. They both deserve to be recognized for their leadership. I am incredibly fortunate for working with them and having their model shape, for me, what I think the this industry can be. If you choose to only recognize the service side of the industry then so be it but if you choose to recognize the contribution of the manufacturing side then you have to recognize Bill and Doug. They built the foundation for so many that lead the industry to this day.
Mike Pearson from Valeant Pharmaceuticals
List of leaders who made the most impact over the past 30 years. Suggestions:
1) Paul Janssen, MD (dec’d) – founder Janssen Pharmaceutical Inc. (part of Johnson & Johnson) and prolific discoverer of many pharmaceuticals.
2) Matthew Emmens – past CEO of AstraMerck Inc., Merck Kgaa, Shire plc and current COB Shire and Chmn & CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals
I think Mr. Fred hassan is definitly one of the top ten Pharma Leaders who have made the most impact on the industry.
Fred Hassan, who came from American Home Products to Pharmacia, after Zabrinski resigned, turned Pharmacia to a pofitable and very attractive Pharma Company. After he left Pharmacia (now Pfizer) he took the charge of Shering-Plough and turned it around from a troubled company to a priftable and very attractive company.
Fred Hassan.
I fully agree that Fred Hassan should be among the top 30, having turned around companies through his capabilities in combining of business and human capital management.
Sir Richard Sykes – Former Glaxo Head of R&D and then CEO. Focussed R&D on meeting commercial lead
Fred Hassan, are you joking? If there is one who created an atmosphere of fear to say thing that need to be said and “doing the right thing” including allowing improper behaviour in his organisation he is certainly high on my list! And I didn’t even work for Schering Plough!
So Fred definitely not!
As most CEO are now only in short time “shareholder value” instead of long term vision, “turning around” a company is creating short term effects. To stay with the previous example where is S-P today after it destroyed the long term reputation and revenues (!) of some of the companies they acquired? We will have to go back in time and therefore indeed Jansen would be a good candidate.
Daniel Lucius Vasella MD is Chairman of the Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis AG since 1996.
He is the author of a book, co-written with Robert Slater titled “Magic Cancer Bullet” where he tells the story of the development of cancer drug Gleevec.
In 2004, Time magazine included Vasella in its list of 100 most influential people.
Vasella is married and has three children.
Sweet website you got here. Subscribed!
I WOULD SAY FRED HASSAN AND DANIEL VASELLA SHOULD BE IN THE TOP TEN OF THE LIST
THEIR CONTRIBUTION NEEDS NO FURTHER REAMS OF PAPER
ONE DID IT VIS A VIS MARKETING THE OTHER BY HIS SHEER ACUMEN