By EuroGalenus.
Originally published in IE Alumni News.
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A very interesting Round Table organised by the IE Business School Alumni Association was held on Tuesday 11th in the Aula Magna, with a line-up of speakers with very rich and complementary experience. The session was moderated by Luis Truchado, ExMBA ‘89, EuroGalenus Executive Search, who gave an introduction to the topic of the day using data from a CEGEDIM Strategic Data study on the recent stagnation in the number of promoted molecules, which has run parallel to the reduction in the size of sales networks since 2008.
The first presentation was given by Jordi Martí, VP General Manager for Spain at CELGENE, who developed his presentation on the keys to change and innovation. Jordi was critical of some of the industry’s unevolved behaviours and called for a radical change in attitude that would allow decision-makers and payers to perceive laboratories as ‘partners, rather than mere sellers’. He offered data such as that achieving a 1% reduction in cancer cases would generate $500 million in increased GDP. The combination of demographic changes, the chronification of some diseases and the general economic and financial crisis are forcing the public administration to cut back on access, which does not always recognise the innovative effort. This adaptation to a new model requires overcoming resistance to change and significant doses of courage to carry it out.
Pedro Ballesteros, Director of the Established Products Business Unit of PFIZER-Spain, continued, offering data on the evolution of business models and structures over time under the suggestive title: ‘A journey off-patent. Currently, 70% of the Spanish market are brands or generics that have lost their patents, but maintain a value that must be defended. Pedro claimed that we must innovate in the way we are present in the market and be creative in including collaborative strategies and tactics with the customer at the centre of all our attention. To do this, Business Units must take decisions closer to the customer, with a more decentralised structure.
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