Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Chairman & Managing Director Glenn Saldanha was conferred with the Swiss Ambassador’s award for ‘exceptional innovation’ by the Swiss Ambassador Linus von Castelmur on Thursday.
Under Saldanha’s leadership, Glenmark established 3,000 sq. metre laboratory in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, becoming the first Indian life science enterprise to establish an R&D facility outside the country in 2006. This facility employs 60 scientists, all Swiss locals.
In his acceptance speech, Saldanha said, “This award will go a long way to help us pursue innovation and emerge as a globally renowned Indian organisation”.
The talent pool available in Switzerland and the enabling environment influenced Glenmark’s decision to set up a R&D facility there, he said.
India is also a great destination (for R&D), but certain skill sets are not here, he added.
Later, Saldanha told Business Line that mergers & acquisitions would not be part of the company’s strategy for the next 2-3 years. “We will be focused on organic growth”.
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals had last year signed an agreement with Sanofi of France, which was the first outlicensing deal executed by an Indian company and the largest deal across emerging markets in the areas of novel biologics.
Srivats.kr@thehindu.co.in