Pharma

M&A strategy

Cash rich Nestlé’s M&A allergy bet sours. CEO comes clean; time to rewrite Rx playbook

M&A, Management, Pharma / By

M&A has long been part of Nestlé’s DNA, organic growth alone hasn’t made it the world’s largest food company. Rowntree chocolate (Kit Kat), Purina pet care, Gerber baby food are amongst its most famous plays. I worked in the company for 17 years in several markets – a requirement for all global executives – and …

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Olympus strategy

Olympus looks to the future appointing its second foreign CEO

Japan, Management, Pharma, Strategy / By

The first time Tokyo listed Olympus appointed a foreign CEO it ended in tears. Michael Woodford’s tenure was short-lived. Woodford questioned huge fees paid to unknown companies which had links to criminal entities. Dismissed, he sued Olympus. The case concluded with a substantial out of court settlement in Woodward’s favour. Then Olympus was synonymous with …

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Photo: Manish Panghal

The (legal) marijuana business: a future hidden in clouds of smoke, hype and red tape?

Leave a Comment / Agriculture, Pharma / By

Barclays Investment bank held its annual jamboree for the great and the good in the consumer products industry last week. On the roster were many familiar names: P&G, J&J, Kraft Heinz, Nestlé, Coca Cola and more. All the usual suspects. However one name intrigued me, Canopy Growth. I hadn’t heard of it. Founded in 2013, …

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Jabs, Jobs and Tax; the prickly fight for vaccine exports

Innovation, IP, Pharma, Tax / By

Brand awareness for Pfizer, Astra-Zeneca, Moderna and BioNTech has reached astronomical levels. Thanks to the crisis, we have all become arm-chair vaccine experts. Contrary to perceptions, vaccines are less than 5% of the world-wide pharma industry. Pre-Covid, the most widespread vaccines were for tuberculosis, whooping cough and polio. Manufacturing vaccines is complicated and can take …

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