This section is about Marion Bock, General Manager of IBSA Germany.
1. in your opinion, what is the outlook for your sector over the next 12 months?
As IBSA Pharma Deutschland is still a very young sales subsidiary (founded in Düsseldorf in June 2023), we see opportunities for growth, depending on the therapeutic area. In the field of reproductive medicine, it is important for doctors and patients to educate the public and provide optimal treatment for couples who wish to have children. IBSA can offer high-quality medicines in this area. The attending physician is the decisive factor.
In the field of orthopaedics, the demand for arthrosis treatments with hyaluronic acid is also growing and similarly in derma-aesthetics with minimally invasive treatments, even if there is a slight dampener due to the economically challenging times.
In general, the pharmaceutical market in Germany is rather stagnant and the economic incentives from the government are too low. In addition, there are too many regulations that do not really promote the development of the pharmaceutical industry. The BPI (German Pharmaceutical Industry Association) is constantly working on an exchange with the government and stakeholders to improve this. IBSA Pharma is a member of the BPI.
2. how do you think the working environment and staff have changed since the pandemic?
The search for qualified employees is more challenging.
Less willingness to change and sometimes less courage to try new things. This is precisely where IBSA Pharma is more attractive as a quasi “start-up” with dynamism, fast decision-making processes and room for maneuver than large corporations. We offer flexible working models in part-time and home office mixed with presence.
This is well received and is a MUST for every employer in my view, where this is possible for company reasons.
3 What do you consider to be the most important skills in a professional environment?
In addition to technical expertise, entrepreneurial thinking, empathy, the ability to build customer relationships, service-oriented work, taking responsibility and commitment within the teams and towards customers and business partners are of course particularly important. And an intrinsic team spirit of wanting to contribute to a common goal. And living this together, sharing and celebrating even small successes, as well as sharing challenges and learnings. Furthermore, a strong, authentic leadership quality is the basis and breeding ground for the development of teams and companies.
4 How do you assess the further development of AI?
AI will be useful in some areas, such as data analysis and forecasting, to reduce time-consuming manual work and to focus the capacities of well-trained employees on creative activities and planning.
5 Where would you be today if you had taken a different career path?
I would be pretty close to where I am now. I love languages (English, French, Italian), diverse cultures and teams, and to expand and build something. And above all pharmaceutical products, i.e. products that have added value for health.
Voilà and that’s what I do today as Managing Director of the German subsidiary of an internationally positioned, owner-managed Swiss pharmaceutical company with a strong Italian influence (the owner, Dr. Arturo Licenziati, is Italian). I prefer small and medium-sized organizations, agility, speed and freedom to act and, above all, working with different people and creating something with them.
We are excited about everything that is yet to come and are looking forward to it.
