Oteiger said that in the next five years, Eli Lilly plans to have 15 drugs on the market in China, covering the central nervous system, diabetes, injection equipment, pediatric ADHD drugs, etc. These drugs will strive to be the best among similar products. The most important thing is that each drug will be independently developed by Lilly.
In Otag’s plan, in the next few years, Lilly China’s sales will double from the current US$100 million, and will become the three fastest growing pharmaceutical companies in China. He said he would like to stay in China for "many, many years."
On June 1, 2005, Dr. Otiger succeeded Xiao Kaishi and became the new president of Eli Lilly and Company China. Therefore, in this country that was still unfamiliar to Oteiger, the 52-year-old German took the heaviest burden of Eli Lilly on himself. Veteran: 25 years for Eli Lilly and 12 years for Asia.
It is not surprising that he is still at the peak of his career at the age of 52. But it is rare for a person to give half of his life to the same company, but Oteiger did it. He dedicated his 25-year career to Eli Lilly.
From 1980 to the present, Otag started as a scientific consultant and became the president of the Chinese market. The place where his career started is his hometown - Germany, and the place where his career is brilliant is his current stop - China.
In the past 25 years, the veteran of Eli Lilly has traveled to many places. For 12 of these years, Otag served in Asia: from 1991 to 1995, Otag served as the chief executive of Eli Lilly in Thailand, Myanmar, General manager of Laos and Cambodia; from 1997 to 2000, he served as president of Eli Lilly Korea; from 2000 to 2005, he served as pharmaceutical sales and marketing director of Eli Lilly Japan; after 2005, he served as president of Eli Lilly China...
For Oteiger, every new appointment is a challenge.
"Actually, I have encountered many difficult things during my 12 years in Asia." A person's career cannot always be smooth sailing. Otiger knows this very well, and he knows it even better. The most important thing is that employees in every place are the biggest pillar for him to complete his career. At the end of 1997, while working in South Korea, Oteiger encountered the Asian financial crisis. At that time, South Korea was under tremendous economic pressure, and Oteiger, then president of Eli Lilly Korea, faced tremendous pressure on how to grow sales. During that period, there were constant reports of companies laying off employees or even going bankrupt, but the Eli Lilly and Company team in South Korea led by Orteiger did not fire any employees. "We have overcome many difficulties and become one of the fastest growing and most successful pharmaceutical companies for three consecutive years." Speaking of this, Otag is quite proud. President: Still insisting on independent innovation in China
In 1999, Otag took his family to travel to China and visited Beijing and Xi'an. Six years later, Otag accepted the important appointment of President of Eli Lilly China and will settle in China for a long time. He wasn't surprised by this. After 12 years of love in Asia, China has become another place where his dreams come true.
"China is the largest pharmaceutical market in Asia and ranks third in the global pharmaceutical market." Oteiger said that in the Japanese market, Eli Lilly's current growth rate is only 2%, while in China, The growth rate is close to 30%.
Therefore, during the first month or so after arriving in China, Otag tried his best to understand the country and discover the potential of China in the pharmaceutical market.
Otag has repeatedly adhered to Eli Lilly’s usual style: independence and innovation, whether it is the past 25 years or the next few years in China.
Unlike other companies, Eli Lilly has never merged with any company in the past 129 years and has always existed as an independent company. And it does not take the path of diversification. Eli Lilly is not like a corporate pharmaceutical company that operates multiple businesses other than pharmaceuticals at the same time. On the contrary, in order to focus on the pharmaceutical field, Lilly divested the cosmetics business it once owned, including well-known brands such as "Elizabeth Arden".
For more than 100 years, Eli Lilly has maintained innovation. All its drugs are original drugs and there are no generic drugs. Eli Lilly's mission is that every drug should be the first or best in its category.
"Eli Lilly will not annex Chinese companies through mergers and acquisitions, and will not be interested in China's generic drug market in the next 5 to 10 years." Oteiger said.
In recent years, one of the main means for large foreign companies to enter the Chinese market is to merge with local companies. In the entire global market, mergers among pharmaceutical companies have become commonplace. At the same time, in order to reduce production costs, generic drugs that have expired have become the new favorites of the global pharmaceutical market. Large pharmaceutical companies like Novartis are also vigorously developing beyond generic drugs. This move by Ortag is an alternative in the world pharmaceutical market where mergers and concerns about generic drugs are the trend.
But Oteiger has proved the possibility of this alternative existence with his achievements in the past 25 years.
Oteiger said that in the next five years, Eli Lilly plans to have 15 drugs on the market in China, covering the central nervous system, diabetes, injection equipment, pediatric ADHD drugs, etc. These drugs will strive to be the best among similar products, and the most important thing is that each drug will be independently developed by Lilly.
In Otag’s plan, in the next few years, Lilly China’s sales will double from the current US$100 million, and will become the three fastest growing pharmaceutical companies in China. He said he would like to stay in China for "many, many years."
Father: Tenderness Behind Success
Without the burden of career, Oteiger is still a good husband and father in life.
Otage’s wife, Ms. Pu, is Thai. She gave Otage the beginning of his 12-year Asian dream. Because of her, Oteiger chose Thailand as his first stop in Asia, and because of her, Oteiger stayed in Asia for the rest of his life.
Oteige has a big family, he, his wife and 4 children. The oldest is 18 years old and the youngest is 3 years old. Oteiger often talked about his wife and children.
Family is the backbone of Oteg. At the end of this month or early next month, this big family will move to China with Oteg. Oteg puts career and family on the same balance. .
From the first moment he received reporters, Oteiger always looked kind and kind. During his 25-year career at Eli Lilly, Ortag has been well-known for his modesty towards employees.
At the end of the interview, the photographer asked Oteiger to pose for a photo. Facing the camera, Oteiger seemed a little nervous and reserved. Accustomed to the slightly official and arrogant expressions of bosses facing the camera, Oteiger's slightly nervous smile revealed the trace of simplicity he still maintains.
Introduction to Eli Lilly
Eli Lilly and Company is a world-leading pharmaceutical company with a history of 126 years. One of the world's top 500 companies, ranking 8th globally in the pharmaceutical field.
Eli Lilly came to China in 1918 and set up its first overseas representative office in Shanghai. At the same time, it returned to China in 1993. Currently, Eli Lilly has a wholly-owned enterprise across the country, Eli Lilly Suzhou Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., with 30 offices and nearly 800 employees.
Last year, Lilly’s global sales were US$13 billion, and Lilly China’s sales were more than US$100 million. (Guo Ailin) ??
Source: China Business News