With its "crossover year" delivered in 2012 and UCB's new core medicines now driving company growth, UCB's transformation into a biopharma company is complete. UCB is now entering an important new phase of revenue growth with no major patent expiry expected until the end of the decade. In order to now fully tap its growth potential, UCB is adapting its organizational structure to better align with its five strategic growth priorities:
- Building on the growth momentum of the core medicines Cimzia®, Vimpat® and Neupro®, reaching combined peak sales of at least EUR 3.1 bn in the second half of the decade;
- Growing its emerging market businesses;
- Advancing UCB's rich late-stage pipeline in immunology and neuroscience;
- Delivering breakthrough medicines into the pipeline; and
- Delivering on competitive company profitability.
UCB's new organization centers around four units, each with a clear focus on clusters of medicines and other solutions for patients. The changes will lead to some adaptations at management level but they will not have implications on global employment. UCB's new organization is structured as follows:
The Biopharma Brands and Solutions unit focuses on UCB's core medicines, Cimzia® (certolizumab pegol) in rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease, Vimpat® (lacosamide) in epilepsy, and Neupro® (rotigotine) in Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome, which are major growth drivers worldwide and more particularly in Europe and North America. The unit is led by Jean-Christophe Tellier, previously head of UCB’s European Operations, and now Executive Vice President, Biopharma Brands and Solutions.
The Established Brands, Solutions and Supply unit focuses on growth in Emerging Markets and maximizing the value of UCB's mature product portfolio, including Keppra® (levetiracetam), which will drive growth in Asia and Emerging Markets and remain a key franchise in Europe and North America going forward. This unit also houses UCB's global Technical Operations and Business Development activities and is led by Mark McDade, Executive Vice President, Established Brands, Solutions and Supply.
The Biopharma Development Solutions unit focuses on preparing the company's medium-term growth. One of the key goals of the team is to develop the rich late-stage pipeline, with phase 3 projects such as romosozumab in post-menopausal osteoporosis, epratuzumab in systemic lupus erythematosus and brivaracetam in epilepsy. The unit is led by Iris Loew-Friedrich, Executive Vice President, Biopharma Development Solutions and Chief Medical Officer, who also coordinates all of UCB's medical functions.
The NewMedicines unit, already in place today, focuses on early discovery and research through to clinical proof of concept. The unit continues to be led by Ismail Kola, Executive Vice President and President of UCB NewMedicines™.
In order to ensure a smooth implementation of the company's strategic priorities at the local level, UCB has redefined its geographic responsibilities and has appointed strong UCB leaders at the head of each region. Jeff Wren, formerly head of US Managed Markets, and Khoso Baluch, formerly head of Global Marketing, lead the North American and European regions, respectively, reporting to Jean-Christophe Tellier; Luc Vermeesch and Mohamed Chaoui lead the International Major Markets and APAC (Asia Pacific, Australia and China) regions, respectively, and report to Mark McDade.
Greg Duncan, until now head of UCB's North American Operations, has for personal reasons decided to leave the company. Greg’s potential new strategic role within UCB would have required him to relocate to Brussels and he and his family decided not to make that choice. "We are very grateful to Greg for everything he has brought to UCB," says Roch Doliveux. "Greg joined UCB six years ago and during that time was instrumental in helping UCB transform itself into a specialty biopharma company, successively leading UCB's European, Emerging Markets and North America operations. Greg was a major contributor to UCB's success and we wish him the very best in his new career step."
Effective immediately, UCB's Executive Committee will be made up of the following people (eight positions instead of nine previously):
- Roch Doliveux, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Executive Committee
- Fabrice Enderlin, Executive Vice President, Corporate Human Resources, Communication and Corporate Societal Responsibility
- Ismail Kola, Executive Vice President and President UCB NewMedicines™
- Iris Loew-Friedrich, Executive Vice President, Biopharma Development Solutions and Chief Medical Officer
- Mark McDade, Executive Vice President, Established Brands, Solutions and Supply
- Anna Richo, Executive Vice President and General Counsel
- Jean-Christophe Tellier, Executive Vice President, Biopharma Brands and Solutions
- Detlef Thielgen, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
About UCB
UCB, Brussels, Belgium is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With more than 8 500 people in about 40 countries, the company generated revenue of EUR 3.2 billion in 2011. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB).