DAIICHI SANKYO appoints general manager in Turkey Dr. Ilker Özbay to lead the Turkish business of the Japanese pharmaceutical group
Istanbul, July 21st 2008 - Dr. Ilker Özbay will direct the business activities of the Turkish subsidiary that DAIICHI SANKYO established in March. Acting faster than planned, the third-largest Japanese pharmaceutical group has now filled its most critical management position in Turkey.
“We were really impressed by the large number of highly qualified pharmaceutical managers in Turkey who expressed interest in our company,” said Bernd Scholl, Vice President of Regional Management at DAIICHI SANKYO EUROPE in Munich. “For this reason, we were able to conclude the selection process of the general manager for the critical market of Turkey long before our deadline in September,” Scholl said.
Ilker Özbay is an excellent example of the high qualifications of Turkish pharmaceutical managers. The 40-year-old physician has more than 14 years of experience in managerial positions at various international pharmaceutical companies. In his last job, Özbay was national sales director for Turkey at Novartis Oncology. He has also held managerial positions in sales and marketing at Johnson & Johnson, Bayer Pharma and Sanofi Aventis. As a result of his experience, he has a broad understanding of the Turkish pharmaceutical market.
“I am looking forward to the new challenge,” Özbay said. “DAIICHI SANKYO’s future in Turkey is tremendous. With the company’s excellent product pipeline, we will play a very important role in this increasingly critical pharmaceutical market.”
DAIICHI SANKYO is the first Japanese pharmaceutical company to have its own affiliate in Turkey. This decision reflects the importance that the company attaches to the market there. Under Özbay’s leadership, the company’s capacities in the country are to be expanded further. “In Turkey, we want to strengthen our sales force in particular so that we can improve the marketing of the osteoporosis medication Evista and are able to introduce other products,” Bernd Scholl said. As a result of his experience, Özbay has the best qualifications to carry out these expansion plans.
The new general manager is married and the father of one child. He earned his medical degree at Marmara University in Istanbul.
CONTACT
Dr. Thomas Portz
Corporate Communications
Phone +49(0)89/78 08-468
thomas.portz@daiichi-sankyo.eu
Olaf Lamberz
Corporate Communications
Phone +49(0)89/78 08-442
olaf.lamberz@daiichi-sankyo.eu
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements and information about future developments in the sector, and the legal and business conditions of DAIICHI SANKYO EUROPE GmbH. Such forward-looking statements are uncertain and are subject at all times to the risks of change, particularly to the usual risks faced by a global pharmaceutical company, including the impact of the prices for products and raw materials, medication safety, changes in exchange rates, government regulations, employee relations, taxes, political instability and terrorism as well as the results of independent demands and governmental inquiries that affect the affairs of the company. All forward-looking statements contained in this release hold true as of the date of publication. They do not represent any guarantee of future performance. Actual events and developments could differ materially from the forward-looking statements that are explicitly expressed or implied in these statements. DAIICHI SANKYO EUROPE GmbH assumes no responsibility for the updating of such forward-looking statements about future developments of the sector, legal and business conditions and the company.
