25.02.21 | 3 min.

Why MSD is expanding its Swiss presence

In an interview on Pharma Boardroom, exciting statements can be found from Ans Heirman, CEO of the pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) in Switzerland. She explains why the Lucerne sites has many advantages for MSD. Above all, the network and the talent pool play a role.

Ans Heirman grew up in the Flemish part of Belgium and started her MSD career in marketing. She had previously trained as a bioengineer and earned a degree in Applied Economies. Heirman quickly climbed the career ladder and, since September 2020, she has headed MSD’s European headquarters and all of its subsidiaries in Switzerland: four established sites in the canton of Lucerne and a new research site in the Zurich region. 

MSD’s presence in Switzerland, then, is one of the main topics of a February 2021 interview Heirman gave on Pharma Boardroom, an online portal for the global pharmaceutical industry. MSD plans to expand further in Switzerland, continues to invest in research and development and is currently creating 250 new jobs.

Strong employees, strong pharmaceutical industry
There is, of course, a reason why Ans Heirman refers to the European headquarters in Lucerne as the base for MSD’s further development. She elaborates on two aspects: on the one hand, the qualified employees and the availability of new talent, and on the other hand, the strong pharmaceutical industry with its broad network.

Employees and talents
Ans Heirman openly admits in the interview that recruiting talented employees and expanding the workforce are top priorities for her company. MSD itself does a great deal to be an attractive employer. However, that alone would not be enough. It is also crucial that the business location also provides a sufficiently large supply of skilled workers and talent. And Ans Heirman sees this in the region.

Pharma Network
MSD is currently the second largest pharmaceutical group in Switzerland in terms of sales. The company researches, develops and manufactures in Lucerne and Zurich, primarily in the fields of oncology and vaccines. The fact that the Swiss presence is to be expanded also has to do with the good framework conditions offered here. Ans Heirman describes Switzerland as a real «pharma nation», a country of the pharmaceutical industry. The strong presence of this industry, the broad network and the conducive cooperation with various stakeholders from the pharmaceutical and medical technology sectors creates a positive dynamic.

Interview on Pharma Boardroom