3 Questions to Daniel Weber – Country Head Switzerland, Boehringer Ingelheim

May we ask you to introduce yourself briefly and tell us a little about your current position in your company?

Since August 1^st 2021, I am the Country Head of Boehringer Ingelheim in Switzerland.  After my education at the University of St. Gallen (HSG) I spent 20+ years in various local and corporate commercial and general management roles.  Working for 3 different Pharma companies gave me and my family the opportunity to live in six countries including many years in the USA.  As General Manager, I am passionate about helping my team successfully pioneering breakthrough therapies which transform the lives of patients.

What do you want to focus on in your role at Interpharma?

To support our patients in the best possible way, it is key to ensure rapid access to innovative medicines.  Furthermore, it is important to maintain our ability to invest into R&D and to continue to bring solutions to market that significantly improve the lives of patients.  For this we need to achieve prices that fairly represent the value of our products. An important aspect of fair prices is the preservation of the solidarity principle. This means stronger economies contribute more than weaker ones.

How important is Switzerland as a pharmaceutical location for your company? Where and how can Switzerland as a pharmaceutical country continue to improve, how should the framework conditions be adapted?

Switzerland is an important market for Boehringer Ingelheim for various reasons: 

Firstly, it has a highly developed Health Care environment with good access to innovative medicines. 

Secondly, it is a country with a strong economy and a stable political system allowing companies to invest without undue risk. 

Thirdly, it has a strong domestic pharma industry, which brings high value-add jobs and top talent to Switzerland.  This makes it a competitive but also attractive market for Boehringer Ingelheim. 

In order to maintain its attractiveness, despite its small size, it will be important to continue an open and constructive dialogue between all stakeholders in the healthcare arena.  This will allow our industry to sustainably invest into R&D to find solutions that are best for patients, while at the same time being affordable for the system.