"The executive must be ready to a less predictable world"

In 1996, when he was the vice-president of Biosintética, Omilton Visconde Junior was interviewed by Top Team and predicted: "There will be great changes in all segments of communication. The impact of computer technology on the media, for instance, hasn't been realized yet. However, that impact is really big, either via sales rep or via Internet".

Nowadays, ten years later, Omilton is the president of Sindusfarma (Union of Pharmaceutical Industries of Estado de São Paulo), which gathers 110 companies responsible for 75% of the pharmaceutical industry turnover. During a new interview to Top Team he talked about changes once again, but now focused on the reduction in working hours and pharmaceutical industry takeovers, which have increasingly become common, like Biosintética itself, acquired by Aché in 2005.

In order to get ready to these and other meaningful changes, which will probably be many, Omilton gives some advice: "The executive must be ready to a less predictable world, to a economy that develops at a faster pace and to take non comfortable decisions." Follow it below:

Top Team: One of the main objectives for Sindusfarma in 2008 is the search for a new place to the pharmaceutical industry. How can it become true?

Omilton Visconde Junior: In Brazil, especifically, the pharmaceutical industry must be partner of the State when making efficient and intelligent public policies, mainly regarding access to medicine. The State can´t supply the society's demand concerning pharmaceutical assistance programs as they also lack implementation capacity. The private sector is an important element to help the State with the formulations, as we have capacity and factories. Such position has everything to do with an insertion of the private sector as a key element to find reasonable results for the pharmaceutical industry.

Top Team: Sidusfarma creates development programs and continuous education. Which target audience do they want to achieve?

Omilton Visconde Junior: The programs focus on professionals from different areas who act in the pharmaceutical industry and provide especialization in marketing, production, human resources and finance, for instance.

Top Team: Do the takeovers in the pharmaceutical industry impact on the union?

Omilton Visconde Junior: There is no impact. The takeovers are quite natural as they are part of the pharmaceutical model as well as the global economic environment. It is a sector of intensive capital which aims at searching for scales. Within this context, it is absolutely normal that the takeover takes place.

Top Team: How can the executive be prepared for a takeover?

Omilton Visconde Junior: Takeover is part of economic pressuposition, that is, purchase, takeover and acquisition take place only when there is relevant or important market economic pressure. The executive must be ready to a less predictable world, to a economy that develops at a faster pace and to take uncomfortable decisions. The world of economy and the pharmaceutical industry are equally dynamic.

Top Team: Will the working hours in industry pass through changes?

Omilton Visconde Junior: There will be one more phase of the reduction in working hours, which will turn from 41 hours/week from January 01 2009; and 40 hours/week from December 2009, without lower salary.

Top Team: What do you expect for Sindusfarma in 2008?

Omilton Visconde Junior: To keep on being a solid entity, keep the constant attention over legislation and sanitary regulation and contribute to government organs in order to sharpen the regulamentation mechanisms, for instance.