There could not have been a more difficult time to take over the reins at Ranbaxy Labs, India’s leading drug maker. The Singh family, which sold the company to Japan's Daiichi Sankyo last year, has moved out. But skeletons are tumbling out of the closet in the form of a ban on some of its drugs in the US, forex losses etc.
Can Atul Sobti, the newly appointed CEO and managing director, fix the house in order? Sobti, who was earlier with Hero Honda, will have to convince the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) of the company’s seriousness to fix any problem, bring some financial discipline to the company and help it ride out the economic slowdown.
Here, Sobti explains his action plan to Forbes India in an exclusive interview.
In what way do you think Ranbaxy and Daiichi Sankyo are different?
Culturally the two companies are very different — Ranbaxy is a generic global company based out of India but present in over 50 countries and has one of the best manpower and R&D facility. Frankly, I do not know any company in India which would have presence in so many countries. Ranbaxy is also one of the best low-cost manufacturer with good R&D facility. To Daiichi, being global and being institutional is one of their mission statements. Ranbaxy will play a very important role [in that mission].