Jonathan L. Pan, VP & GM, Malaysia & Brunei, GSK Pharmaceutical Sdn Bhd

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) – is a science-led global healthcare company with a significant purpose: to help people do more, feel better and live longer. We achieve it through vaccines, medicines and consumer healthcare products that is founded in research and development. Backed by a 300-year legacy of helping to transform the health, lives, and future of millions of people around the world – and today, GSK operates in over 150 countries including major research and development centres in the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, Belgium and China. GSK Malaysia started our first operations in October 1958 and has been operating in Malaysia for over 63 years across two sites.

What are some of your organisation’s proudest moments/milestones in Malaysia?

As a leading global pharmaceutical company, we continue to unite science, talent, and technology to get ahead of disease – together. In this regard, we have looked to innovate the healthcare landscape by building meaningful and lasting positive impacts that are ambitious for patients. Recently, we were included in the National Immunisation Programme for the prevention of pneumococcal disease, a potentially life-threatening lung infection in young children. This is an example of how we acted collectively on sharing of healthcare knowledge, with clear partnership alongside public health experts.

Describe your operations and total investments in Malaysia to date.

In the last six decades, GSK Malaysia has grown substantially both in its infrastructure, business operations as well as talent base. In terms of staff strength, GSK Malaysia is comprised of around 975 colleagues across all our business entities – Pharmaceuticals & Vaccines, Consumer Healthcare, GSK Regional Hub APAC and Consumer Healthcare Quality Supply Chain. Our Consumer Healthcare Quality Supply Chain manufacturing plant in Ulu Kelang has been established for many years and is a leader in Good Manufacturing Practice for industrial excellence in the region, servicing 13 global markets including Australia and New Zealand. GSK Regional Hub APAC is GSK’s first and only global hub in Asia and plays a key role in GSK’s Core Business Services consolidating the organisation’s global service delivery in finance, human resources, consumer healthcare supply planning, and healthcare professional engagement services.

Based on your experience in operating in Malaysia, what are the 3 most important criteria for achieving business success in Malaysia?

• Clear understanding of the patient journey and how the provisioning of healthcare works.
• Ensuring appropriate awareness into the emerging political trends that will influence how healthcare delivery may change.
• Continue to engage with key external experts in the industry and sharing insights on how human health impacts society.

How has your business evolved during this pandemic, especially in terms of optimisation of human and technology resources?

Like many organisations, we embraced the digital and virtual modalities that enabled us to continue to connect with our healthcare providers and customers when and where they needed to connect. As a healthcare company, we also know the value of human interaction, and we were one of the first pharmaceutical organisations to rigorously implement SOP training to enable our teams to physically engage with our healthcare providers and customers in a safe, but also importantly, value-adding way to ensure that our medicines were used in the appropriate way in the appropriate patients. Now with the hybrid ways of working, we can truly be omnipresent with our healthcare providers and customers to meet their needs in whatever way they wish to be served.

How do you see your business growth and prospects in Malaysia now?

We see great potential in Malaysia. With an ever-advancing healthcare infrastructure, a critical necessity in the growth of any country – we see opportunities to continue to elevate healthcare delivery infrastructure, especially to those related to new and advanced innovative therapeutic options. Growth in these areas, related to Cancer, Immunological Diseases, and others are key therapeutic investment areas that will reduce the burden of these diseases on society.

What are the top 3 reasons for your organisation joining the BMCC?

GSK’s relationship with the BMCC spans over years. BMCC allows GSK to broaden our business horizon through relevant networks with various industry leaders and government agencies. With this, BMCC also provides us a platform to represent our perspective and highlight our views to the relevant stakeholders. We have also enjoyed connecting with leaders across industries and increasing our exposure to the important current issues in Malaysia and in the UK. GSK is proud of its collaborative track record: working with many and various third parties to bring forward innovative medicines for patients, wherever they may be. We welcome further engagement with industry-leading member organisations in the future.

What is the top value you see for yourself or your organisation in being a member of the BMCC?

By being a member of the BMCC, we would like to continue to have the platform for sharing of experiences, having innovative discussions on best practices, and getting ahead of issues that matter. BMCC allows GSK to expand our networks through relevant events with various industrial sectors and governmental arms. We recognise that forming partnerships with different businesses, organisations and academics is a fundamental part of our business activities so that we are able to collaboratively highlight crucial ideas to the relevant groups in Malaysia.

In one sentence, how would you describe your own experience or your organisation’s experience as a member of the BMCC.

Our experience has been fruitful; we will continue to foster strong collaborative partnerships together with the support of BMCC’s networks to champion a healthier Malaysia.