Medis welcomes its new CEO

Medis welcomes its new CEO

Martina Perharič

In October 2017, Finance magazine included Medis in the TOP 101 largest business groups and companies of 2016 in Slovenia, ranking it 88th with an annual revenue of EUR 73.2 million and net profits of EUR 7.9 million. Medis was also included in the most successful business groups and companies of 2016, where it was ranked 15th (EBITDA margin 11.6% and 15.3% ROA). According to Delo magazine from 30 October 2017, the Medis Group, whose most prominent company is Medis, d.o.o., was ranked 90th of the top 100 Slovene companies in regard to net sales revenues in 2016.

Through the great dedication of its employees, and by use of new technologies and excellent products over a period of almost 30 years, Medis has actively contributed to advances in medical treatments in the Balkan markets. Martina Perharič, PhD, emphasises the role of knowledge and perseverance of all company employees in the excellent growth and development of the company:

"To be able to become a well-established company in a sector as demanding as pharmaceuticals, and on several very different markets, we need to continuously build teams of co-workers dedicated to a common goal, who strive to contribute better treatment of people. The best result is a cured patient! Naturally, we need people with specific skills and individual expertise – but only when they are combined in excellent teams can we achieve true expert power, which is the most important capital of our company."

Medis is a leading independent medical marketing company in the region. Its selected innovative medicines and medical supplies have been used for the treatment of patients in Central Europe and the Balkans for more than 30 years. The most prominent global medicine manufacturers entrust the marketing of their innovative medicines to Medis. With more than 100 different innovative medicines in more than 400 formulations, Medis covers most pharmaceutical areas: neurology, pain, addiction, rheumatology, diabetology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, cardiology, pulmonology, oncology, ophthalmology, paediatrics, gynaecology, stomatology, etc.

The Medis story began in 1989, when its founder Tone Strnad, Msc in Pharmacy, came up with a business idea for a herbal pharmacy in Ljubljana. Almost three decades later, Medis is a successful international company operating under a strict compliance system in more than 10 countries.

The commercial success of Medis and its constant double-digit sales growth are based on its employees and excellent products. »Our employees have excellent skills, energy, passion for work and collaboration, desire to succeed and dedication to real values. And these are the foundations for our future. We will continue to grow stronger in several directions, further expand the programs of foreign manufacturers, develop our own products – we have made some important steps forward in regard to this in the last years – and expand to new markets«, concludes Tone Strnad.

Medis is headquartered in Slovenia, while subsidiaries operate in Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, North Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo and since last year also in Bulgaria. Its presence is continuously expanding, taking care of a growing number of patients throughout Central Europe and the Balkans. Market supply is handled by 300 employees, mostly with university degrees from the natural sciences and economy. Together, they are focused on realizing our mission – to provide patients with access to modern, efficient and safe medical treatment.

Photo: Aleš Bravničar

Personally, I always appreciate efforts made, positive attitudes and the drive for improvements. Results come if you ensure that co-workers can maintain the highest quality and progress, enjoy their work and are rewarded accordingly. This is at the core of everything we represent at Medis – this vision is also incorporated into all our work areas and ambitious future plans for expansion.

The long-standing CEO of Medis, d.o.o., Tone Strnad, was succeeded by Martina Perharič, PhD, previously the Managing Director of the Pharma Division. Tone Strnad, who founded Medis and managed it for 29 years, remains chairman of the Supervisory Board.

Martina Perharič, PhD, MSc in Pharmacy, started her career as a researcher at the Institute of Pathological Physiology at the Faculty of Medicine in Ljubljana. After completing her doctorate in the field of basic neurobiological sciences, she started working at a subsidiary of Hoechst (later Aventis) as the manager of therapeutic areas for innovative medicines.

Some years later, she took over the Pharma Division at Medis in Ljubljana with the vision that she could be part of a stimulating, creative and learning environment building a leading, independent and international medical marketing company in Balkan part of Europe. On 1 January 2018, after 17 years at Medis, she took on the role of CEO of the company. Already focused on the future, her thoughts and plans for new expansions are responsibly incorporated into her role as CEO:

"Medis will continue to create the difference between good and excellent products, services, employees and teams, thus greatly affecting the health of people, who are, despite their illnesses, privileged to be able to use the best medicine, provided by Medis. We firmly believe that Medis will continue its strong and healthy growth based on our excellent foundations: talents, managers, resources, perseverance and strong will, diligent and intelligent teams, knowledge and open hearts; and we will improve even further through our rapid technological advances and our continuous adjustments to them – for growing, special, innovation driven Medis."

During her career, Martina Perharič, PhD, has contributed to the development of several successful brands and an excellent team of co-workers, who have introduced many innovative medicines to markets into which Medis expanded and where these medicines were sorely needed. She is also the co-founder and first editor of Naša lekarna magazine, and one of the creative minds behind the Medis Awards for research in medicine and pharmacy.

Tone Strnad shared his thoughts on his successor at Medis: »I am extremely lucky to pass the reigns to my co-worker of many years, who shares my way of thinking and has been gradually taking on my tasks over the past several years. She has an enormous amount of energy, knowledge, experience and wisdom.«

Tone Strnad, founder of Medis, d.o.o., and the new CEO, Martina Perharič, PhD (Photo: Urban Modic)

Tone Strnad, founder of Medis, d.o.o., and the new CEO, Martina Perharič, PhD (Photo: Urban Modic)

The successful launch and marketing of our own products in the new EU markets will also form an important part of our success. We also plan to introduce newest products from existing and new partners, ranging from medicinal products, medical devices and equipment, diagnostic and aesthetic medicine, with the aim to further improve current therapeutic possibilities.

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