Mr. Stahel: Shire has a seven-year fast-growth history. In 1993 the company was privately owned and had a value of approximately $30 million; today we are at $7.5 billion. Over the last six years we've implemented six mergers, and Shire now has about 1,600 employees with a sales-per-employee ratio of approximately $500,000, nearly twice the ratio on average for S&P 500 companies. In regards to percent EPS growth for the year 2000, Shire was in the number-one position for the pharmaceutical industry globally. Shire has a very focused strategy and has operating companies in seven out of the eight key pharmaceutical markets in the world, and it has R&D operations in the UK, the US and in Canada.
TWST: What changes do you expect in the marketplace?
Mr. Stahel: I believe marketing density is a subject that will change in
the industry, both in the GP sector and in the specialist doctor sector.
And that competition for in-licensing late-phase projects and products
will increase over the next two or three years
Tickers included in this excerpt: SHPGY
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