Healthcare >> CEO Interviews >> October 29, 2004
PER GERNOW, CEO of Neurodan, has more than 20 years of experience in
general management, business and organizational development. He is known
for his high customer focus, his understanding of strategy, and his
ability to create business results. This, combined with his
entrepreneurial skills, has made him a valuable partner in transforming
complex organizational issues into lasting business-supporting
solutions. Per's profound understanding of the dynamics of organizations
stems from a number of high-level positions with Novo Nordisk A/S, an
international $4 billion company and the worlds leading manufacturer of
insulin and enzymes. In these capacities he has built up organizations
to successfully meet their business objectives and the needs of their
customers, as well as securing the link between business strategies and
organizational needs. Over the past 7 years, Per has successfully been
involved in more than 50 business and organizational development
projects throughout the world. In 1997, Per was appointed among the
company's top general managers for one of only fourteen global positions
as business & organizational development director, auditing every aspect
of Novo's subsidiaries and facilitating change processes. Novo Nordisk
has had substantial success as a consequence of the work Per and his
colleagues have accomplished. Fortune Magazine selected Novo Nordisk as
one of the 10 best companies to work for in Feb. 2002 and the business
has grown its operating profit to DDK 6 billion in 2002 from DDK 2.4
billion in 1997. Shortly after Per joined Novo Nordisk in 1987, he was
promoted to general manager for its Latin American operation. He
successfully grew the business by establishing subsidiaries in
Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, and Puerto Rico and distribution networks in
all other countries in his territory. By 1997, the business had grown to
DKK 98 million from DKK 10 million in 1987. The profit margin in 1997
was 67%. The foundation for Per's business success stems from his years
working in sales with different European and US companies. It all began
in New England Nuclear, a Dupont owned company, as area manager for
Scandinavia, where Per successfully introduced its diagnostic products
to hospitals through out Scandinavia. He was top sales performer in
Europe during his last 2 years with the company. From New England
Nuclear he was recruited to Helm, a multi billion $ German chemical and
pharmaceutical raw materials company, to head up their expansion into
the Scandinavian markets were he grew the customer base by 30 new
accounts in one year from a previous base of 50. His next recruitment
was to Medicotest, a Danish medical device company, where he was given
the sales and marketing responsibility for the US, South European and
Latin American market. He successfully built a fully fletched
distribution net work in the US and increased sales over a one year
period by 50%. Per holds an MSc in chemical engineering combined with
several courses in business management. He speaks Danish, Swedish,
Spanish and German and has an in-depth insight on global issues. Per has
been very active in supporting community programs and is presently
coaching and mentoring young kids in Plantation. Profile
Mr. Gernow: Basically, Neurodan is a company that was a spinoff from the
University of Aalborg. The two founders were researchers in the
University of Aalborg, and what
