The Japan Times WORLD EYE REPORTS GERMANY'S RHINE-MAIN REGION
©THE JAPAN TIMES	Thursday, October 25, 2001

New breed of leader takes charge "It is during periods of dramatic change when true leaders are made," declares Dr. Heinz-Werner Meier, CEO of Aventis Pharma Deutschland. Currently captaining Aventis' German market - one of its biggest and most demanding - Meier sees his daily job demands as "more challenging by the day but also more gratifying." With his mild manners belying deep insights into the pharmaceutical industry, Meier has gotten this relatively young giant's German operations firing on all cylinders.

Created in December 1999, Aventis is a result of the merger between global players Hoechst of Germany and Rhone-Poulenc of France. A world leader in pharmaceuticals and agriculture, it generated sales of around 14.77 billion dollars (16.09 billion euros) for 2000 in its core businesses With plans to divest its Crop Science and Animal Nutrition departments, the group has wasted no time in identifying and focusing on its playing field strengths. The director of Hoechst before the merger, Meier candidly relates the impact the new company has had on the economic region of Rhine Main. "For as far as anyone could remember this area we are located in now has been "Hoechst country." When the merger was announced there were obviously some reservations among the local community."

Dr Heinz-Werner Meier?s extensive experience is proving a valuable resource.

"But if you look at us now and what we have been able to achieve in terms of advancements in production facilities, the growth of knowledge-driven employment and public sentiment towards our name - the people of the Rhine-Main region have embraced Aventis as their own. We continue to bring prosperity to the region - this time with a very global flavor," he continues.

"One big misconception, in my opinion, is the tendency of people to characterize us as "Franco-German." Aventis stands as a global organization and our workforce and markets reflect it," Meier points out.

From his office in Bad Soden near Frankfurt, Meier could easily choose to rest on his laurels and few would question him given the tremendous success he has brought to the company.

But, his obsession with formulating the right mix of marketing and production continues to drive him forward. He summarizes his strategy as such: "The defining factor for success in our industry is the ability to commercialize innovative products at the right price."

The Aventis group has set concrete goals to generate a minimum average net sales growth of 10 percent from 2001 to 2003. So, the journey is far from over for Meier.

In Germany, growth is expected to come from the continuous evolution of established strategic brands and the launching of new products. Continuous growth in other key markets such as the US and Japan is also expected.

Meier's resume describes a man who put in many years and earned a solid reputation in the industry. Just as Aventis was founded amid an environment of change at the start of this new century, Meier represents a new breed of leader under whose leadership the industry can continue to thrive.

With a global slowdown imminent, Aventis has made a wise choice in hedging its German cards on this forward thinker.