Published on 29/06/2021
Dear Reader
When Novartis was founded in 1996 through the merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz, the public outcry was huge. The merger was not only perceived as a threat, but as disrupting a long tradition in which Basel naturally saw itself as a chemical city where things followed a predetermined course. Fear of change and job losses fueled general resentment against large companies and triggered fierce criticism.
The founders of Novartis were not surprised by this reaction. But they did not shy away from their responsibility. From the very beginning, the focus was geared toward the future. The economic and social importance of the chemical industry, which made the city famous well beyond its borders and ensured its prosperity, was already in decline 25 years ago. From this vantage point, change was necessary. The merger of Sandoz and Ciba-Geigy and the increased focus on pharmaceutical activities provided the new company, and also the city, with new growth prospects.
Today, a quarter of a century after the creation of Novartis, the initial fears proved to be largely unfounded. The decision to move ahead was right. Strengthening pharmaceutical research and development was a sustainable path. The ensuing success was also due to the fact that Novartis, unlike its predecessor companies, globalized its operations and tapped into new markets in the USA and Asia, among other regions.
The strategy of continuous innovation, which Novartis pursued early on, has been reinforced ever since. While we invested around 2 billion US dollars in research in 1997, our annual spend for the development of new therapies stands at around 9 billion dollars. Thanks to these investments, we have not only achieved important medical milestones. We have also ventured into areas such as gene therapy, nuclear medicine and artificial intelligence – domains that seemed like science fiction just a few years ago.
Our willingness to venture into new and untested medical fields is undoubtedly a result of our long history, which allows us to draw on a vast pool of experience. Time and again, our associates – led by courage and confidence – have shown they can successfully take on difficult challenges and develop groundbreaking solutions.
Klybeck, the former headquarters of Ciba-Geigy, is part of this long history. In 2019, we sold the site to Rhystadt and Swiss Life, who will work with the city of Basel to transform it into a modern district. However, we will remain connected to this part of town, not just historically: In the coming years, we will continue to be active here, especially in the area of biological development and production, which began in Klybeck over 30 years ago.
As a company, it is important to keep returning to one’s roots. This is how you can gain strength to get through difficult times and develop new perspectives if you are prepared to learn from the past. From today’s perspective, Klybeck may be largely history for Novartis. But the many industrial and medical innovations that our predecessors developed here remain an inspiration and a model for us. Not only did the Klybeck site help drive the industrial revolution with its dye chemicals. Our predecessors also entered new fields of medical research here that today form the basis for the future, be it in oncology, biochemistry or pain therapy.
With the next two issues of live magazine, we want to recall part of the long and varied history of Klybeck. The focus will not only be on the work of Novartis and its predecessor companies. We will also take a closer look at the pre-industrial history of Klybeck and, especially in the second part, also focus on some of the people who will shape the future of this city district.
Klybeck forms an integral part of the long and successful history of both Novartis and Basel, which will transform the site together with Rhystadt, Swiss Life and the local population. We want to revisit this history, but also share it with the wider public – as a reminder of what can be achieved if you are led by courage and confidence – especially in today’s difficult times marked by the pandemic.
I hope you enjoy reading this issue and the upcoming issue of live magazine, which will also be available as a podcast series with Basel radio legend Roger Thiriet.
Joerg Reinhardt
Chair of the Board of Directors
“Download Live. N°8 as PDF here!”
