Servier Georgia - 20 Years of Care, Expertise and Best Outcomes

Interview with Maia Khetsuriani, the General Manager at Les Laboratoires Servier Representative Office inGeorgiaIt’s been 20 years since Servier began operating in Georgia.

It has been 20 years since Servier began operating in Georgia. What are the main achievements and challenges over the years?

In the past few years, the company has been through various stages of development, as we constantly have to acclimatize with an ever changing environment. Despite this, we have implemented many scientific and interesting projects together with the medical community. These projects have brought significant benefits both to doctors – in terms of continuous education, and to patients – in terms of increasing access to quality medications. Servier is a company that is always focused on patients and providing them with the best possible therapeutic solutions. Within the framework of social responsibility, we have also been actively trying to increase the population’s awareness on various diseases in recent years, that is one of the key factors for timely diagnosis and efficient treatment of any disease.

Talk to us about your career before Servier and how did you end up at this company?

I am a cardiologist by profession, then I got a Master’s Degree in General Management. After extending my professional education, I managed to gain some career experience before joining the small team at Servier. Practically, it turns out that I have been connected with Servier throughout the past 20 years and I have gone through different stages of development in different roles in this office and I have been the head of Servier’s office in Georgia for 14 years now.

What is a project or achievement you are most proud of?

Many projects can be listed, however, I will probably focus on the main one - this is the Servier team, which I have contributed significantly to putting together. It is the strength of this team that has spurred the company’s continuous progress. In recent years, it has become even more apparent why it is important to have an empowered team, especially when operating in changing and challenging environment. As a result of working in an environment that is professional, dedicated, and encourages unanimity, the representation of Servier Georgia is in the top five in the pharmaceutical market, and this is a success that makes me really proud of.

On March 17, a conference themed “Symphony of the Heart “ was held. What was the purpose of this conference, who participated and what important issues were discussed?

In connection with our 20th year anniversary, we wanted to make a special event. Cardiology is one of the important areas of Servier. Our cardiology medications are renowned for their high quality and effectiveness in the treatment of diseases such as Hypertension, Ischemic heart disease and Heart failure. Heart failure continues to be an important health care challenge, and that is why we decided to focus on this topic. The leitmotif of the event was to address concerns about how the knowledge about this disease has undergone evolution. Our intention was to highlight innovative approaches that exist in the management of patients today. We also planned, as I mentioned, to add a ceremonial and emotional part to the event along with the scientific part, and that’s how the theme “Symphony of the Heart “ was chosen. To recall the words of Maurice Ravel, an outstanding French composer of the 20th century: “Great music, I am convinced of it always comes from heart.” For patients with heart failure, quality life is of crucial importance. Also, with the joint opinion and decision of Servier Georgia, we presented the Servier symbolic award to 2 outstanding cardiologists - Mr. Irakli Megreladze and Mr. Sergo Orjonikidze, as a sign of respect for their immense contribution to Georgian cardiology.

What is it like to represent a foreign company in Georgia, and what is the standard that you want to establish in the Georgian market?

I think that representing a foreign company, specifically a French one, means being responsible for quality, implementing the European standard, and meeting the high requirements set by the head office. Our company is distinguished by its care for patients, and we try our best while working together with Georgian health care professionals to implement projects which serve and educate patients, and increases access to quality treatment in our country. Also, we constantly strive to promote and develop an ethical environment that is the common standard in Europe.

What does it mean to be a female leader, and what qualities are helping you to manage the company successfully?

I am happy and very fortunate to have grown up in a family where I always felt that I would have the same opportunities as men with equal education. Later on, I was lucky enough to study in a Physics-Mathematics class where most of the boys provided equal and healthy competition. I think this has shaped my personality and leadership qualities to some extent. I think what sets women leaders apart is flexibility along with strength, which is vital in today’s rapidly changing environment. Ultimately, running a company successfully is complex: having a vision and strategy, critical thinking and decision-making skills, innovation and creativity, and most importantly, building a team and moving towards a goal and success with a united spirit. This is possible only when the right values such as creating an environment of mutual trust, transparent communication and giving feedback, seeing opportunities for development, learning from mistakes, cultivating an environment focused on professional growth, and doing things with love are in place.

What is the proportion of female employees in your company and how do you attract and retain female talent?

Today, there is a lot of talk about equal opportunities for men and women. Servier headquarters has also set a separate goal to increase the number of women in management positions to 40% over the next few years. You will be surprised and probably you will not find many offices similar to the Georgian office of Servier. 90% of our office is made up of women, and often, in a positive light, the head office notes that this is even a determining factor in the steady development of Servier’s Georgian office. I would like to mention here that our team is composed of relatively few, but the best men, and our success is driven by the values that unite us all.

How do you see the future, and where do you see Servier representation in Georgia in 5 or 10 years?

The Servier company is focused on development, therefore, being able to respond to the changes in any rapidly dynamic environment has been our major aim in recent times. We aim for long-term plans which include – the 2030 goals which were recently shared with all employees of the company. The company aims to show sustainable growth during these years in the following areas: Cardiology, Endocrinology, Angiology and Oncology. Servier works on generating new molecules both within the company and in collaboration with various international research organizations. A new research center was opened this year, which will practically become a hub of innovation. In its future designs, Servier intends to pay special attention to social responsibility and environmental protection.

Also, the company’s logo was changed this year. Servier’s new logo reflects the Group’s successful transformation. It reflects the company’s unique way of continuously serving life through innovation, empathy, and experience-sharing. The new logo emphasizes our uniqueness as an independent group and our commitment to serving patient needs.

As for our office, with 20 years of experience, we are starting to write a new chapter, and we want to create an more impactful history over the next 10 years by using the capitalizing on our existing experience and striving for development. The main goals and directions are the same as the parent company and we will do our best to invest more in the country, both in terms of sharing expertise and ensuring the supply of modern treatments to patients.