Page 20 - The Way to the Top

George ABERCROMBIE

President and CEO of Roche North American Pharmaceuticals Operations

I’ve been very fortunate to have worked with prescription drug products
for my entire career, products that make a real difference in the lives of
hundreds of millions of mothers, fathers, grandparents, children, and

friends around the world. In my mind, there aren’t many other
businesspeople that can make such a claim.

After working as a pharmacist in North Carolina, I began my career in
the pharmaceuticals industry as a sales representative. As I started out
calling on physicians and other health care providers, discussing the

efficacy and safety of our products, I was given a simple yet powerful
piece of advice that has guided my thinking about this business ever since:
sell the medicines as if they would be used by my family, my friends, or

myself. This meant explaining the drug’s side effects in as much detail as
its benefits, resisting the urge to sugarcoat the drug’s value in order to
drum up sales. I would give health care providers all the information they
would need to make the best choices for their patients. To this day, the
humanity of each patient guides me in my work.

Put yourself in the customer’s shoes