A true corporate leader is one, who is apt in handling and managing the diverse role of an executive, a manager and a globe-trotter who is always looking for fresh avenues ashore. Glenn Saldanha, MD, CEO, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Limited is one of such corporate leader who combines all these virtues, all rolled into one. A man of dynamic qualities, Saldanha has given Glenmark Pharmaceuticals a new reputation in the international market.

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, under the able leadership of Saldanha, is making a foray in the European market. All along, the company has been one of the frontrunners in the industry. Even in the current race for newer acquisitions and mergers, it is seen to have held its fort ably. Undeniably, all this has been possible because of one man - Saldanha.

A global, fully integrated, research-based company headquartered in Mumbai, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals under the mentoring eyes of Saldanha, has grown at a compound annual rate in excess of 27% over the past 5 years, and is now among the few Indian firms with a successful drug discovery programme.

A Bachelor in Pharmacology and an MBA from Leonard Stern School of Business, NYU, Saldanha joined Eli Lily's global marketing team soon after graduation. His last assignment was with Pricewaterhousecoopers USA and as consultant he worked with top pharmaceutical companies like Rhone Poulenc Rhorer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Astra Merck and Smith Kline Beecham.

Saldanha joined Glenmark Pharmaceuticals in 1998 as Director and took over as Managing Director & CEO in 2001. He has played a key role in the rapid growth of the company since he joined it. It was his untiring work which was instrumental in transforming Glenmark from a national business to a global firm with salient interest in research and discovery.

Known for having a penchant for striking deals, Saldanha was the main force behind the agreement between Glenmark and InvaGen Pharmaceuticals when they entered into collaboration for the development, filing and marketing of seven generic pharmaceutical products for the US market. The product list includes a mixture of off-patent and patent-protected molecules. The deal is expected to bolster the Glenmark's presence as a serious player in the US market.

As per the agreement, Glenmark's US subsidiary will exclusively market the products while InvaGen, will be responsible for their manufacture and supply. All development and regulatory costs and profits on sale in the US will be shared equally between Glenmark and InvaGen. This deal is regarded as one of the biggest achievements of Saldanha.

Not only this, Saldanha has so far facilitated many acquisitions for the company. The size of these is under speculation. In the meantime, the company is carrying on their foray into the market of South Africa and Latin American countries like Brazil. It has also made a deal with the leading German manufacturer Merck. For Saldanha, it has been an odyssey of success and a march towards assuming a far greater role in the international market. Sure, for a man like Saldanha, this is only a stepping stone towards greater achievement and success, glory and fame.