William Pedder, Chief Executive, Inward Investment Group, UK Trade & Investment
In
September 2003, the UK Trade & Investment, a government agency of United
Kingdom has established a team to identify and work with various stakeholders
and partners to promote the international business activities of the companies,
universities and research institutions in the biotech/pharma sector. The team
has developed a network in India and was able to bring in some kind of
coordinated approach to promote international business activities and
concentrate on activities where it adds value to the activities of UK business.
BioSpectrum spoke to William Pedder, Chief Executive, Inward Investment, UK
Trade & Investment, who was in India to take part in the Nasscom event about
the activities of UK Trade & Investment in promoting the biotech activities
in India. Excerpts:
What is the model UK Trade & Investment has adopted
to establish a platform for the benefit of the biotech/pharma companies of both
the countries?
We are part of the UK government. Our motive and objectives are to assure that
there are no barriers in doing business across the UK. Substantial and
experienced firms do not need our support for doing business. But when it comes
to acquisition, they may need legal support. In such cases we do not displease
them. For SMEs, we provide free information on tax benefits, legal, regulatory
issues, etc. We are ready to serve them for any help, but if they do it on their
own, we do welcome them.
We try to create a proper atmosphere for capital investments in the UK. We do offer ample and sufficient information on rules and regulations in starting a business in the UK and try to remove barriers coming in the way of making investments. We have a regulatory body, which is very transparent and helps in establishing rapport between the government and working group.
What are your programs to promote biotech/pharma
initiatives in India?
We do a lot of programs. First of all, we raise awareness about our initiatives
and second, we do provide information through our website
www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk. We do help people through introduction to the
professionals. We do it in two ways through advisory services and through
partnerships i.e., for technology transfers (partnering services).
We have a small program called global partnership. It is quite a popular facility. We are using that program in several countries. It helps in establishing joint ventures for development of technologies, technology sharing, etc.
As the first step, we work with events and activities such as trade fairs, seminars and missions. It helps us in developing a network of contacts within the government departments, trade associations, regional clusters, research and academic institutions and key firms. As we develop this network further, we will develop an understanding of regional issues, working closely with various regional organizations and developed administrations. We will also work in parallel with the UK industry and other government agencies to develop and implement a strategy that delivers corporate targets effectively.
Which are your focused areas as far as Indian biotech
industry is concerned?
India is a developing player in the biotechnology sector. We see growth
in biotechnology and pharma sectors in India. Centralized drug purchasing,
generic drug manufacturing, international collaborations skills and cross border
collaborations are our focused areas. India has good intellectual skills. Matching the talents of
India with the UK skills is another area we are looking at. However, the
challenge before the Indian biotech/pharma segment is enforcement of the
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). The UK companies are bit worried about IPR
in India. Hence the UK companies are looking at the US firms for tie-ups first,
rather than Indian companies.
In India, you initiated your biotech activities from
Bangalore. What made you to look at Bangalore first to start your operations?
We felt Bangalore was the most ideal location to start our operations
within our limited resources. It is an IT -BT hub and most of the companies in
both these sectors are located there. Our next destination is Mumbai, a base for
the Indian pharma industry. We move with the market and grow with the industry.
What are the achievements of the UK Trade &
Investment in India after the establishment of a biotechnology and
pharmaceutical team in September 2003?
We have been in India for some time now. We have some Indian IT companies
investing in the UK. Like IT, the level of interest among the Indian pharma and
biotech companies too is deepening. Wockhardt did an acquisition in the UK. Our
visit to pharma companies has doubled in the last couple of years. The companies
that are into formulation, developing and manufacturing and looking at getting
approvals for their oncology drugs in the UK are increasing. The companies are
finding profitable business in customization and packaging of drugs. Fast moving
companies do find opportunities in setting shop in the UK. And Indian companies
are fast moving. Arvind Pharma has started its operations in the UK. We are very
conscious that people may start with small operations but they will grow. We
don't regret that people start off with a small operation. If the market is
there, you will put more which is just what we have seen happening in the IT
sector. Companies like Avesthagen and Sudershan Group have small operations to
start with.
What is the current scenario of the biotech industry in
the UK?
The UK biotech industry is significant and the largest in Europe. Over 60
percent of the European BT companies are based in the UK. We see over 500 BT
companies. While the biotech is still taking shape in Europe, the industry has
already reached the second stage of investment in the UK after a significant
start. The industry has developed mainly due to the mixed form of
capitalization. They have raised funds from VCs in Europe, the US and from angel
investors.
Your views on EU ban on imports of BT products...
European Union has imposed a ban on import of GM products. However, we in the UK
feel that the customers should be given a choice. We are part of the EU (a group
of 15 nations). We have to go with the rules of the EU. GM food has become a
political issue in our country. The GM food-producing firms from the US put
pressure on the government of UK. But the government handled it in a balanced
manner. We always wish that the people should get the benefits of the
technology.
—Narayan Kulkarni
