Bangkok, Thailand – 12 December 2024 – Roche Thailand reinforces its commitment to advancing treatment innovation and cultivating corporate culture under its new General Manager, Matthew Simon Coates, who oversees Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. With a strong scienti c foundation and over 20 years of leadership experience in the pharmaceutical and research industries, Matthew steps into his role with a clear vision: to enhance access to innovative healthcare solutions and strengthen collaborations across all sectors.
Under the theme "Celebrate the Journey: The Path to Innovation and Collaboration," Roche Thailand hosted a media brie ng to introduce Matthew and reaf rm its commitment to research and development through scientic advancements. The event highlighted Roche’s agility as an organisation and its dedication to fostering cross-sector collaboration. This approach drives innovation and advances the healthcare industry in Thailand, ensuring greater access to breakthrough treatments for Thai patients.
The development of life-saving medicines is rooted in dedication and collaboration across Roche’s global network. Roche plans to increase its R&D investment by 5% annually, reaching $15 billion USD by 2026, to create medical innovations that transform lives. In Thailand, Roche has invested over 600 million Thai baht in Phase 1, 2, and 3 clinical research over the past 22 years, including 786 million Thai baht from 2019 to 2024.
Developing each drug involves immense effort, requiring over 7 million hours of research, more than 6,000 trials, and contributions from over 400 researchers to ensure efficacy and safety. Despite the challenges, Roche has provided innovative treatments to over 3 million Thai patients in the past decade, with 13 of its medicines listed in the National List of Essential Medicines, underscoring its role as a trusted healthcare partner.
Thailand is integral to Roche’s mission of elevating healthcare standards. By supporting local medical professionals in clinical research, Roche facilitates knowledge transfer and access to innovative medicines and technologies. Such collaborations empower Thai physicians to conduct research and adapt advanced care practices, ultimately benefiting patients nationwide.
A Deloitte study reveals that every baht invested in clinical research generates three baht in value for Thailand, further highlighting the positive impact of Roche’s investments.
Furthermore, conducting research in Thailand enhances the skills and experience of researchers and physicians, enabling them to develop treatment approaches that address complex healthcare challenges. In addition, Roche Thailand collaborates with universities and institutions to equip medical professionals with the knowledge and readiness needed to tackle future health issues effectively.
Roche’s success stems from its people-first approach. According to a 2024 employee survey, 92% of Roche Thailand employees expressed pride in their organisation. This reflects Roche’s agile structure, focusing on adaptability, rapid learning, and continuous improvement. This approach not only supports employees but also extends care to their families.
Matthew stated, “From my global experience, having a clear vision and empowering decision-making are essential for achieving shared goals. At Roche Thailand, we adopt an Outcome-Based Planning approach, focusing on results within 90-day cycles. This ensures adaptability to changing circumstances while supporting our long-term objectives.”
Encouraging teamwork, fostering equality, and cultivating an open atmosphere of collaboration empower employees to create and adapt effectively to challenges. Roche Thailand actively upholds its commitment to partnership and social responsibility in Thailand by collaborating with stakeholders from diverse sectors across the country. These efforts aim to tackle healthcare accessibility issues, improve patients’ access to appropriate treatments, and promote health education. Through various programs, Roche builds a society more informed about healthcare and fosters a stronger sense of community well-being.
Collaboration with Various Organisations: Roche Thailand partners with leading hospitals, universities, and public health agencies to ensure consistent and continuous improvement in access to innovative treatments. For example, Roche Thailand collaborates with Mahidol University to enhance knowledge related to health technology assessments for over 20 patient associations. Furthermore, Roche Thailand signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Health Systems Research Institute to advance Thailand’s healthcare system through research initiatives and related activities.
Roche Thailand demonstrates its commitment to giving back to society through ongoing activities that promote community health and education. A prominent example is the annual Roche Children’s Walk, which symbolizes Roche’s dedication to improving the well-being of children in Thai communities.
For Thai youth, Roche Thailand supports the promotion of knowledge about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) in schools to cultivate understanding and appreciation of these values from an early age. Among working professionals, Roche Thailand implements the Cancer Care Connect: Early diagnostic. Timely treatment. Keep Cancer Away program by providing critical information and resources. For students and university graduates, Roche Thailand offers practical work opportunities to 35–40 young individuals annually, enabling them to gain valuable hands-on experience within the organization.
Matthew highlighted Roche Thailand’s vision for playing a vital role in the healthcare of Thai
people. He stressed the importance of collaboration among all sectors involved, inspired by the adage: “When you run alone, you run fast. When you run together, you run far.” He elaborated: “The healthcare system thrives on the collective effort of all parties to deliver the best possible outcomes. While ideas developed solely within Roche may advance faster, their reach and impact on patients may remain limited. Conversely, co-created solutions developed alongside the public and private sectors, as well as other organizations, may take longer and involve greater complexity, but they ultimately lead to better patient outcomes and contribute to a more sustainable healthcare system in Thailand.”
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