Cengiz Zaim Appointed General Manager of Sandoz Türkiye

Cengiz Zaim Becomes General Manager of Sandoz Turkey Dr. Altan Demirdere, President of Novartis Group Turkey and General Manager of Sandoz Turkey since 2015, has decided to retire. Cengiz Zaim will take over the position of General Manager of Sandoz Turkey. After 42 years dedicated to the healthcare sector and filled with achievements, Dr. Altan Demirdere, President of Novartis Group Turkey and General Manager of Sandoz Turkey, announced his decision to retire. As of March 2022, Cengiz Zaim, who has successfully held the position of Director of International Markets Business Development, Portfolio and Launches at the company, will assume the role of General Manager of Sandoz Turkey. Dr. Altan Demirdere began his professional career in 1980 as a researcher in the R&D department at Sandoz Basel. Subsequently, he held various positions within the Novartis Group and Sandoz in Turkey, Switzerland, Hungary and Russia. In 2002, he founded the Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (ARPC) and served as Chairman of its Board for six terms. Returning from Russia in 2015, Demirdere was appointed President of Novartis Group Turkey and General Manager of Sandoz Turkey. During this period, he played an active role in expanding Sandoz Turkey's commercial operations. Within his responsibilities, he managed the company's strategic management and investment activities in the CIS and Middle East regions. Dr. Demirdere, who has made significant contributions to the Novartis Group and Sandoz throughout his professional career, made the following remarks regarding his retirement decision: "I have left 42 years of working life behind me. I remember as if it were yesterday the first day I started my internship at Sandoz Basel, when I was in my second year at the Faculty of Pharmacy in the summer of 1977. Gaining experience in healthcare, learning new things every day excited me greatly. I never lost this excitement. I lived every day with the same enthusiasm and determination as the first day. I worked hard. I made mistakes, and I learned to learn from my mistakes. I tried again. I never gave up trying. I worked with many valuable people who contributed to my career and to whom I contributed. I believe my greatest success in life is the people I have trained. Witnessing their success is a great source of pride for me. I thank everyone who touched my life on this pleasant journey. With the same enthusiasm, I am pleased to hand over the position of General Manager of Sandoz Turkey to Cengiz Zaim, who has held important positions within Sandoz, and I wish him continued success. Zaim's appointment to this position demonstrates the strength of Sandoz's deep-rooted culture of appreciating talent." he said.

Who is Cengiz Zaim?

Cengiz Zaim, a graduate of the International Trade Department at Boğaziçi University, began his career in 2004 at Eczacıbaşı. Between 2004 and 2008, he held various positions in domestic and international markets in the areas of International Corporate Sales and Business Development at Eczacıbaşı Holding, Eczacıbaşı Pharmaceuticals and Eczacıbaşı-Zentiva. He gained his first experience in sales and marketing leadership in the OTC (Over-The-Counter) sector between 2008 and 2010 as Manager of Eczacıbaşı Pharmaceuticals Business Unit. He ensured patient and consumer access to many products, particularly licensed brands from P&G. In 2010, he joined Abdi İbrahim as Business Development Manager. In 2012, he was promoted to Director of International Markets Business Development and subsequently became Leader of the International Markets Business Unit. He contributed to the company's international expansion, reaching exports to 50 countries, establishing direct country organizations in 13 countries, and achieving three-digit sales figures in dollar terms. In 2018, he simultaneously assumed the role of General Manager of Algeria alongside his current position. Zaim continued his career path at Sandoz Pharmaceuticals in 2019, joining as Global Partnerships Commercial Director. Working from Austria, Zaim undertook numerous responsibilities including global key customer management. In April 2020, he was appointed to the position of Director of International Markets Business Development, Portfolio and Launches, continuing his duties from Basel. Zaim is married, has two children, and is fluent in English and German. Throughout his career, holding senior positions in both Turkey and various countries, leading the strategic direction of numerous teams numbering up to 800, and beginning his duties as General Manager of Sandoz Turkey as of February 2022, Cengiz Zaim said: "Leading Sandoz Turkey will be a great privilege for me. It is an additional source of pride to take over this position from Dr. Altan Demirdere, one of the sector's most distinguished names. As Sandoz Turkey, we will continue to work towards ensuring everyone's access to high-quality medicines, and discovering new ways to improve people's quality of life and extend their lifespans. Our focus will always be on leading the way in ensuring patients' access to quality medicines." he said.