Riccardo Braglia
Swiss-Italian Riccardo Braglia, who was born in Milan and grew up in Lugano in Switzerland, holds a degree in Business Economics with a specialization in Business Management from the Bocconi University of Milan. He has 30 years of international experience in the pharmaceutical industry.
Chief Executive of Helsinn Group, Riccardo took over the family run, privately owned pharmaceutical company, founded in 1976 by his father Gabriele Braglia, and has transformed it into an international group with operating subsidiaries in Switzerland, Ireland, the US and a representative office in China. Over the last 40 years Helsinn has built a worldwide presence.
Focused on building quality cancer care, Helsinn’s business model operates on the licensing of pharmaceuticals, medical devices and nutritional supplement products in the therapeutic area of cancer care. The strength of the Helsinn model is reflected in the product candidates that the Company has transformed into sustainable market successes. Milestones of Helsinn’s research and commercial history include Akynzeo®, Aloxi® and Gelclair®.
Today, Helsinn is a growing company with almost 600 employees. The Company’s R&D costs represent about 28% of consolidated net revenues in the last five years and its products are sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Riccardo Braglia’s focuses are operational and strategic, including high level business development, relationships with the pharmaceutical industry, financial, political and regulatory institutions, other stakeholders, public relations and communications internally and externally.
In March 2013, Helsinn established a new commercial organization within its subsidiary, Helsinn Therapeutics (US), Inc., in order to conduct direct sales and marketing activities within the U.S. market.Riccardo Braglia received the Swiss Venture Club’s Award for the Best Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 in Italian-speaking Switzerland, and the Ernst & Young Award for the Swiss Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 in the Industry/High-Tech/Life Sciences category. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Swiss American Chamber of Commerce.