Wockhardt rejigs overseas operations in growth push

Wockhardt Ltd is restructuring its international operations. It has appointed heads for the UK and the US operations, while a chief for the German operations will be appointed soon.

Sirjiwan Singh has been appointed managing director of Wockhardt UK Ltd "" the first managing director of a Wockhardt group company from outside the Khorakiwala family.

Arthur Maher has been appointed president of Wockhardt USA Inc. Mather will be in charge of the company's business in the US. The company is finalising the head for its German operations. Habil Khorakiwala, chairman and managing director of Wockhardt, confirmed the development.

Singh joined the company as a general manager at Wockhardt's corporate office in Mumbai and was elevated to the post of director at CP Pharmaceuticals prior to being promoted to the post of managing director of Wockhardt UK Ltd.

Maher will be in charge of the company's sales, marketing and distribution operations in the US. Prior to his assignment with Wockhardt, he was employed at Pliva Inc, the US subsidiary of East European generic drug maker Pliva. Wockhardt sells four products in the US - ranitidine, enalapril, bethanecol chloride and captopril.

Wockhardt has identified its international business, primarily in the US and Europe, as its growth engine.

The company's international business accounts for around 60 per cent of its total turnover of Rs 980 crore.

Around 80 per cent of the company's international business comes from the US and Europe, while 20 per cent comes from the rest of the world.

The company has merged its two subsidiaries in the UK "" Wallis Laboratories and CP Pharmaceuticals under Wockhardt UK Ltd which has a consolidated turnover of around £50 million.