India's Covid vaccination programme stunning: Roche's Hoffmann, Duschmale

'They (the next 125 years) look more challenging than the past 125 years. The world has changed. We have to make quicker decisions'

Members of the founding family of Roche are in India to celebrate 125 years of the global pharmaceutical major. André Hoffmann, vice-chairman of the board of directors at Roche and great grandson of founder Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche, along with Jörg Duschmalé, a board member, spoke to Sohini Das & Nivedita Mookerji about innovations at the Swiss multinational, ownership and control, future of medicine, competition, profitability, private jets, and India’s role during the Covid-19 pandemic. Edited excerpts:  

How would you describe the 125-year journey of Roche in terms of learnings and mistakes? 

Hoffmann: If we are talking about the journey, our