“I am happy to help sick people have a better quality of life”
Bart Vanhauwere has always given himself body and soul to the service of health. A doctor by training, he has also published several clinical studies in various leading scientific journals. Before coming to Morocco, he headed Roche’s subsidiary in the Netherlands for five years while being a member of the board of the Dutch Association of the pharmaceutical industry. This senior international executive, who has spent his entire career within the Swiss Group’s structures, has had a unique career path before reaching the position he holds today.
Twenty good years in the service of Roche
After his studies, Bart Vanhauwere began his career in clinical research and practised medicine for five years. He then joined the Roche Group, where he held several positions in research and development as well as in the safety and quality of pharmaceutical products. “I worked for 15 years at Roche Basel, which is the Group’s parent company. Then I was posted to the Netherlands as Managing Director for five years, and here I am today in Morocco for a year and a half now. It is a wonderful and very long adventure with Roche, and I do not want it to end! I am happy to help sick people have a better quality of life”, he explains.
When work bears fruit…
Thanks to his brilliant work, he quickly climbed the ladder within the Group to become Global Head of one of Roche’s therapeutic specialities, breast cancer. “I had to lead several projects, but I admit that the Herceptin project, which I carried for ten years, left a deep mark on me”. Recalling this professional memory, the Doctor remembers, with pride and nostalgia, the reception received at the presentation of this breast cancer treatment. “I will never forget that moment. In 2005, we presented the Herceptin data in Orlando at the largest ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) congress in a warm atmosphere. The data were applauded by the whole room. It felt like being at a rock concert, the guests were so happy with this achievement. For one minute, we were given a standing ovation. I admit that this moment is one of those that have marked me the most in my professional career, and we achieved it thanks to the expertise and goodwill of a whole team.”
Koffi Annan, the memorable encounter
“It was in Basel in 2000. At the time, he was Secretary-General of the United Nations.” It is with great esteem and respect that Dr Bart speaks of Koffi Annan. He acknowledges having appreciated his personality, his commitment and his humility. However, what struck the doctor most about this skilled diplomat “were not his speeches on unity, peace and dialogue”, he explains, “but rather all the social initiatives he undertook, followed and encouraged”.
Balancing personal and professional life, his daily challenge
“My family is my main centre of interest”, Doctor Bart, a family man, confides. For him, it is very important to maintain a balance between professional and personal life if one wants to perform well at work. One should know how to disconnect from the professional world from time to time to give a little of oneself to those for whom we matter personally. After his family and his work, his favourite pastime is sport. “I always organise myself to find time for sport. Health means physical exercise!” Indeed, the Doctor has always enjoyed doing sport. In fact, his boyhood dream was to become a professional footballer. “I took part in a number of competitions alongside my studies when I was at university. And I always saw myself as a future Zinedine Zidane”, he recalls with a smile on his lips. A dream that admittedly did not come true, but Doctor Bart has certainly managed to shape his life differently and positively by saving lives.
If you were…
A colour, which would you be?
Red.
A country, which would you be?
Belgium.
A personality… ?
Zinedine Zidane.
An animal…?
The horse.
A dish…?
Moules-frites.
A film…?
Life Is Beautiful by Roberto Benigni.
A book… ?
A short history of nearly everything, known in French as Une histoire de tout, ou presque, by Bill Bryson.
A song…?
What a wonderful world by Louis Armstrong.