2024 was another successful year for Siegfried. How would you summarize it?

The Siegfried team once again delivered on its targets, continuing its journey of profitable growth fueled by strong underlying business. These results reflect our team’s dedication and pursuit of excellence. Beyond our day-to-day operations, we made targetted investments to support future growth, including the acquisition of an early-phase CDMO in the US and the inauguration of three state-of-the-art lab facilities across our network. With this momentum, and through executing on our EVOLVE⁺ strategy, we are well-positioned to capitalize on the long-term trends of our industry and strengthen our position as a leading CDMO of the pharmaceutical industry.

How will Siegfried’s EVOLVE⁺ strategy help continue this momentum in 2025 and beyond?

EVOLVE⁺ builds on the success of our EVOLVE strategy, which was instrumental in Siegfried’s growth and profitability in recent years. It reinforces our position as a leading global, integrated provider of development and manufacturing services. The strategy focuses on four key areas:

1. Broadening our range of technologies and services, enhancing our ability to support customers from early development to commercial production.
2. Accelerating profitable growth through a sharper focus on Commercial, Development, and Operational excellence.
3. Expanding our core business and scaling new areas to strengthen the capabilities and reach of our global network.
4. Pursuing value-accretive M&A as a catalyst for growth across all levels of our business.

With EVOLVE⁺, we aim to sustain our growth trajectory, to remain an employer of choice for industry talent and to deliver value to our shareholders.

You became Siegfried’s CEO in September 2024, what can you tell us about yourself that we won’t find in your CV?

I grew up in Valais, surrounded by towering mountains, stunning glaciers, and flowing rivers – a setting that inspired my passion for mountaineering. To date, I’ve climbed to the summit of 4000-meter peaks 19 times. These experiences taught me invaluable lessons: the importance of focus and ambition, the ability to navigate risks, and the power of teamwork – relying on and leveraging each person’s strengths to achieve success.

On a more personal note, my wife and two of my four daughters have diabetes. Their reliance on timely access to life-saving medicine fuels my deep commitment to the healthcare industry. It’s what drives me every day and has kept me passionate about this field for decades.

Since joining Siegfried in 2021, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the dynamic spirit, exceptional talent, and strong global network that make this company a standout in the CDMO industry. Leading Siegfried into its next chapter of growth is an exciting opportunity and I look forward to working together with my team to shape Siegfried’s successful future.

What makes Siegfried a sustainability leader in the CDMO industry?

Siegfried stands out as a sustainability leader in the CDMO industry by embedding sustainability into its core values and operations. In 2024, we advanced initiatives to reduce water and energy use, enhance safety, and submitted greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets to the Science Based Targets initiative.

We uphold the principles of the UN Global Compact, as a member company since 2022, and are consistently recognized with top-tier ESG ratings. This includes our inclusion in the Dow Jones Best-In-Class Europe Index (formerly Dow Jones Sustainability Index Europe) for four years, and GOLD or SILVER EcoVadis ratings at all sites. These achievements reflect our unwavering commitment to sustainability leadership.

Where do you see further opportunities for growth in the CDMO market?

We see significant growth opportunities across all segments we operate in, particularly in the small molecules segment and through the accelerating outsourcing trend.

Small molecules still dominate the development pipeline, comprising 55% of phase 3 candidates and the largest share of FDA approvals. Combined with their strong role in the USD 150 billion CDMO market – growing 7–8% annually and nearly 50% driven by small molecules – this presents a scalable opportunity for Siegfried to expand its market share.

Additionally, with 80% of new drug candidates coming from small- and medium-sized pharma, many of which lack manufacturing capabilities, demand for high-quality CDMOs like Siegfried continues to grow.

With our strategy EVOLVE⁺, which is geared towards capitalizing on these opportunities, we are set to outpace market growth across all our segments.