Organon Launches as Global Women’s Health Company, Returns to Benelux

On Thursday 3 June 2021, Organon celebrated its launch as the only global company of its size focused on women’s health; the newly formed company will have a presence in Benelux.

The global healthcare company, created recently through a spinoff from pharmaceutical company MSD, has two production sites and two office locations in the Netherlands and Belgium.

"Today we are not only launching a new company, today we are launching a commitment to the health of women worldwide. A commitment to listen to women, to understand ‘her’ health needs and help identify solutions that are urgently needed", explained Petra Willems, who has been appointed Managing Director of Organon Benelux. "It's a unique opportunity to build a new company that intends to be leading in women’s health, to address the needs and conditions that only or disproportionately impact women. Providing a healthier future for women also means providing a healthier future for their families and the communities they are part of around the world".

Organon started as a pharmaceutical company almost 100 years ago. The roots in the birthplace Oss in the Netherlands are still there, but the new Organon is different: no other large global healthcare company has the health of women as its primary therapeutic area of focus.

Petra Willems added: “Improving women’s health is critical to achieving a healthier world. Women make up more than half of the world’s population. As a new company, we will begin by listening to women’s healthcare needs to drive our product development - to create and deliver new solutions. Our impact will extend beyond medicines and reproductive health. Because we know there is so much more we can do for women and their health". 

On Thursday, the Organon executive leadership team ringed the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to mark the first day of active trading. At launch, Organon’s portfolio will consist of more than 60 medicines serving people in more than 140 countries, with nearly 80 percent of its $6.5 billion in revenue generated outside the US. Organon has three core pillars that will benefit from renewed management focus and commercial investment: Women’s Health, Biosimilars and Established Brands.

Of its approximately 9,000 employees worldwide, around 2,000 work either at one of the trusted production sites in Oss in the Netherlands and Heist-op-den-Berg in Belgium or in the Benelux commercial offices in Amsterdam and Brussels. Organon’s commitment to improving women’s health is also evident from the number of female leaders in the company: the representation of women on the board (comprising 70% of positions) is higher than any S&P 500 healthcare company.

Petra Willems is an experienced business leader with a long and successful 30-year track record in MSD across many therapeutic areas. Over the years she has held various roles with increasing responsibilities. During the last ten years, she has been part of the Human Health Management Team of MSD in the Netherlands, serving in five different Director roles.

Commenting on her appointment, Ms Willems said: "It is a unique opportunity to be able to build a new company with a culture characterized by entrepreneurship, empowerment and inclusiveness. I am very much looking forward to working together with an inspired, driven and effective team in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg for a successful and bright future, for both Organon and women around the world".