Claudia Streuli, CEO and Chair of the Board of Directors at Streuli Pharma AG, knows all her employees by name, enjoys writing personal letters, and knows how to successfully lead her company into its 151st year alongside global players.
Growing into responsibility
Did you have a dream job as a child?
No. As a child, I enjoyed spending time at the family business and was thrilled to help with the production of ointments. Nevertheless, I didn’t have a dream job in mind at the time.
Today, you are the managing director and owner of Streuli Pharma AG. What three milestones do you consider to be central to your career?
The first major milestone was starting my career after studying pharmacy. It felt like arriving in another world. Suddenly, I was in charge of departments that were heavily male-dominated and sitting across from employees who had known me since I was a child. I quickly learned to transition from a collegial to a hierarchical management style. Two further milestones followed in 2003 when I took over as managing director and finally in 2014 when I became chair of the board of directors.
“The higher up you are in the hierarchy, the lonelier you are”
What does it take to be successful in your position?
Passion, a keen interest in the tasks at hand—and a certain capacity for suffering. The higher up you are in the hierarchy, the lonelier you are. The main responsibility lies with me. That’s not easy.
How important are social media to you?
I take a cautious approach to social media (Facebook, LinkedIn) and prefer personal contact. I also like to pick up a pen and write a personal letter or card.
150 years of Streuli Pharma: tradition as a foundation
Congratulations on your 150th anniversary. What does tradition mean at Streuli Pharma AG and how do you manage to be innovative at the same time?
Tradition does not mean maintaining the same management style as 150 years ago. It means upholding a system of values. That does not exclude innovation – on the contrary: innovation is the reason why we have been successful for 150 years. Each generation has developed the company further.
You are the fifth generation to run Streuli Pharma AG. What do you do the same as your ancestors – and what do you do differently?
Like my ancestors, I focus on sustainability. Profit optimization is not our top priority. We have treated our employees with respect since the very beginning.
For example, I know each of our approximately 200 employees by name. Anyone who is newly hired (whether in my line of work or in another) is introduced to me personally right from the start.
The fact that I am the first female CEO and the first female chair of the board of directors of the company (apart from my great-great-grandmother, who ran our pharmacy for a few years) is an obvious change. I work with modern management systems and ensure transparent communication. In addition, my generation has placed greater emphasis on marketing.
Is it more difficult for employees in your family business to take on responsibility than in a traditional corporation?
One of our advantages is the size of the company: it is easier for employees to get involved and actively participate in discussions. Decision-making processes are short. At our company, an employee is not just one of many. I see a risk in the fact that it is clear that if all else fails, the owner will take responsibility. This is a mindset that we try to transform into positive activity through professional leadership.
In your opinion, what three personality traits should a leader have in order to successfully lead a team?
It can’t be limited to three: empathy, the ability to motivate, critical thinking, openness, and a lot of courage. It’s character that counts. “Leadership” can also be learned to some extent. But as my father used to say, “You can’t make a whistle out of wood that isn’t there.”
Did you take advantage of coaching yourself?
As the eldest of three sisters, I took on responsibility early on and still enjoy doing so today. I never struggled with making decisions. My understanding of leadership developed almost by itself. Nevertheless, coaching proved to be very helpful in certain situations during my career. For example, when it was not yet common practice for women to take on leadership roles in a male-dominated professional world. This is still an issue today, by the way.
Success through Swiss quality
What are the advantages of manufacturing in Switzerland?
Swiss quality remains an important criterion in our industry. Just think of drug safety. In Switzerland, we meet the highest standards. We also have highly qualified employees here – who in turn meet our own ambitious requirements.
You distribute a very wide range of human and veterinary medicines, dental medicine, and generics. Will you remain true to this diversity strategy in the future?
It is not always easy to manage the various strategic business areas simultaneously and meet the needs of their diverse stakeholders. Nevertheless, the effort is worthwhile – the breadth of the product range offers great opportunities.
Do you think that small pharmaceutical companies can stand up to large international corporations in the long term?
Yes, I am convinced of that, otherwise I would not be leading Streuli Pharma AG into its 151st year. Our opportunities lie in niche markets – global players focus on the big picture. There is plenty of room for us in between. With this strategy, we will continue to be successful in the future.
Conclusion
Claudia Streuli leads Streuli Pharma AG with a clear understanding of values and personal responsibility. She does not see tradition as the preservation of old structures, but as a basis for further development. Proximity to employees, sustainable action, and short decision-making processes continue to characterize the family business to this day.
