Torrent: Indian Success, Brazilian Ways

Orlando Famá, the head of Indian firm Torrent in Brazil, is self-effacing when talking of the affiliate's success. "What happened with Torrent in Brazil is that we did not imagine that we would be so good in the beginning!" he says. "In the beginning we were doubling sales almost monthly. One of things we did to achieve this result was, my boss—a very smart man responsible for many countries as well as Brazil—he understood the pharmaceutical market. He understood the Brazilian culture, and he helped us to launch a company with a Brazilian profile even though we were an Indian company."

Orlando Famá, president, Torrent

From its start in 2002, under Famá's leadership the Brazilian affiliate became the company's biggest by 2009, having launched 19 products in the cardiovascular (CVS), central nervous system (CNS) and Oral Anti-Diabetic segments. Famá stresses that India is completely different from Brazil. He refers to an earlier time when an anonymous assistant of an executive suggested an approach a la India. "He wanted me to handle the marketing like in India, with the same way of promoting, the same approach, the same strategy, and the same culture. He wanted us to have dinner with doctors in Indian restaurants!" Famá politely declined. "I told him we are not launching in India. We are not selling India. What we have to sell is the quality of our company and the quality of the products that we have. Let us show them that we have high quality with a lower price."