Steffen Saltofte, CEO of Zentiva, is to serve as President of Medicines for Europe, the European association representing manufacturers of generic and biosimilar medicines. Mr Saltofte will lead the organization from 2026 to 2028, replacing Markus Sieger, who is stepping down.
Mr Saltofte is taking over the leadership of Medicines for Europe at a time when the pharmaceutical industry is facing new geopolitical challenges and pressure to ensure a secure supply of medicines for European patients. He has already emphasized that he intends to focus primarily on building strategic partnerships that will ensure the availability of treatment in the future.
Mr Saltofte recently spoke in an interview with EU Perspectives about the challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry.
Four prioroties outlined
The newly appointed president has set four main pillars for his two-year term. These include protecting the availability and affordability of medicines for patients as well as resilience and competitiveness. Mr Saltofte also stressed the importance of a modern, simple, and harmonized legislative framework that enables manufacturers to efficiently supply medicines to the market. According to Mr Saltofte, sustainability should be balanced with responsibility for access to treatment.
I am ready to support Medicines for Europe in building health security, improving open strategic autonomy, and ensuring equal access to medicines. – Steffen Saltofte, newly appointed President of Medicines for Europe
“I am ready to support Medicines for Europe in building health security, improving open strategic autonomy, and ensuring equal access to medicines,” Steffen Saltofte said.
An experienced leader
Mr Saltofte is no newcomer to the industry. Since 2023, he has served as CEO of the Zentiva Group, where he manages a team of more than 5,000 employees in 30 countries. Before joining Zentiva, he served as CEO of Acino and held senior positions at multinational corporations such as Boehringer Ingelheim and Maersk Line. He has previously served as Vice-president of Medicines for Europe.
