Anastasios Politopoulos, the Deputy CEO & Chief Operating Officer of RONTIS, has been a driving force behind the company’s growth and innovation in the healthcare industry. His journey began in the medical devices sector, where he quickly advanced from sales roles to leadership positions, gaining deep insights into both business development and market dynamics across advanced and emerging regions. Joining RONTIS over a decade ago, Anastasios played a pivotal role in expanding the company’s global presence, while fostering innovation in pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Since assuming his role as Deputy CEO & COO in January 2023, he has been instrumental in steering the company’s operations and strategic direction, ensuring RONTIS remains at the forefront of healthcare advancements worldwide. His commitment to excellence and passion for improving patient outcomes continues to shape RONTIS’ mission of delivering innovative medical solutions on a global scale.
Let’s explore the details below!
As Deputy CEO & COO, what are your primary responsibilities at RONTIS, and how do they align with the company’s strategic goals?
In my current role, I hold the responsibility of the daily operations of the company, ensuring that our activities align with our strategic goals. This includes overseeing our production facilities, supervising business development and sales generating activities, ensuring compliance with regulatory and quality standards, and organizing initiatives to enhance operational efficiency. Additionally, I focus on strategic planning and execution, working closely with our CEO, Mrs Efi Soultou, and our leadership team to drive growth and innovation. My responsibilities also incorporate prioritization of tasks and fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement, which is essential for maintaining our competitive edge in the healthcare sector.
Could you describe RONTIS and its mission in the healthcare sector? How does the company contribute to advancements in healthcare technologies?
RONTIS is a leading healthcare company committed to delivering innovative medical solutions that improve patient care and outcomes. Our mission is to develop, manufacture, and distribute high-quality pharmaceuticals and medical devices that address people’s needs. We are dedicated to advancing healthcare technologies through demanding research and development efforts, combining cutting-edge science and expertise that began more than 90 years ago.
Our contributions to the healthcare sector are multidimensional, ranging from pioneering new drug formulations to the development of innovative medical devices. By continuously investing in pharmaceuticals R&D, we aim to provide differentiating solutions that enhance the quality of life for patients worldwide.
What role does innovation play at RONTIS, particularly in developing new medical technologies and products? Could you highlight some recent innovations or upcoming projects?
Innovation is a cornerstone of RONTIS, driving our efforts to develop new pharmaceutical technologies & products and medical devices. Our innovative culture encourages creative thinking and exploration of new ideas by our selective scientists, leading to significant advancements.
We are investing heavily in research and development of Value-Added Medicines, i.e. (Drug reformulation, Drug combination) supported by clinical studies. These medicines are based on known molecules, address healthcare needs and deliver relevant improvement for patients and healthcare professionals.
In the medical devices field, I am excited to share that we are progressing rapidly in the development of an innovative drug coated balloon. More specifically, we have developed successfully an alternative limus drug and a proprietary excipient that jointly provide excellent stability along with an efficient focused drug delivery approach. Moreover, RONTIS is pursuing the development of a novel “nextgeneration” coated balloon catheter that aims to inhibit the process of atherosclerotic plaque development through the use of genetic factors controlling gene expression. RONTIS is developing novel endovascular solutions that aim to set higher safety and efficacy standards in the global clinical practice.
In your experience, what are the current challenges facing the healthcare industry, and how is RONTIS addressing them through its products and services?
The healthcare industry is currently coping with several challenges, including amongst others supply concerns, rising costs, regulatory complexities, sustainability challenges and the growing need for safe and cost-effective advanced medicines to meet the demand of an increasing and in parallel an ageing population whose needs are supported by stable or shrinking government healthcare budgets.
At RONTIS, we prioritize regulatory compliance to ensure our products are safe and effective and always in line with the most updated standards set. We prioritize having multiple alternative suppliers for key APIs or components of our manufacturing process and we ensure not to place limitation in our key strategic partners per function. RONTIS’ commitment to sustainability is reflected in our environmental policy, which is an ambitious program aimed at reducing our waste, managing our water consumption, optimizing our company’s environmental footprint. Furthermore, we are pioneering medicine initiatives, investing heavily in R&D and manufacturing plants expansions to be in position to overcome supply anomalies, increase economies of scale and apply cost effective and innovative production methods to ensure production cost control.
What achievements at RONTIS are you most proud of, and how have they contributed to the company’s growth and recognition in the healthcare sector?
One of the achievements I am most proud of is our efficient expansion into new international markets, which has boosted our global presence and recognition significantly while contributing to our growth and establishing us as a trustworthy partner of choice. We have grown for eight years consecutively – eight globally challenging years. During more than half of these we actually delivered double-digit growth.
RONTIS’ products are available in more than 80 countries globally today. We have developed and launched 13 specialty generics over the last ten years, we have 20 pharma dossiers in our R&D pipeline, and we have issued more than 500 marketing authorizations for our portfolio globally. At the end of the day – and this is the cornerstone of building a credible brand – the fact that we have established business relationships that extend beyond the three decades says a lot – for “both sides of the equation”.
Moreover, I take great pride in RONTIS’ TEAM, which truly is the heartbeat of our company. Our employees’ dedication, expertise, engagement and passion drive our continuous success and innovation, creating a dynamic and resilient organization. Their collective efforts and commitment to our mission are fundamental to our achievements and ongoing growth.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for RONTIS in the next five years, both in terms of growth and innovation?
In the next five years, I aspire for RONTIS to continue its path of continuous growth, differentiation and innovation. We aim to expand our product portfolio with cutting-edge pharmaceutical technologies that address emerging healthcare needs and to introduce differentiating medical device solutions. Additionally, we plan to strengthen our global presence by staying at the forefront of innovation and maintaining our commitment to quality.
Based on your journey, what advice would you give to young professionals aspiring to leadership roles in the healthcare industry?
To young professionals aspiring to leadership roles in the healthcare industry, my advice is to cultivate a mindset of continuous learning and adaptability. To seek evidence, to question short-cuts and to challenge fast solutions. The healthcare landscape is constantly evolving, and staying on top of new developments and technologies is crucial. Seek out diverse experiences and be open to taking on different roles to gain a comprehensive understanding of the industry. Building strong networks and seeking mentorship from experienced leaders can provide valuable guidance and support. Most importantly, maintaining a people-centric approach should drive your actions and decision-making. Dedication, resilience, and a commitment to innovation will pave the way for a successful career in healthcare leadership.
