Under the Radar: MSD on its Singapore Tech Centre and the importance of innovating and collaborating with local ecosystem players and startups

It’s all about the pharmaceutical industry today as we check in on one of our earlier guests on “Under the Radar” to find out what’s next for them. 

Known as MSD everywhere outside of the US and Canada, our guest aims to harness the power of leading-edge science to improve lives globally, and has been on the path of doing so for over 130 years, through the development of medicines and vaccines. 

The firm’s businesses span across three big categories, namely pharmaceuticals, vaccines and animal health, generating US$60.1 billion in worldwide revenue in 2023.

It set up shop in Asia Pacific over 60 years ago, and now has a footprint in 12 regional markets such as Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and more. 

Back home, MSD set up its APAC headquarters as well as a Technology Centre here in Singapore. It also recently celebrated its 30 years in the country. 

Back home, MSD set up its APAC headquarters as well as a Technology Centre here in Singapore. It also recently celebrated its 30 years in the country. 

But why are we speaking to MSD you might ask? Well, MSD’s venture unit is reportedly said to be planning to spend US$38 million across Europe and Asia in the three years from June 2024 to double down on its presence in the two key markets. 

But what kind of target firms is the firm looking for? What technologies does MSD want to build along with entrepreneurs in the two identified regions? How will MSD’s Singapore’s technology centre support this?

On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Abdullahi Sheriff, Managing Director, MSD Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei and Julie Olszewski, Executive Director and Communications and Change Management Lead, Chief Technology Office at MSD.

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