Read the Conversation
EF: What are the current priorities on your agenda this year, and what challenges and opportunities do you foresee in the Spanish market?
CM: This year, I have three main priorities. First, I want to see through our digital transformation from inside to outside, focusing on our internal operations and generating high-quality data that can be used to improve our performance. This involves updating our systems and enhancing our communication and work processes.
Second, I want to enhance our interactions with customers through ongoing dialogue and collaboration. The healthcare sector is in constant transformation, and digitalization and new technologies are disrupting our sector like other sectors previously (financial, automobile, insurance, etc.). New models of care are being implemented with the aim of clinical excellence, process efficiency, and patient experience. Our focus is on continuing to develop businesses with a strong technological component, as well as working on digital solutions that complement our products and services, bringing added value to hospitals, healthcare professionals, and patients.
Another key priority is sustainability. It is one of our company values and is firmly embedded in our Group strategy. We need to establish frameworks that ensure responsible resource use for current and future generations. This includes minimizing environmental impact and optimizing the use of resources. This goes beyond emission and includes things such as human resources and operational processes, where we need to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare professionals, bringing value for better and more sustainable care.
EF: How are you working with different stakeholders to help push towards your goals?
CM: We are working closely with our customers because we cannot follow market trends and healthcare evolution without their involvement. Everything we do responds to an initial customer need and market demand; listening and asking them to better understand their needs is crucial for us to work on constant improvement and development of our products and solutions. This is actually one of our main values “Sharing Expertise”.
In this dialogue, we need to consider healthcare holistically—not just in hospitals but also in how we can extend care to the home care market, supporting new models of care during the whole patient journey.
At B. Braun, we cover most of the hospital's needs in terms of medical devices, treatment solutions, and surgical equipment. We have products and innovative solutions that cover the demands of chronic patients with home care treatment for surgical or acute patients in the hospital setting. We believe in a constant dialog with all the stakeholders involved: hospital managers, procurement, healthcare professionals (doctors and nurses), patients, and families.
B. Braun has a broad portfolio of over 5,000 products across 15 different therapy fields, so we must focus on what brings more value to the system. Our company portfolio has evolved in the last years, coming from a product portfolio perspective to a solutions provider, developing and implementing added value services and new digital solutions to bring real value to our customers and into the market, which in Spain is predominantly public. Technology, innovation, and customer needs are clear focus areas in our company strategy, and they are aligned with our portfolio and pipeline development.
EF: How would you describe the strategic significance of the Spanish market to B. Braun? How do you attract resources to Spain?
CM: Firstly, within the B. Braun group, the Spanish healthcare market is highly developed and holds significant strategic relevance. Spain boasts numerous large teaching hospitals and universities, which are recognized as global centers of expertise. Its focus on research and innovation drives the market forward. When discussing the importance and future of the Spanish market, both with headquarters and colleagues, I highlight these strengths. The advanced state of the healthcare system, combined with its recognized research and innovation capabilities, underscores Spain's pivotal role within the B. Braun group.
Spain also hosts company production and logistic centers, which are strategic to the group. In Rubí (near Barcelona), we have the Center of Excellence for OR Supply with all the global departments such as R&D, Quality & Regulatory Affairs, Global Marketing, Production, and Logistics. We commercialize our solutions from Spain to the world. In addition, we act as a Center of Competence for pharmaceutical products and solutions with high technical skills and know-how, including R&D.
EF: How are you using AI and distilling useful applications of the technology?
CM: For me, the answer has two parts. On the one hand, we are exploring various product fields where AI can enhance our solutions and provide better service to our clients. Unlike big pharma, B. Braun is more focused on how AI could help to improve hospital processes efficiency and clinical outcomes- at a customer level rather than developing new drugs. We also foresee AI use at an internal level to increase efficiency in internal processes. Both aspects are key factors to contribute to a more sustainable health and clinical excellence, which are aligned to the UN sustainable goals."
The second part of my answer addresses the necessity of creating high-quality data. To fully leverage AI in the future, it is crucial to generate good data, not just for AI's sake but to enable its effective application in healthcare. This is a major challenge, as the success of AI in healthcare depends on the quality of the data we create and use.
EF: Why and how are you using different forums and chambers to bring about the value of B. Braun?
CM: It comes back to our infrastructure. Given our broad portfolio, we need partners to continue developing effectively. I firmly believe that collaboration is essential for advancing the system. If each company worked in isolation, we would waste resources. This ties in with sustainability, as we aim to make the best use of the resources available to us.
While we do compete with other companies, collaboration is a key factor in bringing innovations to the market. I particularly appreciate the Barcelona Health Hub's approach to supporting startups in bringing their products to market. Many startups with great ideas never reach this stage, and through collaboration, we can look at mid-to-long-term, helping them succeed. I believe that through collaboration, we ultimately come out ahead in the long run. As a family-owned company, we prioritize long-term vision over short-term gains.
For us it is crucial to create a culture of innovation throughout the organization and in both directions: from customer to B. Braun, and from B.Braun to customer working together bringing value and new solutions into the market with our expertise and by the power of technology, digitalization, and automatization.
We promote local innovation as valuable channels to work and validate together potential solutions, and we are part of the ecosystem of Innovation and Digital Health in Spain collaborating with global reference hubs such us Barcelona Health Hub or Catalonia Bio & Health Tech, as well as well with FENIN representing MedTech companies in Spain.
EF: If you had to create a roadmap to the future of healthcare in Spain for the next ten years, what would your three base pillars be?
CM: A major pillar for us is optimizing the resources needed to provide care to people. We must be innovative in finding solutions that require fewer resources, especially considering an aging population and the trend toward home-based care. We should contribute to making “more with less” possible and helping to allocate qualified resources properly, enabling more quality time for patient care.
Another significant pillar is examining the entire value chain, particularly with the introduction of the new supply chain law from a European perspective. We are actively working to optimize processes across the value chain, from production to end-users like hospitals. This includes exploring sustainable packaging solutions while ensuring balance and efficiency. Addressing waste and resource utilization within the system is paramount and requires smart and innovative approaches.
I would add a third pillar related to having quality data. With the digital transformation and new technologies being implemented, data generation will significantly increase. As a main player within the ecosystem, we should contribute to generating high-quality data, assuring the expected applicability in health, and bringing value for decision-making, treatment efficacy and process efficiency.
EF: How does B. Braun attract and retain the best talent in such a competitive market?
CM: On one hand, we are proud and grateful to work for a purpose for which we are very committed: to protect and improve people’s lives around the world. This purpose not only attracts talent but also expands the talent pool available for the healthcare market. The difference between working in other sectors and healthcare lies in this purpose.
Secondly, our values as a family-owned business shape our approach. With a focus on the mid-to-long term, we prioritize innovation and sustainability, which are integral to our company's ethos. This long-term perspective not only guides our actions but also influences our employees' sense of belonging and fulfillment. We strive not only to attract but also to retain talent by providing a supportive environment and opportunities for growth. Our commitment to our employees reflects our dedication to nurturing talent and fostering a vision that extends beyond the present generation, ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.
EF: When you celebrate your 20th anniversary at B. Braun, what are you going to be most proud of?
CM: Especially in Spain, we have made significant strides in our transformation into a technology-driven company, both internally and externally. We have made substantial progress toward creating a more sustainable healthcare system. If we succeed in this endeavor, it will be a source of immense pride for me. Tomorrow is my 17th anniversary. We will clink our glasses in three years if we achieve our goals.
EF: Do you have a final message for our readers?
CM: While we have placed significant focus on the Spanish market, our presence extends globally; the local infrastructure helps us harness the right talent, collaborating with Spanish healthcare professionals to craft solutions that have a global impact, driving B. Braun Spain's footprint worldwide ultimately, our continuous investment in the Spanish healthcare system is driven by the availability of top-tier talent. Although our initiatives may not solely benefit Spain, the nurturing of talent from our Spanish roots remains fundamental to our global endeavors. Finally, we must remark that we are very committed to our purpose, embracing the power of technology and innovation to make advancements in healthcare possible.
