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Conversation highlights:
- Company Background & Structure. Gabame is a family-owned pharmaceutical group with four divisions: Gabame, focused on branded generics promoted through physicians in the private market; Medinter, which manages government tenders, contracting, and 4PL services; Ordan, the health and beauty division; and A7, which provides cross-functional support, including operations, importation, distribution, warehousing, and security across the group.
- The group also operates a specialized health and beauty company that manages and distributes two standout brands: Laboratorios BABÉ, a premium dermo-cosmetic line from Spain, and SHEGLAM, a fast-growing global cosmetics brand from the Shein Group. As the official distributor for both in Mexico, the company is driving its growth and positioning in the market.
- Daniel’s background: 25+ years of pharma experience, rejoined Gabame in 2020 during the pandemic.
- Strategic Partnerships & Pipeline. 33 global partners providing licensing agreements. Pipeline of more than 60 products planned for the next 5 years (more than 30 already submitted to Cofepris). Partnership model with multinationals includes a contract with Novartis for established cardio brands, representation of multiple Indian companies, and European partners: Adamed (Poland), Orion (Finland), and NTC (Italy). Positioning as a partner for mid-tier multinationals (rank 15–40) where Mexico represents <5% of global sales.
- Therapeutic Focus Areas. Strategic decision to concentrate on 6 areas: Cardiometabolic, Hospital/Critical care, Central nervous system, Urology, Oncology, and Ophthalmology; products outside these areas will be outlicensed to other companies.
- Growth Management & Culture. Major challenge: scaling team capabilities for projected company size. Company values framework: visionary determination, passionate energy, collective pride, unstoppable mindset, empowerment through trust, and trust through quality. Goal: become a “Mexican company that inspires pride”. Resource management through financial partnerships and banking relationships.
- Future Strategic Initiatives. Plan Mexico alignment: manufacturing partnership with Mexican government for pharmaceutical self-sufficiency (details still in development, not yet public). Accelerated growth strategy since 2020 to avoid reactive positioning.
EF: What two key achievements has Mexico’s life sciences sector accomplished over the past decade?
DA: The most important achievement has been the improvement in the health and well-being of the Mexican population, closely tied to the development of the pharmaceutical and broader healthcare industries. Two decades ago, conditions like ulcers were among the leading causes of death. Today, at least in some cities, that is no longer the case. These advances stem from sustained industry investment and the availability of affordable products that prevent common illnesses and improve quality of life.
A second major achievement is the expansion of access. Although far from complete, access has improved significantly over the past twenty years. Large segments of the population that previously lacked essential treatments now have access to medicines and healthcare services. This is one of the government’s key objectives. However, access is not only about funding. In many regions, distance, transport, and unreliable supply remain serious barriers. For some people, reaching a health facility still requires long journeys and repeated visits, only to find that prescribed medicines are not available. In Mexico, the experience of access varies greatly depending on where you live. Since everyone is, or will be, a patient, ensuring reliable and equitable access is essential for achieving meaningful impact.
EF: Could you take us through Gabame’s role in the Mexican healthcare ecosystem?
DA: The Gabame Group consists of several companies focused on health and well-being. Gabame began as a wholesaler and has evolved into a laboratory and pharmaceutical company that promotes its products to private physicians. Another division serves the public sector, participating in government tenders and providing 4PL services.
We also have a company dedicated to health and beauty, where we manage and distribute two brands: the dermo-cosmetic line from Laboratorios BABÉ in Spain and SHEGLAM, a cosmetics brand under the Shein group. We are the official distributors of both in Mexico.
Gabame Group’s purpose is to positively impact people, whether or not they are patients. We measure our impact by how we help people feel better. From pharmaceuticals to cosmetics, our work supports well-being and reinforces our belief that even looking better can help people feel better.
EF: What else should we achieve as a sector over the next four years as we move towards 2030?
DA: In the coming years, new therapeutic products will fundamentally change how we understand and treat disease worldwide. Some are already reshaping cardiovascular outcomes and diabetes care. Many diabetes medicines are now used for weight loss, but the real objective is broader: improving overall health. People want to look and feel better, and the evidence supports these therapies. They reduce cardiovascular risk and improve diabetes control. If we can meaningfully reduce the burden of these two major global diseases, the impact on public health will be profound.
As the pharmaceutical industry continues to improve lives, it will also face new challenges that reflect real progress. One of the most important will be accelerating access. If a medicine costs 200 dollars, it would be unacceptable for someone without resources to live only to 70, while someone who can afford it might live to 140. We cannot allow that kind of inequality.
At Gabame, we are working to address this. Over the next five years, we plan to launch 63 products. As a branded generics company, we already have 35 products submitted to COFEPRIS and licensing agreements for 63 additional products, bringing our development portfolio to nearly 90. Our pipeline is distinctive because we collaborate with 28 partners worldwide, unlike a typical national company that might launch only a few products. These alliances give us the license to introduce a broad range of therapies in the coming years.
We have also made a deliberate strategic choice to focus on six therapeutic areas: cardiometabolic, CNS, hospital care, urology, oncology, and ophthalmology. These define our strategy and where we aim to maximize access and impact. Some products in our five-year plan fall outside these core fields. In those cases, we will relicense them to other companies, rather than expand beyond our focus. When we chose these six areas, we also chose where not to compete. After a deep analysis, we identified where we can generate the greatest access and impact, and that is where we will concentrate our efforts going forward.
EF: How are you allocating resources between these six therapeutic areas? How do you manage growth, and how are you preparing for this growth?
DA: Growth is a demanding challenge that begins with people. Our team, starting with me, must have the capabilities to manage the company’s future scale. Although I have led an international company, I recognize that Gabame’s next stage will go beyond anything I have previously managed. Ensuring we can all operate at that level is essential.
A second challenge is resources. Gabame focuses on six therapeutic areas and is expanding with 95 products, alongside two additional businesses: one dedicated to government and another to health and beauty. The key is having the right leadership in each market and securing the investment required to sustain rapid growth, which we do in close collaboration with banks and financial partners.
In cardiometabolics, our partnership with Novartis shows our ability to work with global companies that need strong local expertise. Mexico represents a major opportunity: outside the top fifteen markets, around 95% of international pharma sales come from just five countries; the remaining 5% is spread across more than 100 markets, including Mexico. Many of the biggest operational challenges lie in that 5%, which creates space for companies like Gabame.
If large pharma players decide to close local affiliates in Mexico, they will still need a reliable partner. Managing many small affiliates across different countries is complex and expensive. Gabame is positioning itself as the partner of choice for companies that cannot justify a large local structure for a small share of global sales. We must keep improving until we match international standards and can represent global products responsibly. It is a serious responsibility. We must uphold the quality, ethics, and compliance that companies like this expect.
This has long defined Gabame. Our leadership team comes from multinational backgrounds, which has helped us build credibility. Today, we represent products from companies in countries such as Finland, India, Italy, and China. Looking ahead, our ambition is clearly to develop the capabilities and professional standards to become the preferred partner for international companies operating in Mexico, while continuing to promote high-quality products and expand access to healthcare for the Mexican population.
EF: How are you building the company's team and culture for the future? What kind of talent are you looking for as technology evolves and the company grows?
DA: Everyone talks about company culture and values, but what truly matters is living them. If you expect something from your team, you must embody those values yourself. At our company, we focus on several core values. The first is visionary determination. We approach every challenge with the conviction that we can make it happen. From very limited beginnings to now representing products from major companies and preparing to launch new ones, that progress has come from this mindset. This has to be part of everyone who joins the company.
Our second value is passionate energy. We act with energy, urgency, and purpose. Passion comes from within; it cannot be manufactured. People either bring that energy or they do not.
The third one is collective pride. New team members quickly notice that people help each other, even when they don’t know one another well. There is a strong sense that success belongs to everyone, not just a few individuals. Situations where teams have conflicting pressures are normal in any company. My role is to remind everyone that both sides are doing their best. The goal is shared success, not individual blame. We are all on the same ship.
Another core value is the unstoppable mindset. People achieve far more than they imagine when they truly believe they can. That is why this mindset matters to us. I constantly remind current and future team members that even if we cannot accomplish something today, we can position ourselves to succeed tomorrow.
Empowerment and trust are also fundamental. We empower people to make decisions, and we build trust through quality. Because we work with pharmaceutical products, quality is non-negotiable. We cannot offer anything that is not aligned with our purpose.
As a proud Mexican, I want Gabame to be a source of pride for the country. To achieve that, we must own that pride and consistently walk the talk. We will face challenges, and we will not be perfect, but we are committed to continuous improvement, with integrity and consistency in everything we do.
EF: Looking at what you have achieved so far from joining during the pandemic, what would you like to accomplish in the next four years?
DA: Gabame’s major transformation began when I rejoined in 2020. Over the past six years, a tremendous amount of work has taken place behind the scenes. The team has operated with intense focus and urgency. From the outset, our aim was not merely to react to the market but to stay ahead of it and deliver meaningful solutions for the Mexican population. In the coming months, we will align with Plan México, a key national priority for the next four years. Our objective is to support the country’s strategy to strengthen local pharmaceutical manufacturing and increase independence in production and supply. We plan to do this by developing our manufacturing capabilities and ensuring a reliable supply of key products for the Mexican Market.
The pandemic and rising geopolitical tensions have exposed the fragility of global supply chains. Companies must now adapt faster than ever. Early on, we decided we did not want to be a reactive organization. Instead, we committed to moving decisively: building partnerships, launching products, and, wherever possible, fostering greater independence. Our focus has always been on delivering results rather than talking about them. That mindset has defined our progress and forced us to accelerate. The outcomes of the last six years speak for themselves. We have forged relationships with 28 partners and are preparing to launch 95 products over the next five years.
This is how Gabame works. We are a company that prioritizes action over rhetoric and people over things. Years ago, we recognized that the industry needed to move faster and bring concrete solutions to market. Since then, we have concentrated on building independence and preparing for the future. The world will continue to change, and events like the pandemic and geopolitical conflicts only reinforce the importance of adapting quickly and staying ahead of what comes next.
Corporate security is a strategic priority for the group. In an environment of high and shifting crime risk, we assess and mitigate threats using advanced technology and robust security protocols to protect our people, partners, patients, and assets across offices, warehouses, and national and international transit. Safety Protection, Physical Security, Executive Protection, Cargo Security, Investigations, and ACTF (Anti-Counterfeiting Training) are managed by A7 for the group’s companies. These capabilities will now also be offered as specialized services to our partners and customers.
