Swiss Product Development going well
13/3/2011
What are particular challenges with international product development projects ?
Mark Harris identifies: senior management engagement, clarity of roles and responsibilities, cultural differences, local management, channels of communication, division of financial control and contractual considerations.
And as the Interim Programme Director for such a project Mark is applying his skills in real time on a fast schedule, locating himself between the UK, Switzerland, Singapore and China. The result is that the programme is going well.
Can Mark help you ? Contact him on +44 7801 495699 or mark.harris@mhim.co.uk.
Due Diligence identifies Investment Opportunity
22/10/2010
Mark Harris recently completed the technical and commercial due diligence on a new technology for a UK company.
His work helped the Board plan a path for the future development of this exciting new business opportunity.
As a result, the company is now considering venture finance as a way of moving forward, an avenue not considered by them before.
Please contact Mark on +44 7801 495699 or mark.harris@mhim.co.uk if he can help you identify the right route forward.
New Product Trends in the Medical Device Industry
22/10/2010
Mark Harris was asked this question on Linked In this week:
"With increasing frequency, companies are choosing to acquire R&D versus developing products in-house. How will this strategy impact the medical device industry long term ?"
Here is his answer:
"This trend has been on-going for some time. I myself was a victim of it in 2004.
"It is a response to a greater focus by corporate management on risk reduction and cash generation which is driven ultimately by shareholder pressure to deliver on-going returns (or perceptions of shareholder pressure anyway).
"Corporate companies are moving away from risky, cash-absorbing activities such as R&D (or focusing in on only very specific areas of R&D anyway). Some counterbalance this by investing in venture funds which are used to support smaller businesses and start-ups in the hope that this will generate new, commercially viable devices which can then be picked up by the corporate sponsor. Or there are various consultancies that corporate companies can pay to develop a specific product if they so wish.
"Is this all a bad thing ? Actually I think not. I think it is an inevitable change and natural development in the way that product R&D takes place.
"It obviously is unfortunate for those that lose jobs as a result, but at a business level I think it brings focus and energy into the development of new medical devices.
"Do not forget that the huge majority of medical device development companies have only a few employees. And this has been the case right back to the 1970s when some hospital surgeons first encouraged engineers to start developing and manufacturing products for their own use. Corporate R&D is the odd kid on the block in this respect.
"So in some ways, I think we are returning to the way that things used to be in the medical device industry 20-30 years ago."
Do you agree ? Please contact Mark on +44 7801 495699 or mark.harris@mhim.co.uk if you have a view on this.
Mark Harris agrees to speak at Interim Management Conference in Budapest
19/2/2010
Mark Harris today agreed to speak at a conference being organised by the Hungarian Interim Management Academy in May. He will present his views of interim management best practice from a UK and Western European perspective.
Still a relatively new concept in Hungary, interim management is taking off rapidly in response to demand from multinational companies locating in Hungary as well as domestic SMEs starting up there.
"I am very pleased to have been the first choice of the organisers, based upon the close fit of my background and experience." said Mark.
Please contact Mark on +44 7801 495699 or mark.harris@mhim.co.uk if you have any thoughts on what he should say.
Visiting Lecture at Strathclyde University
5/7/2009
What makes a medical device successful ? Mark Harris expressed his views and sought feedback at a meeting with over 40 post-graduates last Friday whilst giving the first visiting lecture of 2009 at the BioEngineering Unit at Strathclyde University, Glasgow.
His presentation looked at what makes medical devices successful and concluded that the local hospital route may well lead to successful products as well as the more expensive and commercially dependent national or international route. Warmly received, Mark then went on to spend time informally with the students over drinks and sandwiches.
Recent work in the BioEngineering Unit includes non-invasive techniques for disease and health determination, research into solutions for schizophrenia and early exploration into how to determine the onset of liver disease. One area of particular note is the use of intense blue light to sterilize skin areas against infection - particularly burns.
Please contact Mark on +44 7801 495699 or mark.harris@mhim.co.uk if he can help you with your medical devices strategy.
Successful Completion of China Partnership Assignment
5/7/2009
Mark Harris made a further visit to Hong Kong and Fuzhou in June/July. This completed his assignment to set up a partnership in Fuzhou for the manufacture and new design of medical devices for a UK company. The on-going management of this project has now been internalised within the UK company, leaving Mark free to consider new assignment opportunities.
Please contact Mark on +44 7801 495699 or mark.harris@mhim.co.uk if he can help you with contacts or interim management in the Far East.
Meeting with Dell Design Manager, Jonathan Biddle
4/3/2009
Mark Harris met Jonathan Biddle in Taipei last night to discuss links in Taipei with the computer industry. They discussed trends in the industry and the impact of the global recession on the Taiwan economy.
Mark and Jonathan, who also has an interest in off-road mountain biking, discussed contacts in areas of carbon fibre manufacture and high performance hydraulics as well.
Telephone: +44 7801 495699
E-mail: mark.harris@mhim.co.uk