PARIS, Nov 17 (APM) - French minister for the economy, industry and digital technology Emmanuel Macron has said, “Sanofi is a real point of vigilance for the government”, in terms of its location, according to an interview published on Sunday in the daily paper Le Monde.
Questioned over the “Florange law (that) has been watered down,” in particular a text designed to stop companies closing profitable sites, the minister said: “It is necessary to be clear on what one wants. It is not possible to want to be attractive and at the same time multiply exceptional measures, it is not possible to be both Monaco and Venezuela at the same time.
“It is important to attract foreign investors; they already employ two million people in France. Similarly, it is necessary for the large French groups to be attached to our country. Essentially, these large groups lead mid-size companies, as well as small and medium-sized companies, internationally and stimulate them to innovate: its a rope.”
Questioned as to whether this statement was “a message for Sanofi, whose former boss moved to the U.S.” he said the “real point of vigilance” was shown by the French group, but immediately added that the “message is wider”.
“Large French companies have a responsibility to maintain the (country’s) industrial fabric. This is an ethical decision on the part of economic decision-makers. For our part, we need to make sure we help them remain competitive and maintain their decision-centres in France”.
Chris Viehbacher was sacked by Sanofi on October 29 for not having communicated sufficiently with his board on a project - that has now been dropped - to sell off various mature drugs, a project that would also have involved selling several production sites. (APMMA 40252)
He was also criticised, but less so, for having moved to Boston in spring when Sanofi is based in Paris.
On Thursday, the French group is due to organise a presentation to investors concerning the drugs it hopes to launch over the coming months. The meeting will be held in Boston, where the head office of its Genzyme subsidiary is located.
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