Month: January 2019

Morningside Pharmaceuticals’ Chief Executive Dr Nik Kotecha OBE has won a national award for taking an innovative approach to growing our business.

Dr Kotecha was named as Innovation Entrepreneur of the Year at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards. He won through to the national finals in London, after winning his category at the regional ceremony for the Midlands, last year.

After scooping the award, Dr Kotecha said: “I am truly humbled to be recognised nationally in this way and would like to thank my team for all of their support and hard work, as without them, this wouldn’t be possible.

“It’s our 27th year and what makes me really proud is seeing my team grow into leaders themselves. So this is for them.”

Since Morningside’s inception in the 1990s, the company has supplied quality medicines to more than 100 countries internationally, as well as become one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of generic and branded medicines to UK pharmacies and hospitals.

The company began as a garage start-up and Dr Kotecha has since grown the business by using innovation to embrace challenges with heavy investment, including research and development, and launching new niche molecules.

Dr Kotecha said: “Through taking an innovative approach we have been able to develop novel ways for patients to take their medicine, which has provided greater choice for both patients and pharmacists.”

Some examples of this innovative approach include being the first to launch the generic version of the contractive pill to the UK, in 2010, as well as creating slow and prolonged release tablets.

Dr Kotecha also dedicates his time and resources to supporting many philanthropic causes, and works with a number of local and national business organisations in the community.

For the Innovation Entrepreneur of the Year category the judges were looking for tenacious and analytical innovators, who are creative and problem solvers by nature, with a real drive to improve their sectors and challenge the status quo.

Speaking about what impressed the judges Safaraz Ali, from Pathway Group, added: “A very impressive success story with social investment alongside international expansion.”

Awards judge Elliott Denham, from Growth Enabler, added: “Dr Kotecha’s commercial acumen, combined with his in-depth research background, has enabled both Morningside and himself to become even more charitable when experiencing growth.”

A sale of old Morningside Pharmaceuticals’ computers and laptops has raised £800 for a children’s charity.

The fundraiser was held after the computers became surplus to requirements following an upgrade of our IT infrastructure.

The items were earmarked to be recycled, but at Morningside we’re always looking for ways to support the community and charities, so a fundraising plan was devised.

To help raise funds colleagues were asked to make a donation for each item, which has now been donated to the Children with Special Needs Foundation.

Colleagues were then able to benefit from the use of almost new IT equipment, while also supporting a good cause.

Monica Huang, Morningside’s Operation’s Director, said: “At Morningside we’re committed to working with communities to bring them together and to improve the quality of life of the people living there.

“We’re delighted to have been able to raise much needed funds for this charity. Thank you to everyone at Morningside who dug deep and made a donation to this amazing cause. Your help will make a big difference to the children supported by the foundation.”

The foundation raises funds to support individuals, groups and schools in their requests for equipment, holidays and tuition and to provide essential care for children with special needs. This also includes assisting very talented children who are finding it difficult to reach their true potential without support.

Gordon Parris MBE, from the Children with Special Needs Foundation, said: “Very many thanks indeed for the wonderful donation of £800, which we recently received from Morningside Pharmaceuticals.

“It came as a complete surprise and particularly at Christmas time, when we try and give families that little extra to help them have a good time.

“Our thanks to your Operations Director, Monica Huang, for nominating our special children.”

To find out more about Morningside’s charity and community support visit here.

Each Year Morningside Pharmaceuticals are proud to sponsor a number of business and community excellence awards.

These cover a wide range of topics from innovation, to business leadership, to highlighting women in business and celebrating entrepreneurship.

We also support various Leicester Mercury awards, which honour excellence in the community and include the annual Heroes of Leicestershire Awards, The Carer of the Year Awards and The Education Awards.

This spring we’re proud to be supporting the Leicester Mercury’s Innovation Awards, of which we’re headline sponsors, and the annual Business Awards.

Our Chief Executive Dr Nik Kotecha OBE said: “We’re delighted to be supporting this year’s Innovation Awards because one of the keys to any successful business is continuous improvement in line with customers’ needs. Innovation embodies the improvement of something that has come before, and it’s the companies that do this best, which are the ones that will ultimately have sustained success.

“This often means considering measured risks, such as taking a holistic approach to the whole business while ensuring investment is made in people and training. Ultimately the businesses which seek to make continuous improvements, close the biggest gaps and identify the newest opportunities.”

We’re also proud sponsors of the Business Entrepreneur of the Year category for the Leicester Mercury Business Awards 2019, which Dr Kotecha explains is close to our hearts at Morningside.

He said: “Our company was founded in the 1990s through an entrepreneur’s dream of making quality healthcare an affordable and accessible reality throughout the world.

“Since then we have grown from a garage start-up, to a small to medium sized business, to a large corporate, which is now one of the 100 largest companies in Leicestershire.

“We’re delighted to sponsor this award because it recognises the achievements of other entrepreneurs in the county and provides them with a platform to celebrate their achievements.

“Good luck to all of the nominees, in our eyes you’re all winners!”