Mandeep Singh is the chief operating officer and director with Reed Exhibitions India. He is the head of Reed's India operations and responsible for establishing the company's growth with a base in the country. In an interview to Pharmabiz, Mandeep Singh elaborated the company's views on Indian pharmaceutical industry and the future programmes of its flagship exhibition, Interphex India. Excerpts:

How is INTERPHEX relevant as a brand within a global market?
Today the pharmaceutical industry is a fine example of a truly global industry. Like their predecessors in the automotive or even food processing industries, pharma's large multi-national companies have understood the need to replicate their products, in exact form, wherever they are produced in the world. They are then free to be able to find the most advantageous country in which to manufacture or operate. As this process has developed, their supplier base has also become more global, and suppliers tend to follow their customers around the world. INTERPHEX provides the marketplace for both global and local companies to do business, wherever they wish, anywhere around the globe.

Can you give us a brief idea of the evolution of the INTERPHEX brand globally?
INTERPHEX is an acronym for the International Pharmaceutical Exhibition. It was first launched in London in 1975 by a company called Clapp and Poliak that was purchased three years later by Reed Exhibitions. The show ran annually in London until 1980, when a new event was launched in New York. The show then alternated each year between London and New York. However after only four years, both the UK and the US needed an annual event of their own.

The shows have been running in both countries ever since. It is one of the few shows where customers have grown and developed with an event through the years. There are many companies who still exhibit today, who were at the very first event. Some of them are now household names in the industry, and we have grown up together.

As a Global Brand, INTERPHEX, also expands its frontiers to represent the evolution of the industry globally. Our Customers, whether buyers or sellers have increasingly demanded that we facilitate both national and international business contacts. Beginning in the mid 1980s, as the Pharmaceutical Industry expanded globally, more INTERPHEX events developed globally. Japan was the next country to have its own INTERPHEX in 1985. The expansion process grew rapidly to keep pace with the market expansion, and so did INTERPHEX which set up its footprint in Singapore, Puerto Rico, Mexico, China and now India.

In 2007, we turned our attention to the Indian Pharmaceutical Tiger, and her neighbors in South Asia. The first edition of INTERPHEX India was held in Mumbai from 12 - 14 September 2007. We partnered with the most influential regional force in the industry, namely The Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA), who hosted their Annual IPA Convention alongside INTERPHEX India.

What were the highlights of the India show?
Well, our objective was to turn the international spotlight onto a region that is well on its way to becoming the Next Pharmaceutical Superpower and in that I think we were very successful. The launch edition of INTERPHEX India saw 186 exhibitors from 18 countries, over 30% were international. A number of the companies participating, whether local or international, were first time participants in an Indian pharma technology trade show.

On the visitor front, we opened our doors to over 7000 visitors from over 40 countries and over 500 delegates at the IPA Convention. Our profile was primarily senior management, decision makers from all rungs of the pharma industry.

There were a number of "firsts" at INTERPHEX India, things we do at most of our global events, but have never been done at Indian shows. For instance, all our exhibitors were provided with Lead Retrieval Technology to make the contact generation process easier. We hosted approximately 100 international buyers from leading international companies in North America and Europe through our exclusive INTERPHEX Club. We showcased future technologies that will impact Indian Pharma through our Technology showcase, which in 2007 was a cutting edge RFID Educational programme

What differentiates INTERPHEX from such similar events?
INTERPHEX focuses with obsessive intensity on both delivering premium quality events in every detail, and in the quality of the attendance it delivers. We also understand the need to select the best partners, to help us achieve our goals.

INTERPHEX has developed relationships and knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry over the past 32 years. This is unmatched by any other event. We have developed the world's largest database of drug manufacturers and suppliers. We have also developed our own publishing business within the pharmaceutical & medical field to become the world's largest scientific and medical publisher. Elsevier Science, our sister company, is one of the world's foremost scientific publishers, and The Lancet, published out of the UK, is a prime example of our leading magazines.

We go the extra distance to make sure the event contains the most interesting and latest technology, the best educational content, and we design our events to be entirely business to business. We take pride in the quality of our events. We spend more on promoting our events to deliver the best audience than any other organizer. Our events are premium products.

In a nutshell, the answer lies in the care we take to deliver the not just the best but also the most accurate business contacts our customers can hope to make, that they would otherwise not have been able to make. You will never see crowds at an INTERPHEX. We have no intention of being a crowd puller. What we would like to deliver to our exhibitors are the right kind of buyers. And the right environment in which to do business.

How successful has been INTERPHEX as a platform for diffusion of innovation?
The first automated capsule fillers were first seen on the show floor at INTERPHEX in the 1970s. Today you will learn how RFID technology is being implemented to confound counterfeiters. Technology is a constant theme at INTERPHEX. The conference further educates on latest technology. Just as auto-manufacturers will show off their latest creations in Frankfurt or Detroit, the pharma allied industry shows off at INTERPHEX.

Please comment on INTERPHEX global strategies for the future anticipating the evolving trends in the Indian pharma / biotech outsourcing industry.
INTERPHEX has always expanded in keeping with market demands. Outsourcing is the predominant theme of the current era. Our customers are looking to outsource more than ever before. Suppliers need outsourcing partners in order to stay competitive, without compromising quality. Manufacturers are looking to outsource everything from Drug Development, Phase I, II and III research, Proprietary and Generic Drug manufacturing, and all support operations. INTERPHEX has made it a key driver in our strategic development that we make the introductions and business connections on a world-wide scale. When companies say "outsource" they are rarely thinking of outsourcing to another company within the same town, state or country. They are thinking "global" that's where we come in.

When is the next edition of INTERPHEX India? What sort of participation does INTERPHEX India expect in 2008?
The next edition of INTERPHEX India will be from 28 - 30 August 2008 at the HITEX International Convention Centre in Hyderabad. The city has long been the Generic Capital of India and the move to the city is an acknowledgement of the vital role this city will play in India's global pharma fortunes in the years to come.

The reasons the spotlight has been turned on India are obvious. The world acknowledges the India Advantage. Lots has already been said about our educated workforce, lower production costs, globally competitive pricing, compelling argument for global majors to outsource a significant portion of their manufacturing and clinical research activities to Indian companies. The global pharma world has come to realize that to be globally competitive one must have an "OUTSOURCE TO INDIA" strategy. While the industry nationwide has been benefiting from this boom, Hyderabad has always had somewhat of an edge, given the local industry's focus and specialization on generics manufacturing.

Hyderabad is well connected to the rest of India. With the new airport come up recently in the city made of a short flight away for Indian industry professionals. It is very rare for a global pharma professional to visit India and not include Hyderabad in his travel itinerary.

The visitor numbers while important are not as crucial to us as the quality they represent. All our efforts towards promoting the event will focus on brokering new relationships between our exhibitors and the buyers they want to see. We are a niche show and our visitor profile will reflect exactly that. Our move to the state of the art HITEX Exhibition Centre also acknowledges feedback from global participants in our 2007 edition for comprehensive modern facilities and higher standards of service.

What are the highlights of INTERPHEX India 2008? How is it going to be different from the previous year?
Our move to Hyderabad, in itself is a huge differentiator and the credit for this move completely lies with our customers who wanted us to move with the market. We have also initiated a Special Program that will help our international exhibitors' set-up their business in India and explore the Indian potential; we have also printed a limited edition Guide to Business with Indian Pharma that we will distribute to prospective exhibitors and visitors at global INTERPHEX events. Our 2007 - 2008 Global Outreach Program (cross promotions and database access) will ensure that INTERPHEX India 2008 benefits from the muscle of the global INTERPHEX brand. INTERPHEX India 2008 will feature a Future Technologies Zone; this zone will showcase the next-gen technology and processes being introduced by industry innovators.

How do you see participation at INTERPHEX India evolving over the years?
At INTERPHEX India, I expect significant early growth. The region is not served well in terms of truly global Pharma events. In other smaller markets around the world countries have major events of 500+ exhibitors. India deserves and must have such an event. INTERPHEX India should develop into a major event of over 500 exhibitors within three years.

To be successful in one of the world's most global industries, one must have an international strategy, and one must keep a close watch on India. Whether you are an Indian supplier looking to do business with international buyers or an international supplier make strong, lasting business connections within the Indian pharma industry Reed Exhibitions together with the IPA would be honoured to help you achieve your goals.