Taoiseach announces Establishment by MSD of EMEA Services Centre creating 150 new jobs
13/05/10
Shared Business Services Centre is a Strategic Boost to Ireland's Life Sciences Sector
Dublin, Taoiseach Brian Cowen TD, today (Thursday May 13th 2010), announced that the world's second largest pharmaceutical company, MSD, part of Merck & Co., Inc., has chosen Dublin as the hub for its newly established Shared Business Services Centre (SBS Centre) for its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) operations involving the creation of 150 high quality jobs.
Welcoming the announcement, the Taoiseach said, ‘The MSD EMEA Shared Business Centre is a strategic win for the Life Sciences Sector in Ireland and I am delighted to be here today as part of this announcement. The establishment of this Centre means that the world's two leading pharmaceutical companies have now selected Dublin as the headquarters for EMEA financial shared services centres.'
‘Shared services activities are of great importance to the pharmaceutical sector in Ireland and are in keeping with the Irish Government and IDA Ireland's policy of transformation within Foreign Direct Investment companies. IDA Ireland works with client companies to expand their original mandates and to seek new corporate mandates for Ireland. The new Shared Business Services Centre, along with both MSD's and Schering-Plough's existing RD&I and manufacturing operations here demonstrate the critical importance of adding other strategic functions across the value chain to enhance the longevity of the subsidiary and the strategic importance to their parent corporation".
The establishment of this EMEA SBS Centre is part of MSD's strategy to create a multi-function Shared Business Services organisation to support key business functions at a regional level. Regional SBS Centres have already been established for North America and Latin America in Nth Carolina and for Asia Pacific in Singapore The EMEA SBS Centre will support business transactions in the areas of finance, accounting and managed services such as travel and meetings.
The new EMEA SBS Centre in Dublin represents a significant investment by MSD in Ireland and builds on the success MSD has experienced through its other business presence in Ireland which includes manufacturing, clinical research, sales and marketing.
"Both Merck & Co., Inc. and Schering-Plough have had a presence in Ireland for more than four decades. Our presence now includes seven separate sites in Cork, Carlow, Dublin, Tipperary and Wicklow. This most recent invest by MSD builds on the success we have experienced through our existing business functions in Ireland."
"Dublin was selected after careful consideration and evaluation of various options. We believe Ireland offers the best combination of factors to ensure the success of the Centre with a strong track record in the successful execution of complex projects such as this and an excellent business environment for the pharmaceutical and financial shared services industries. Other factors include the quality of Ireland's educational system, quality of life, its highly educated workforce with excellent
language skills, and its proximity to European markets" Stacey Gelman, Vice President Shared Business Services.
Recruitment is scheduled to commence shortly. Further information is available on www.msd.ie.
Editors Note
Today's MSD is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. MSD is known as Merck in the United States and Canada and MSD elsewhere. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer care and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships.
MSD. Be well. For more information, visit www.msd.ie.
MSD in Ireland
MSD employs 2,300 people directly in Ireland and provides an additional 9,000 indirect jobs through its operations at sites in Carlow, Cork, Dublin, Tipperary and Wicklow.
In the last four decades the company has invested over €2.2bn in Ireland.
MSD is one of Ireland's leading exporters and contributes significantly towards making the pharmaceutical industry the country's leading export sector. MSD is a member of Guaranteed Irish and manufacturers or packages many of its leading products for the world market in Ireland.
For further information
MSD Ireland
Ciara O'Rourke, Director - External Affairs Tel: 01 2998706, Mob: 086 388 7004
Nicola Fullam, PR Manager, Tel: 01 299 8707, Mob: 086 044 1609
IDA Ireland
Thomas McEvoy, Press Manager, Tel: 01 6034255, Mob: 087 7426684
Antoinette Tyrrell, Press Officer, Tel: 01 603 4256, Mob: 087 7572053
Government Press Office
Michael Moran, Email: [email protected]; Mob: 0872531675