Johnson & Johnson has opened its first multi-purpose meeting room in its J&J office space on the Main Campus of the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area in Allschwil in the canton of Basel-Landschaft. Known as the Swiss Innovation Hub, this is the North American pharma group’s first such facility located on the European mainland.

The hub, which is managed by Michael R. Hübner, Early Innovation Partner for J&J Innovation, serves as a key extension of J&J Innovation based at the London Innovation Center. “We know true innovation takes a village and so we’re continually seeking the most promising early innovations around the world that could benefit from our insight and collaboration”, Hübner says.

Basel Area as a “top region for scientific innovation”

In this sense, the Innovation Hub is designed to promote contacts with external collaborators from “the abundant innovation ecosystem in Switzerland and neighboring countries”, as Nerida Scott, Head of J&J Innovation EMEA, writes in a LinkedIn post. During the event to mark the opening of the hub, those in attendance learned from both her and the Swiss leadership team all about “the vital role played by Basel, and Switzerland as a whole, in both biotech and medtech innovation, and Johnson & Johnson’s continued commitment to the region”. In Switzerland, Johnson & Johnson employs more than 5,700 staff across both areas. Emmanuelle Quiles, Worldwide Vice President Cardiovascular, Metabolism and Pulmonary Hypertension at Johnson & Johnson, also underlines the importance of the Basel Area. She described it as one of the “top regions for scientific innovation in the world”.

Christof Klöpper, CEO of the investment and innovation promotion agency Basel Area Business & Innovation, also discussed the opening of the Innovation Hub. He highlighted the fact that Switzerland is a globally leading region in terms of innovation in the fields of medical devices and new medicines, in addition to boasting a rich talent pool.