Johannesburg, South Africa – Aspen Pharmacare, a global specialty and branded pharmaceutical company was honoured at the 4^th South African Investment Conference (“SAIC”) when it was presented with an award, by South African President Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, recognising Companies that Best Responded to the Challenges of the COVID Environment.

The award acknowledges the role that Aspen has played in localising efforts to manufacture vaccines. Aspen has invested more than R8 billion in pharmaceutical manufacture at their flagship site in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape with a further investment of R500 million announced at the 2022 SAIC.

Stavros Nicolaou, Aspen Group Senior Executive Strategic Trade said, “It is an honour for Aspen to be presented with the 2022 SAIC Business Award. We are committed to quality healthcare for all patients across the 150 countries that we distribute our products to, but Africa will always be one of our priorities. Our actions during the COVID pandemic are testimony to our resolve. During this time we have invested significantly in sterile manufacture to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, and we recently secured a license agreement to produce our own COVID-19 vaccine, Aspenovax, for distribution throughout Africa. We remain fully committed to ensuring the equitable and sustainable supply of vaccines on the African continent.”

“The SA Investment Conference is a key priority for the South African Presidency and is front and center of South Africa’s economic reconstruction and recovery plan. Our commitments support President Ramaphosa’s goal of attracting R1.2 trillion in investments over 5 years of which 90% has already been secured.  Aspen has been a significant contributor to this target having executed two investment pledges with one of these fully executed which has converted our Gqeberha site into one of the world’s largest manufacturing hubs for general anaesthetics.”

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Cape Town, South Africa – JSE Limited-listed Aspen Pharmacare (APN), a global multinational specialty pharmaceutical company, has been presented with the South African Government and Department of International Relations and Cooperations’ (“DIRCO”) Ubuntu Award in the Economic Diplomacy (Global) category at its prestigious 6^th annual awards ceremony hosted in Cape Town for this purpose.

This auspicious occasion was attended by Minister Naledi Pandor, Cabinet, senior members of Government, the Diplomatic Core, captains of industry and Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, World Health Organisation Director-General. This is the second Ubuntu Economic Diplomacy Award presented to Aspen, the first being in 2018.

Stephen Saad, Aspen Group Chief Executive said, “Aspen is honoured  to be presented with an Ubuntu Award for a second time in the Economic Diplomacy (Global) category. We have invested heavily in our pharmaceutical capacity in South Africa and the African continent. Our commitment to our country and our continent is demonstrated in our investments of over R8 billion in our manufacturing capabilities, which is more that the rest of the industry combined. These investments are critical for the industrialisation, autonomy and export opportunities for our economy. These investments have helped us play a pivotal role in harnessing our manufacturing excellence, scientific development and the significant skill and competency of our people in assisting to combat the COVID pandemic. Together with our cutting-edge technologies we are making tangible progress towards addressing vaccine inequality on the African continent. Through our agreement with Johnson & Johnson, we have produced more than 160 million COVID vaccines for distribution across the continent and we are working with them to finalise the terms on Aspenovax, the Aspen COVID-19 vaccine made in Africa for Africa.”

The Awards, that were hosted under the theme “Celebrating Excellence in Diplomacy – Working together to build a better Africa and a Better world”, recognise South African industry leaders, eminent persons and ordinary citizens for their distinguished service and contribution toward promoting the country’s national interests and values across the world.

Issued by:              Shauneen Beukes, Aspen Group Communications Manager | Cell: +27 82 389 8900

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Pretoria – The Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Mérite (Knight of the French National Order of Merit) was bestowed upon Stephen Saad, Aspen’s Group Chief Executive, at the University of Pretoria earlier today. 

The national order, originally announced on 11 March 2019, was presented by President Emmanuel Macron at a small event with limited guests in attendance, given heightened Covid-19 gathering protocols. 

The National Order of Merit, as awarded by the French President, recognises services and contributions rendered to France, and was created in 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle. Foreigners who have distinguished themselves by their merits in relation to France may be awarded a distinction in the National Order of Merit on the proposal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and within the limits of specific quotas fixed by decree for a period of three years. 

President Macron said, “It gives me great honour to bestow the insigna of Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Mérite upon Stephen Saad, in recognition of his role in developing the economic relations between France and South Africa, as well as his life-long engagement with initiatives that have benefited underprivileged communities across the world.” 

Responding to President Macron, Stephen Saad said, “I am deeply humbled and honoured to be recognised with this presentation and I wish to thank President Macron, the French and South African governments for enabling Aspen to contribute towards economic development between our countries. The national order conferred on me is, however, humbly accepted on behalf of Aspen’s employees who have contributed in various roles towards this recognition, most notably our employees in France who take responsibility for the production and commercialisation of our sterile medicines at our manufacturing site in Notre Dame de Bondeville, Normandy. These employees have, despite the many challenges experienced over the last year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, remained dedicated to providing healthcare solutions to patients through their expertise, knowledge and passion.” 

“Our sterile products produced at the Notre Dame de Bondeville site have, along with a number of other Aspen medicines, played a critical role in treating patients suffering from Covid-19 across Europe and elsewhere in the world. The French government has supported Aspen’s investment and manufacturing initiatives in France since our acquisition of this site in 2013 and we express our sincere thanks to France and its people.” 

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Michael Shuttleworth, Group Treasury Executive said, “We knew from the start that this was an ambitious project and there were times when it seemed like we wouldn’t get there. Winning the Adam Smith 2020 Best In Class Treasury Solution in Africa award is a shining testament to the innovation, dedication and teamwork of the many talented people at Aspen Pharmacare and BNP Paribas who were and continue to remain involved in the conception, design, implementation and running of this solution. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved.”

The are now in their 13th year and are recognised throughout the globe as the ultimate benchmark of corporate achievement. The standard of submissions this year was of the very highest level, with 187 nominations spanning 24 countries.

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The annual FTSE Russell Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Ratings have been published and Aspen has been included as a constituent member in the global FTSE4Good Index Series for the first time.

Jeanette Englund Aspen Group Risk Sustainability Manager said, “We are delighted to be included in the global FTSE4Good Index Series for the first time. Results from the June 2020 assessment indicate that Aspen’s overall score improved significantly from 3.7 to 4.5 out of a possible 5. Inclusion in this Index Series has also resulted in Aspen being positioned in the Top 30 of the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index as published at the end of June 2020. These outcomes are  attributable to the committed team who have collaborated to ensure that Aspen’s ESG related strategies and programmes and related disclosures meet the expectations of various ESG stakeholders.”

FTSE Russell uses the FTSE4Good Index Series as a multi-dimensional measure of the performance of companies demonstrating strong ESG exposure and practices. It provides the investment community with a tool for portfolio design and management to investigate ESG criteria, or as a framework for corporate engagement and stewardship.

Reg Hamman, Aspen’s newly appointed Group Corporate Services Officer, congratulated the team on the inclusion and score improvement. He said, “This achievement sets the bar very high for future years KPIs and I’m confident that we can continue to strive to score admirably in the FTSE4Good Index Series.”

FTSE Russell (the trading name of FTSE International Limited and Frank Russell Company) confirms that Aspen Pharmacare Holdings has been independently assessed according to the FTSE4Good criteria, and has satisfied the requirements to become a constituent of the . Created by the global index provider FTSE Russell, the FTSE4Good Index Series is designed to measure the performance of companies demonstrating strong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices. The FTSE4Good indices are used by a wide variety of market participants to create and assess responsible investment funds and other products.

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Accepting the award from Lindiwe Sisulu, Minister of International Relations and Cooperations (“Dirco”) on behalf of Aspen Pharmacare, Stavros Nicolaou, Senior Executive – Strategic Trade Development, said, “We are extremely humbled to have been considered as worthy recipients of the Economic Diplomacy (Africa) Award. Our ongoing commitment to manufacturing excellence, cutting edge technologies, scientific development and our significant skills and competency investment in our people, has led to Aspen becoming South Africa’s most globalized company. It is particularly pleasing that we are now ranked globally as the leading supplier of anaesthetics outside of the USA and the second largest global supplier of injectable thrombosis products, both in complex, and high value added technologies. We have never forgotten our South African roots and continue to make significant manufacturing investments in our country, continuously expanding both our domestic and export capability.”

Clayson Monyela, the Deputy Director General of DIRCO said, “The criteria for winning this category of award are stringent and the competition was particularly stiff this year. Accordingly, on behalf of DIRCO, we wish to congratulate Aspen, a company that was born in the post 1994 democratic era, for achieving this accolade. The Group has excelled in the area of Economic Diplomacy and has made meaningful contributions to social development, economic growth and transformation in our country, all of which are important criteria for winning this award.”

Nicoloau concluded, “While this award recognizes the present, we look forward to working with our multiple partners and stakeholders, which include South African Government, in uplifting disadvantaged communities through our numerous socio-economic enhancement programmes in the fields of healthcare and education and continuing to contribute to much needed economic growth, development and job creation in our country.”

The award is determined through a public nomination process, followed by open voting, comprising Government departments, corporates and the general public. The companies with the highest number of votes are then adjudicated by an esteemed panel of South African judges.

The criteria used for voting, and the criteria which determines the ultimate winner, includes contribution to South African growth and job creation, good corporate citizenship and governance, contributions to social development and societal transformation and alignment to our country’s National Development Plan (NDP).

Some 600 guests attended the Ubuntu Awards that celebrate excellence in diplomacy and honour individuals and companies that positively projected South Africa’s image through excellence in their chosen fields.

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At the Awards, hosted in partnership with CNBC Africa, Stephen Saad said, “You work at something and you build something together with the team and seldom have time to look back. To be recognized for it in this way is wonderful and particularly so for Aspen. We are a company with roots in South Africa and manufacturing in South Africa. We’ve grown our local talent to become a world player and Aspen is just a wonderful South African story.”

Saad said that the biggest challenges faced, besides business basics, was breaking into a generics market and making really big investments around quality and investment.

“Aspen competes with multinationals – we started a domestic company and have gone offshore to become a global company manufacturing in South Africa for domestic and export markets,” added Mr Saad.

“Going forward we will continue to look for strategic partners. We have completed a number of significant transactions and Aspen has built a really strong foundation now. Our aspiration in the short term is to build on that base and to double our size.”

The AABLA, Africa’s most respected business awards, honours remarkable leadership and salutes game changers of business on the continent for their continuing commitment to excellence, developing best practices and innovative strategies.

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Port Elizabeth – The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) today conferred the degree of Doctor of Commerce (honoris causa) on Stephen Saad, Aspen Group Co-Founder and Chief Executive.

Chancellor of the NMMU, Santie Botha said, ‘’It is an honour for NMMU to confer this honorary degree on Stephen Saad. His vision and drive in the world of business is inspiring and as NMMU we acknowledge the turn-around he orchestrated in a Port Elizabeth-based company that provides jobs to people in an economically struggling province’’.

In his address Stephen Saad said, “I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition from the NMMU. What has made the award even more personally meaningful, is that it has been bestowed on me in the same city that Aspen has chosen as the centre of our global operations. Port Elizabeth is the centre of our universe.” 

“However, in accepting this honour, I do so on behalf of the entire Aspen team, without whom no award would have been possible. I thank the NMMU for recognising our enterprise, drive and courage, but most importantly, our commitment that we in South Africa need not aspire to mediocrity. We have the capability to be a global player in whichever field we choose. It just requires a vision that recognises the realities and which is then executed with both discipline and focus.”

Mr Saad paid special tribute to his wife and four daughters, acknowledging them for partnering him and for having driven balance in his life. He also extended his gratitude to his mother and late father, who instilled a competitive but compassionate value system in their family environment.

Stephen, who was inducted into the international Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of Fame in 2005 and who was recognized as the 2012 Sunday Times Business Man of the Year, said that if he could share one piece of advice it is this: “Try to do something you enjoy, that you can do with pride and which rewards you beyond financial considerations. From a start-up operation with no revenue, Aspen now has a market capitalisation in excess of R120 billion and will have over 70% of its sales from abroad.”

“Aspen’s Port Elizabeth-based manufacturing site is the largest operation of its kind in the Southern hemisphere. It is the backbone and the engine room not only of our global operations, but it is also the source for most of the one in four medicines that Aspen provides to both the South African Public and Private sectors. It provides for the health of the nation, meeting the highest global quality standards but doing so affordably. In Port Elizabeth, the United States Food and Drug Administration tentatively approved the first generic anti-retroviral (ARV), which was developed by Aspen, and from these beginnings Aspen has been at the forefront of trying to combat this pandemic on the African continent”, said Saad.

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