Augusto Mitidieri named most innovative pharmaceutical CEO in Europe

British magazine Business Worldwide Magazine bestows its annual BWM CEO Awards to exceptional leaders around the world across a range of sectors. This year, a leader from the Greater Zurich Area has been honored: Augusto Mitdieri, CEO of the Ticino-based pharmaceutical Sintetica, was named “Most Innovative Pharmaceutical CEO – Europe”.

Sintetica specializes in pain management therapies, developing, producing and marketing injectable anesthetics, analgesics and narcotics. The company employs 300 people from 29 different countries.

It recently received the green light to market a new drug application in the US, a “particularly impressive feat for a medium-sized company”, according to a press release announcing Mitidieri's win. The company’s R&D team is also currently working on a new method of post-surgery pain relief, which has the potential to “completely revolutionize the way acute pain is managed”.

Mitidieri impressed the jury with his collaborative management style. In 2011, the company adopted a new culture called “Sintetica – a great place to work”, which favors a non-hierarchical organizational structure that encourages employees to flourish.

“Passion is a motivating force for the company, and it is important for people to feel that they are making a difference; having a social impact and making change for the better,” said Mitidieri. “We encourage people to smile – this improves wellbeing across the company.”