Novartis made a decision on the strategic buyer with a strong vision for the Hotel Lek
In accordance with the decision Novartis announced in October 2015 about the divestment of Hotel Lek and in line with the sale process Novartis has decided on the strategic buyer with a strong vision for Hotel Lek in Kranjska Gora.
Among all received binding offers we have selected a buyer that best meets our expectations. The sale process focused on a buyer with a vision and a long-term strategic business plan to drive the hotel towards further success, and well-equipped with the hotel & tourism expertise as well as displaying true responsibility to employees.
For this sale we have selected a strategic and well-established buyer in the European Hotel Industry Association. The contract was signed with the Comfort Hotel Management B. V. The company specializes in management of hotels and hotel resorts in different European countries. It is one of the highest ranking independent hotel operators in Europe and approved to operate all brands within the Marriott, Starwood and InterContinental brand families. The company with its headquarters in Maastricht was established in 2013 in the Netherlands. As a premium hotel management company, their solid infrastructure of professionals possesses extensive experience in hotel operations, sales and marketing, revenue management and finance.
We have signed a contract with buyer. The terms of the sales in the contract are following tendering requirements, including that the selected buyer will maintain the hotel business. The buyer becomes the owner of the Hotel Lek in accordance with the terms of the contract at full payment, which should be done at the latest 40 days after signing. Novartis conducted the sale in socially responsible way.
Hotel Lek is satisfied with its operations in 2016. In the first eleven months the hotel’s operating income was according to plan. In addition, the hotel doubled its profit compared to the same period last year while controlling costs.
Lek, a Sandoz company, is one of the key pillars of the second-largest generic pharmaceutical company globally. Its role within Sandoz is to act as: a leading global development center for technologically demanding products and technologies; a key global manufacturing center for active pharmaceutical ingredients and medicines; a competence center for the development of vertically integrated products; a Sandoz competence center in the field of development and manufacturing of biosimilar active ingredients and products; a supply center for the markets of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), South East Europe (SEE) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and is responsible for marketing and sales of Sandoz products on the Slovenian market. For further information, please visit www.lek.si.
Sandoz is a global leader in generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals. As a division of the Novartis Group, our purpose is to discover new ways to improve and extend people’s lives. We contribute to society’s ability to support growing healthcare needs by pioneering novel approaches to help people around the world access high-quality medicine. Our portfolio of approximately 1000 molecules, covering all major therapeutic areas, accounted for 2015 sales of USD 10.1 billion. In 2015, our products reached more than 500 million patients and we aspire to reach one billion. Sandoz is headquartered in Holzkirchen, in Germany’s Greater Munich area.
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For further details visit www.sandoz.com/makingaccesshappen
Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, eye care and cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals. Novartis is the only global company with leading positions in these areas. In 2015, the Group achieved net sales of USD 49.4 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 8.9 billion (USD 8.7 billion excluding impairment and amortization charges). Novartis Group companies employ approximately 118,000 full-time-equivalent associates. Novartis products are available in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information, please visit www.novartis.com.
This press release contains statements and conclusions based on projections of Lek’s future business operations. These estimates are derived from the best information currently available. In case these forecasts prove unreliable, the actual results could prove different from those projected.
For additional information contact:
Katarina Klemenc
Corporate Communications
Lek Pharmaceuticals d. d.
Phone: +386 1 580 22 43
Fax: +386 1 580 24 32
katarina.klemenc@sandoz.com
