Podcast | David Pyott: The Braveheart of Botox and the barbarians at the door

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18 December 2015

In our latest Beyond Business talk Edinburgh alumnus and 4th ranked best performing CEO 2014, David Pyott, describes how he turned US pharma business Allergan into a $7bn global sales giant. Listen again now.

In this conversation with Business School associate, influential author and journalist, Kenny Kemp, he discusses how he transformed Botox, once an obscure drug created to ease eyelid spasms, into a $2 billion consumer sensation.

He also shares how led the battle against a seven month hostile takeover bid from activist investors and rival, Valeant Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Pyott speaks multiple languages and credits his Scottish education for giving him the foundations to run one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies.

Having stood down ahead of the company’s merger with Pfizer in a $160bn deal – the largest in US history – he now plans to use his eyecare expertise to support areas of need in Africa.