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Catena and Fildas awarded at the Forbes Champions League Gala

Catena Pharmacies and Fildas Trading, leaders in pharmaceutical retail and distribution of pharmaceutical products in Romania, were awarded at the 2023 edition of the Forbes Champions League Gala.

Foto: Otilia Ostrotki, General Manager Tonica Group, Daniel Marin, CFO Fildas Trading, Anca Vlad, President of Fildas-Catena Group, Alina Marinescu, General Manager Catena

Forbes awarded the “Champions of the Decade” – “people and businesses that have managed to grow steadily over the past 10 years and turn a profit, regardless of the times, with the trophies awarded being inspired by the idea of rewarding the best”.

The awards granted to Catena and Fildas Trading pharmacies were received by Mrs. Anca Vlad, founder and President of the two companies.

The first award was presented by Virginia Oțel, corporate communication leader Garanti BBVA Group and Deputy General Manager Garanti BBVA Leasing.

“Mrs Vlad is a true champion. She can be best described by the word “focus”. She has managed to build a successful business, overcome many challenges and become number 1 in the industry with over 900 pharmacies. Her recognition is not only in Romania, but also internationally: a few years ago, she was among the Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World honorees. She is a role model for business men and women,” said Virginia Oțel.

“I’m very happy to be among the champions, after all, it’s like in sports: We run and we run, and it’s wonderful that Forbes sometimes makes a podium and puts us on it, so that we can feel the joy of being real champions”, said Mrs. Anca Vlad at the award ceremony.

The second award was presented by Mihai Păduroiu, CEO Office Division One United Properties.

“Thank you very much, you don’t even know how many memories this award brings back to me, because Fildas is my soul company – it was born in 1991, out of a need, because private pharmacies had appeared and there was no one to deliver their medicines. I guess even in my most optimistic dreams I couldn’t have believed that we would end up here. Slowly, but surely. Thank you very much!”, added the founder and President of Fildas-Catena Group.

Read more on Forbes.ro

Another Award for the Fildas-Catena Group: “The Award for Three Decades of Art in Business”

The Fildas-Catena Group has added yet another award to its prize list: “The Award for Three Decades of Art in Business”, offered during the CEO Awards 2022 Gala, on occasion of the launching of the new “100 Most Admired CEOs in Romania” catalogue.


The award was handed over to Mrs. Aurelia Babinciuc, Catena Sales Manager

“We want to emphasize the admiration we nurture towards those professionals who successfully activate in the Romanian business world”, declared Cristian Hoștiuc, Publishing Director of the “Business Magazin” and “Ziarul Financiar” media publications. The winners of the awards were selected following the public’s vote.

The award was offered to Fildas-Catena Founder and President, Mrs. Anca Vlad. “She is one of the first women who ventured in entrepreneurship right after the Revolution, when she founded the company Fildas. However, this entrepreneur made a mission out of supporting art in Romania. That is why <<The Award for Three Decades of Art in Business>> goes to Mrs. Anca Vlad, Fildas-Catena Group Founder and President”, was the organizers’ motivation.

The Fildas Art Foundation was created as a result of the involvement of the Fildas-Catena founder in the social and cultural field, as well as in the activity of supporting artists and cultural events. Fildas Art supports contemporary art, starting from founding the Senso Art Gallery, moving further with Romanian film production, up till music festivals: Gărâna Jazz Festival, Timișoara Jazz Festival or the “George Enescu” International Music Festival.

The award was handed over to Mrs. Aurelia Babinciuc, Catena Sales Manager, who stated her utmost appreciation for the votes received, which she considers to be cast to The Pharmacy of Hearts (Farmacia Inimii).

The CEO Awards 2022 gathered, within a festive framework, tens of guests, business people and representatives of the most important Romanian-based companies.

Business Magazin, one of the most appreciated business publications in our country, celebrates 18 years since its first issue, and the “100 Most Admired CEOs in Romania” catalogue reached its 13th edition.

Fildas-Catena Receives an Award at the Capital Elite Companies Gala

The Fildas-Catena Group, a leading company in pharmaceutical distribution and retail on the Romanian market, received the award for the “Most Profitable Company in the Pharmaceutical Industry”, within the Elite Companies 2022 Gala, organized by the Capital business magazine.

The award, handed over by Dr. Viorel Jinga, Chancellor of the “Carol Davila” Bucharest University of Medicine and Pharmacy, was received by Mrs. Alina Marinescu, Catena General Manager, alongside Mr. Daniel Enache, Catena Bucharest Branch Manager.

“Indeed, we are the leader on the pharmaceuticals market, we are the pharmacy chain with the highest number of units, a 100% Romanian brand and, alongside distributor Fildas, we are a Romanian success story. This is an award for the whole Fildas-Catena Group team, an award received following lots of hard work, mutual trust and professionalism. I wish to thank my colleagues for their commitment and for everything they did during these years, which were rather difficult for our industry as well”, declared Alina Marinescu.

Chancellor Viorel Jinga made the following statement: “As a doctor, I wish to thank all pharmaceutical companies for the millions of medicine boxes they distributed, as those are very important for patients’ treatment, but also from an academic point of view, because they help us with students’ and residents’ practice within the Faculty of Pharmacy. The pharmacist is a supporting pillar as far as the patient’s treatment is concerned, and yet the perception regarding this profession has somehow deteriorated. At the last admission exams we had a smaller number of candidates. Next year, we will be celebrating one century of pharmaceutical education in Romania.”

During the Capital Elite Companies Gala, the awards were directed towards the companies which, during the past year, registered the best performances in the main business fields, such as: the pharmaceutical industry, agriculture and food industry, banks and insurance companies, logistics, transport and courier services, energy, automotive, retail, construction and real estate, IT and telecommunications, as well as heavy industries.

Fildas is a leader in the distribution of pharmaceutical products on the Romanian market, owning 17 warehouses nationwide, with a total area of 55,000 square meters, as well as a fleet consisting of 200 distribution vehicles.

Catena is a leader in pharmaceutical retail, owning over 850 units nationwide, and having earned the appreciation and trust of millions of Romanians!

The Fildas-Catena Group Received the Forbes 500 Business Awards 2022 Trophy

Anca Vlad, Founder and President of the Fildas-Catena Group received an award from the Forbes Magazine during the Gala Forbes 500 Business Awards, event, which reached its tenth edition, and which celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit, as well as initiative and performance in Romanian business.

On behalf of Anca Vlad, the award was received by Alexandru Vlad, Vice-President of the Fildas-Catena Group.

“Thank you all, on behalf of President Anca Vlad and the entire Fildas-Catena Group. It is a united, strong and professional Group, the team being the one leading to these spectacular results. My mother successfully created the largest Romanian pharmaceutical Group, placing the focus on integrity, trust, mutual respect and human warmth. These are very important values for myself as well, I strongly advocate for them, and I am proud of being able to carry this story forward”, declared Alexandru Vlad.

The most important business event in Romania, Gala Forbes 500 Business Awards 2022, gathered  the most creative, the bravest and the most resourceful business personalities nation-wide.

“Just like, within the Olympic Games, elite sportspeople have the opportunity to excel on the global scene, the Romanian business elite excels in an environment that is full of challenges and changes, and within this Gala we showed our recognition by awarding those heroic entrepreneurs who encompass the Olympic spirit into their activities!”, stated the organizers of the event, to which Catena was a Platinum Partner.

“When we talk about the business world, the values of the Olympic spirit are excellence, performance, resilience, adapting power, development, as well as the respect and friendship we show others, upon creating organizational efficiency and stimulating innovation in all business sectors. Those entrepreneurs who are gifted with Olympic spirit manage to prosper, despite economic challenges, and, thanks to their activity, they succeed in supporting competitiveness on the local, European and global market”, declared the Forbes Romania editors.

Forbes: Anca Vlad, President of Fildas-Catena, awarded at the Remarkable Women’s Gala

Anca Vlad, founder and president of Fildas-Catena Group, was awarded at the Remarkable Women’s Gala, organized by Forbes Romania & Kultho and held in the magnificent setting of the Throne Room of the Royal Palace, National Art Museum of Romania, a location that highlighted once again the importance and elegance of the event. 


Anca Vlad, together with Alina Marinescu, General Manager of Catena, and Otilia Ostrotki, General Manager of Tonica Group

At its second edition, the Remarkable Women’s  Gala continues the tradition started last year, to award and honor the most important and influential women in Romania, who are authentic and powerful models of the Romanian society in the business, artistic, sports and social environment.  

Raluca Michailov, Owner Forbes Romania and CEO of BP Publishing Media, said that the awarded ladies are examples of inspiration, perseverance, talent, personality, innovation and entrepreneurship”.

The Remarkable Women’s Gala highlighted the achievements and performances through which the laureates managed to stand out, the courage shown, the perseverance and values worthy of respect that they promote in society.

“Anca Vlad is one of the first women to bet on entrepreneurship immediately after the Revolution, who laid the foundations of Fildas network, in 1991, network which represented the core around which the Fildas-Catena group has developed” – said the speakers about the first laureate of the evening.

About building a top business she confessed that <<the most important capital of the company is trust. We have a very good reputation in the Romanian and international market and this is also due to the education I have received in school and in the companies I have worked for>>. After more than 30 years, Anca Vlad is managing the largest pharmaceutical distribution and retail group in Romania!”

Anca Vlad was also rewarded last year, at the first edition of the Gala, with the Award for conduct and exceptional results in entrepreneurship and art.

The Remarkable Women’s Gala has successfully combined the artistic, social and business environment in Romania, managing to create an unforgettable event, which celebrated women who excel in their fields of activity, heroines of everyday life, artists and sportswomen with impressive careers, women leading companies successfully and towards success.

Here are the laureates, in the order of the awards, of the Remarkable Women’s Gala, 2nd edition:

  • Anca Vlad, President Fildas – Catena Group
  • Maria Lucia Hohan, fashion designer
  • Irina Rimes, pop singer
  • Dana Dima Demetrian, Vice-President Retail & Private Banking BCR
  • Ramona Jurubiţă, Country Managing Partner KPMG Romania
  • Roxana Voloşeniuc,  Editor in chief & Publisher ELLE Romania
  • Mioara Velicu,  folk music singer
  • Anca Damour, Partner & CEO, D Craig Real Estate
  • Elisabeta Moraru, CEO Google Romania
  • Rodica Popescu Bitănescu, actress
  • Luchi Georgescu, business woman
  • Malvina Cervenschi, jewelry designer
  • Mihaela Geoană, President, “Renașterea” Foundation
  • Fulga Dinu, Country Manager Operations – Immofinanz Romania
  • Elisabeta Lipă, President, National Rowing Federation
  • Ana Maria Doxan, Business Executive Officer – Nespresso Romania

ZF: Entrepreneur Anca Vlad led the Catena-Fildas Group to a total turnover of EUR 2 billion in 2021

The Catena-Fildas Group in 2021 reached a total turnover of EUR 2 billion from drugstores and distribution, rising by 8% year-on-year, according to ZF calculations based on data provided by the company, reads an article published by Ziarul Financiar.

“2020 promises to be a year filled with challenges, the volatility characteristic to the last two years of pandemic being now amplified by the effects of the rampant inflation we are facing”, said the representatives of the pharmaceutical group. However, expansion and strengthening are still in the plan of Catena-Fildas management, for both the pharmacy chain and the drug distributor, the publication mentions.

Overall, Catena had at the end of 2021 a network of 900 drugstores at national level, and Fildas has 15 drug warehouses across the country. Over 8,100 people are working in total in the pharmaceutical group, in the two retail and drug distribution divisions.

Fildas-Catena is a group built over the past three decades by entrepreneur Anca Vlad and is one of the most powerful entrepreneurial businesses in Romania, ZF added.

Anca Vlad, President of Fildas-Catena, has been elected in the European Family Businesses Board

Anca Vlad, President of the Fildas-Catena Group, was unanimously elected as member of the Executive Committee of the European Family Business Federation, an organization based in Brussels.


Anca Vlad, together with the family business representatives from the Family Business Network

The President of Fildas-Catena is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Family Business Network Romania, as the first representative of the Romanian entrepreneurs to be elected in the Board of a significant European lobbying organization in favor of entrepreneurship.  Anca Vlad will hold the new position within the European Family Businesses until 2023, when a new term re-election is available.

“We are thrilled to announce that Anca Vlad is the newest member of our Executive Committee. Mrs. Vlad brings with her a rich experience and a valuable perspective in the business community, vital for the fight to raise awareness of the importance of family businesses and their position in Europe, especially in the difficult post-COVID pandemic period, said Udo Vetter, President of European Family Businesses.

“A first-generation owner, Mrs. Vlad founded her own pharmaceutical business, the Fildas-Catena Group, in 1991. A prominent personality in the Romanian business world, the entrepreneurial activity of Mrs. Anca Vlad was recognized and valued by awarding numerous prizes. In 2019 only, Mrs. Vlad was recognized as “The Most Powerful Businesswoman” in Romania at the Capital Gala, “The Most Influential Business Personality” in Romania at the Forbes Gala and ranked the 1st place in the Top 50 Women in Economics, awarded by the National Confederation for Female Entrepreneurs (CONAF), within the Gala Women in Economy”, mentions the European Family Businesses website

European Family Businesses is the leading networking and lobbying organization for entrepreneurs and comprises 15 national organizations representing the interests of the most important family-owned businesses in Europe before the European Commission, the Council and the European Parliament.

Family Business Network Romania (FBN Romania), the representative association of large Romanian family businesses, founded in 2012 and member of European Family Businesses since 2015, includes 27 companies, with a total turnover of about 2.5 billion euros and over 18,000 employees.

Anca Vlad was granted the Excellence Award in Entrepreneurship offered by Capital magazine

Anca Vlad, President of Fildas-Catena Grup, was granted the Excellence Award in Entrepreneurship, offered at the Capital Gala, a tradition of the Romanian business environment. During the event, 200 guests, mainly businessmen and representatives of the largest companies in Romania, gathered in an elegant atmosphere and celebrated the 26th anniversary of the Capital magazine.

The founder of Fildas-Catena Grup was awarded this distinction due to her constant engagement in charity projects, supporting the social causes in various fields and the Romanian art.

Anca Vlad engages in social and charity programs

The prize was handed out to Alina Marinescu, the general manager of Catena, and Dragos Mihai, the general manager of Fildas Trading, who put an emphasis on the fact that Anca Vlad will continue to get involved, through the group that she founded and which she leads, in the projects and the social causes that can help the Romanian society.

On the other hand, during the event, Anca Vlad was nominated in the top 10 positions in Top 300 Richest Romanians by Capital magazine, a reward for the dynamic and correct development of Fildas-Catena Grup. Anca Vlad is known as a fervent supporter of modern entrepreneurship and the permanent development of the businesses that she manages.

But besides business, the president of Fildas-Catena Group is also engaged in social and charity programs. This is an extremely important objective for the group led by Anca Vlad, who is actively supporting associations such as Salvati Copiii! – Romania, OvidiuRo, Light to Europe, Fundatia Renasterea or HOSPICE Casa Sperantei. Anca Vlad is also the founder of Fildas Art, a foundation that supports Romanian art, especially through the Senso Gallery, a space in which one can admire the works of art created by Romanian artists. Top film festivals in our country are also supported by the Fildas-Catena Grup, as well as highly successful cinematographic productions in Romania.

“Romanians developing Romania” – a journalistic endeavour about the most important Romanian entrepreneurs

With its second edition, the annual “Romanians developing Romania” focuses once again on the strongest Romanian entrepreneurs, those who, by their business and brands, constitute points of reference for Romanian economic and social life.

“Romanians developing Romania” is an Intact Media Group project, which presents 100 Romanians and their business, which incur value to the national economy, thus having a decisive contribution to the development of this country.

“Talking about the people that have succeeded is vital to the health of society. Yes, they have succeeded in constructing something which, in the eyes of the majority, translates into fortune or fame, but, in fact, this is about a construction that contributes to the wellbeing of a larger group”, stated Alessandra Stoicescu, Executive Manager of the publication, in the editorial opening this publication.

This is not about the richest, nor about the most influential Romanians, but about those Romanians “who develop Romania through the workplaces they created, through the potential provided to the areas where they started their businesses, through the higher taxes they pay to the state in proportion to the turnovers”, according to the text substantiating this journalistic endeavour.

The substantiation of the journalists who put together the catalogue added: “We have discovered discrete entrepreneurs, upon whom an entire community relies. We have discovered entrepreneurs who, in the ruthless war with the multinationals, have won. And we have discovered entrepreneurs who pay monthly wages to thousands of people”.

The second most important Romanian entrepreneur, after the Paval brothers – the founders and owners of Dedeman, in the catalogue “Romanians developing Romania” is Anca Vlad, the strongest woman-entrepreneur in Romania. The journalists of Intact Media Group write about Anca Vlad that she has consolidated her position as a leader in the pharmaceutical retail sector, the companies she created totalling, in 2015, a turnover of 2.986 billion RON.

The main criterion in establishing the hierarchy of the entrepreneurs was the aggregate turnover of the businesses they conduct, according to the financial data available from the Ministry and Finance and the Trade Register, therefore the reference year was 2015. Only companies that are 100% Romanian were included, considering the shareholders, as well as the operations.

Anca Vlad – an entrepreneur and more

The journalists of Intact Media Group write that “Anca Vlad is, perhaps, the best-known business woman in Romania, the founder of the distribution company Fildas Trading, as well as of the Catena pharmacy chain, the market leader in the industry. After a considerable advance of business in the year 2015, Fildas Trading became, in 2016, the most important Romanian company in the pharmaceutical area, and one of the top five companies with domestic private capital. In the first year, the number of employees has grown by more than 100 persons, reaching 860, while the turnover exceeded 500 million euro, the most dynamic among all market players.

With such numbers, extension is the signal word. The investment plan of the company Fildas Trading includes the construction of a logistic centre at Iasi, the development of the logistic capacities in Bucharest and Cluj, as well as the extension and upgrade of the offices held in Bucharest.

The Catena pharmacy chain, the driver of the business, exceeded 620 units at country level last year, and the entrepreneur emphasized that this expansion still continues. The Catena brand was created in 1999, at the time when Filas Trading took over the majority of shares in the company Argesfarm.

(…)

Anca Vlad is also the founding president of the Local Investor Employers’ Association (PIAROM), in which capacity she actively promoted and supported several initiatives and projects oriented towards improving the business environment in Romania. Thus, PIAROM supported the first survey dedicated to the Romanian private capital, a study which indicated that the year 2015 was a historical year for the competitiveness of Romanian companies, which acquired profits of more than 40 billion RON, against the background of an aggregated turnover of 551 billion RON.

(…)

As First Vice-President of the National Confederation of Romanian Employers (CNPR), Anca Vlad has repeatedly stated the Romanian authorities should pay more attention to the domestic capital, as this represents the most important driver of Romanian economic growth.

(…)

Over the years, the companies established by Anca Vlad have become involved in ample actions for the prevention and information of the population, in activities promoting a healthy lifestyle, as well as in various social and relief campaigns. (…).”, according to the journalists who completed the catalogue.

Press conference of the Romanian Businesspeople Association (AOAR): The current personnel crisis could be solved by encouraging young mothers to return to work with half of the value of the benefit, plus the salary

Ziarul Financiar and TVR1 reflected an event organized in mid-July, by the Romanian Businesspeople Association (AOAR), whereby the entrepreneurs ask the government managed by prime-minister Mihai Tudose to adopt a set of measures encouraging investments and supporting the development of companies with Romanian private capital.

According to Mrs. Anca Vlad, Vice-President of AOAR, the current legislation on maternity benefit and leave (a benefit which is currently 85% of the net income, and the leave of up to 2 years) affects the companies’ business plans: “We are facing a personnel crisis which is emphasized by the fact that very many persons go on parental leave, with the elimination of the ceiling on the benefit granted to the mothers. We made a calculation, and if an employee with an income of RON 2,000 per month, who is granted a benefit amounting to RON 1,700, were encouraged to return to work for half of the benefit value, plus the salary, the state would gain over RON 600 per month, and also we, as employers, would be gaining.”

“We cannot change taxes all the time and play with them. We need to reach a decision, a good decision, and then to implement it and to know that we can count on it for 10 years”, Anca Vlad pointed out.

The measures proposed by AOAR also include the fiscal consolidation of the groups of companies with Romanian capital, so that they are granted the same fiscal treatment as the multinational companies, which consolidate their revenues in their mother countries. Such a measure could, according to the businesspeople, turn Romania into a regional hub for investments. Another proposition advanced by AOAR is the implementation of the reverse charge on VAT between companies, to eliminate VAT fraud.

(the complete material is published on www.zf.ro)

https://youtu.be/sJEr5YIhJMM