Basel is very open to newcomers

In 2018, Vas Narasimhan became CEO of pharmaceutical company Novartis. The American, his wife and two sons have lived in Basel for more than ten years. With “network mag”, Vas Narasimhan shared his view on diversity and inclusion and on living in Basel.

Asked about his experience of living in Switzerland, Narasimhan answers: “Nestled in the heart of Europe, I’ve found that Basel is very internationally minded and open to newcomers. This may be because it is a border town and because historically immigrants have found their way to Basel, including some of the founders of the pharmaceutical and chemical companies that have become global leaders. When you think that Novartis and our predecessor companies have been shipping goods from here for over 250 years, you realize how closely this place has been linked to the world over the past centuries. My experience here has only been positive.”

Narasimhan also told the magazine that Basel became his and his family’s home by now. He also revealed what he likes best about living in Switzerland: “Switzerland is a great place to live, and I am very happy here. The landscape is breathtaking, and there is good social and healthcare infrastructure. The overall quality of life here is very high. There’s a lot to love!”

Novartis is one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world. It’s global headquarters are located in Basel. More than 104’000 employees work for Novartis around the globe. In 2020, the company had a turnover of 48.7 billion dollars and reported a net profit of 8.1 billion dollars.