In 2011, Pharmaceutical Executive magazine interviewed the then newly minted CEO of   AmerisourceBergen, Steve Collis, to talk about the often neglected but vital topic of drug distribution. Now, four years later, the magazine met up with Collins again for a follow up interview during October’s ThinkLive event which provides annual feedback to 500 of the company’s biggest customers.

During his second talk with the magazine Collis talks in detail about AmerisourceBergen’s strategic objectives for the following year, including ways in which the company makes sure to retain its leadership position in the drug supply chain, and his satisfaction with the relationship the drug distributor has with its customers.

“We now look at every customer as a strategic account, geared to establishing where AmerisourceBergen can add value,” says Collis. “We desire a more or less permanent relationship rather than being driven solely by the contract cycle, it’s a continuous dialogue. We strive to cover everything, from the logistics of clinical trial management to coordinating the product launch, choosing respective channel strategies, and setting reimbursement, right on to end-of-life cycle positioning, post-patent expiry.”

Collis also reflects on the changes the company has gone through in the past four years when it comes to globalization, the future of both U.S. and other mature markets in the AmerisourceBergen’s global strategy and the potential of the generic drug market in general.

“Generic drugs are a critical part of our business. The value they provide is very important to our customers and patients,” Collis notes, adding that “it’s also a dynamic business that is changing in significant ways through consolidation. When we met in 2011, I would not have said to you that generics account for 85% of prescriptions written here in the US. No one expected that level of growth.”

Collis finishes by explaining where his confidence in the company’s solid value position around biosimilars comes from, comments on the political climate confronting the industry and also lauds the approach of investing in a strong business.

“For many years, AmerisourceBergen put most of its free cash flow into stock buybacks, which is good for our shareholders, yielding a solid short-term return. Today, I think it’s much better to invest in a good business because the value of that transaction is locked in forever. It creates the growth dividend necessary to become a truly global enterprise, that’s the end game. It will define my legacy.”