Podcasts

PODCAST: Brigitte Wagner-Halswick on owning and running a pharmaceutical company from West Cork

September 28th, 2023 8:00 AM

By Southern Star Team

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WELCOME back to the final episode of this series of West Cork is the Business.

Our guest on this week's episode is the managing director and owner of Rowa Pharmaceuticals in Bantry, Brigitte Wagner-Halswick.

Rowa was founded by Mrs Wagner’s late husband Roland, a German industrialist, and takes its name from his initials.

Roland Wagner travelled to West Cork in 1959 planning to set up an Irish branch of his firm Rowa Wagner Germany, eventually settling on Bantry.

When Roland Wagner died in 1979, his wife took over the company.

It was a challenging time, but Mrs Wagner was determined the company would pull through, and Rowa now ranks among the top Irish companies, exporting to 80 countries worldwide.

Rowa now employs 80 staff, the majority of whom are based locally, and Mrs Wagner stresses that the company is committed to remaining in the area.

On each episode of West Cork is the Business, Seán Mahon MD of Southern Star Media talks to leading West Cork business people about success, spotting opportunities, challenges, what makes them tick, advice for others and building businesses in West Cork.

If you missed our recent episodes with Eugene Scally, Tim Houstoun, and Jacqueline O'Donovan obe, you can listen back by clicking here.

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