Look at who they kept....

[Anonymous]

Asked? He's Phil G's ball cleaner from a previous company. More than likely protected.

 

[Anonymous]

Up yours sycophant. Are you safe ?
I thought it was D&R ? I am impressed with your inside track. 90% of D&R Mgt are clueless leaders and 75% of D&R is a maze of cubicle occupying dusty desk jockeys. Only interested in creating pointless work to look busy.
Grobe's alleged success is a signal that yet again current D&R mgt have scared a new owner into believing they are indispensable. If Grobe is staying, it is easy to assume his buddies will also stay. This is the chronic B+L problem. Poor mid mgt who survive all ownership changes and slowly B+L dies. Lets see how these leaders carve out new ways to inflict themselves into all areas after the buy out.
By the way I have not cleared my desk. See ya Thursday next week.

And the asshole of the week award goes to YOU! First off, I am the farthest from a sycophant that you can find. I do, however, respect and appreciate people who operate with humanity in mind. There is nothing wrong with respecting a man, who spent countless hours away from his family, fighting for my family and my job.

While on the topic of Grobe... a bit disgruntled are we? Maybe there is a reason for that... Given that he keeps people who are of high moral code, honor, and are hardworking; I can only assume that you are none of these three. Sounds to me as thought you two had a falling out, and it would seem given your previous response it was probably your fault.

As for whether or not R&D works, you seem a bit misguided in that as well. The reality is, we have given countless potential products, and are all hard working on any given day. Our track record of patents, rewards, acknowledgements, products ect. should speak for itself for anyone with half a brain. Do you ever think that maybe the people in their office or desk might actually be WORKING? We all do have things that REQUIRE us to work at our desk i.e. reports, data processing, emails, meetings ect. Again, this may be far beyond your mental capacity to understand.

Before you get all bent out of shape about the fact that Grobe stayed and you clearly may not, why don't you consider that maybe, just maybe, you AREN'T as good as you think you are?!?

 

[Anonymous]

And the asshole of the week award goes to YOU! First off, I am the farthest from a sycophant that you can find. I do, however, respect and appreciate people who operate with humanity in mind. There is nothing wrong with respecting a man, who spent countless hours away from his family, fighting for my family and my job.

While on the topic of Grobe... a bit disgruntled are we? Maybe there is a reason for that... Given that he keeps people who are of high moral code, honor, and are hardworking; I can only assume that you are none of these three. Sounds to me as thought you two had a falling out, and it would seem given your previous response it was probably your fault.

As for whether or not R&D works, you seem a bit misguided in that as well. The reality is, we have given countless potential products, and are all hard working on any given day. Our track record of patents, rewards, acknowledgements, products ect. should speak for itself for anyone with half a brain. Do you ever think that maybe the people in their office or desk might actually be WORKING? We all do have things that REQUIRE us to work at our desk i.e. reports, data processing, emails, meetings ect. Again, this may be far beyond your mental capacity to understand.

Before you get all bent out of shape about the fact that Grobe stayed and you clearly may not, why don't you consider that maybe, just maybe, you AREN'T as good as you think you are?!?

You may not be a sycophant. But you do have your head up your ass.
A) You make it sound like Grobe went to Baghdad. He went to New Jersey. I believe he is sincere in what he communicates but it has not worked for B&L.
B) Plenty of people have spent time away from their families working hard for B&L. I am one of them. Clearly you are not since you think a week in New Jersey trying to save yourself and your department makes someone a candidate for a Medal of Honor.
C) You really expose your true mentality with your list of what you think is important. Patents, rewards, acknowledgments !! Give me a break. You obviously are, or aspire to be one of the self-promoting ass wipes that have a cold dead hand on D&R. B&L has plenty of people with patents collected like trophies at B&Ls expense and A LOT LESS successful products.
D) Yes B&L has launched products but under current D&R mgt how many are first to market world beating, price-competitive market gainers for B&L ? Not so many. Too many me-too's after the competition have stolen the market. Remember - B+L used to be the Number One. We are a sorry 4th place now...we need a radical shake up.
E) Emails, meetings, reports - Valeant have your number. They understand your game. They don't need it.
F) I have never had a falling out with Grobe. I do not agree with his strategy. I'm not the only one.
G) I have been around long enough to be humble. Do you think I'm an idiot because I argue against maintaining the same mgt and strategy that have failed and slowly killed B+L for 20 years ? I cannot control who buys or sells B+L, or if I will have a job next month, but if I do, it would at least be good to know that the pain people are feeling might secure the long term future of this company. We don't need another compromise just so Valeant can make a quick buck and sell us on. The best news we could get right now is that Valeant are in for the long term.
H) I don't think I have a problem with my mental capacity but I do think you need an attitude adjustment. What you consider important or worth saving is just wrong. Try looking at the world after you take your head out of your ass. The view is clearer.

 

[Anonymous]

That is the problem with B+L to much internal fighting. Not enough external focus. Shame because clearly you both have passion for the company. And you are both right. We have not been competitive enough and George is a good person. They are not mutually exclusive.

 

[Anonymous]

That is the problem with B+L to much internal fighting. Not enough external focus. Shame because clearly you both have passion for the company. And you are both right. We have not been competitive enough and George is a good person. They are not mutually exclusive.

Well said.

 

[Anonymous]

You may not be a sycophant. But you do have your head up your ass.
A) You make it sound like Grobe went to Baghdad. He went to New Jersey. I believe he is sincere in what he communicates but it has not worked for B&L.
B) Plenty of people have spent time away from their families working hard for B&L. I am one of them. Clearly you are not since you think a week in New Jersey trying to save yourself and your department makes someone a candidate for a Medal of Honor.
C) You really expose your true mentality with your list of what you think is important. Patents, rewards, acknowledgments !! Give me a break. You obviously are, or aspire to be one of the self-promoting ass wipes that have a cold dead hand on D&R. B&L has plenty of people with patents collected like trophies at B&Ls expense and A LOT LESS successful products.
D) Yes B&L has launched products but under current D&R mgt how many are first to market world beating, price-competitive market gainers for B&L ? Not so many. Too many me-too's after the competition have stolen the market. Remember - B+L used to be the Number One. We are a sorry 4th place now...we need a radical shake up.
E) Emails, meetings, reports - Valeant have your number. They understand your game. They don't need it.
F) I have never had a falling out with Grobe. I do not agree with his strategy. I'm not the only one.
G) I have been around long enough to be humble. Do you think I'm an idiot because I argue against maintaining the same mgt and strategy that have failed and slowly killed B+L for 20 years ? I cannot control who buys or sells B+L, or if I will have a job next month, but if I do, it would at least be good to know that the pain people are feeling might secure the long term future of this company. We don't need another compromise just so Valeant can make a quick buck and sell us on. The best news we could get right now is that Valeant are in for the long term.
H) I don't think I have a problem with my mental capacity but I do think you need an attitude adjustment. What you consider important or worth saving is just wrong. Try looking at the world after you take your head out of your ass. The view is clearer.

Wow you managed to get to the letter H - Valeant will keep you for sure LOL.

You guys in the B&L family have no idea just how demoralizing Valeant is. It is a revenue seeking egocentric operation with absolutely no heart or soul. If B&L had any sort of heart know that it has been ripped out for the sake of shareholder returns and equity value. This board warned everyone on about three different fronts that this will be a serious pillaging once the merger is complete and the sad thing is this - it does not stop here. With every new acquisition comes another cycle of who stays and who goes both current and newly acquired. Get use to the stress of that....and if you think you are safe let me tell you - even the top guys get flicked off the cuff like fleas for not following in the CEO's lockstep...here today gone tomorrow - replaced by another McKinsey favourite.

We presently at Valeant down here in the trenches fear daily when we hear the CEO preach - "do not fall in love with your assets" - a speech you will hear very shortly if you get to stay. Uncertainty is a daily mindset at VPI so welcome to the tunnel of horrors where everything is for sale and everyone is expendable all at the speed of thought.

There is no corporate social responsibility script in this bag of businesses and many cannot see it sustaining itself for the long-run. This is a short run strategy that will have exit points established for each of the lower performing units. Cash cows are set to die (text book strategy) and morale is so low that quality will be impacted to where the FDA will ferret out more errors and the cycle of distribution interruptions will begin. You can only strip so much out of an organization's spirit until you begin to see it in the productivity, quality (reject) and cost numbers; know this its not a matter of if this will happen; its purely a matter of when. Lets hope that patient safety remains in place and the external quality bodies keep complacency on its toes.

Question, what is the productivity like these days in the B&L offices? If I remember back to our merger time - it was probably zero as people spun their wheels; gossiped and groaned about the uncertainty. Take some advice - learn from this event on how not to become a company like this from the experiences you will be part of shortly - then if you can, get out of there and store that learning deep in your mind about how you will never lead or treat people like this in your future endeavours. VPI will become one of the most studied companies for future business students and I expect not in a good way other than its share price return to shareholders. Nothing else matters and the pressures of society are already knocking based on the letters and commentary we read in the papers today.

It wont take long before the taste of Valeant's name will be vile in the mouths of those that matter - the external stakeholders. As of yesterday the government is already beating their drums and the back channel relationships to key regulatory bodies is probably unknown. I wonder if the spot check FDA visits will be more prevalent in the coming days - inter-government relationships have been the American way to solving problems for ever - Fred calls Ted who owes him a favour and next thing we know - a multi week multi site spot check audit takes place; and every site has warts worthy of a 483.

 

[Anonymous]

...Question, what is the productivity like these days in the B&L offices?

Zero, and it has been for the last month or two. Most of the critical people who aren't severed will leave soon after the deal closes, and for those who are left in development what is the motivation to continue? Work hard to get new products out the door so Valeant can terminate you? Not going to happen. I can't imagine any of the late stage products (many of which were incredibly promising and nearly ready to launch) will ever see the light of day.

...I wonder if the spot check FDA visits will be more prevalent in the coming days

I would imagine the FDA will be all over the place soon after the cuts are made. As it was B&L could barely survive an audit even when they weren't doing anything wrong, what happens when most of the people who knew how to find documents and provide answers are simply gone? And worse, when those people are on the outside calling the FDA and telling them the questions to ask?

It will kill an iconic company with a long history but I have no doubt that this deal will be the end of Valeant.

 

[Anonymous]

If a good company purchased B+L.

If a good company purchased B+L what would happen. There would be a layoff. WP has hired too many people in the last 5 years. No layoffs in 5 years mean that there are many employees still around that are in the bottom 30% of performance.

So a 600 person layoff would have happened anyway. If New Jersey or some other place became the headquarters then staff would have to move.

D&R would be made more efficient. People whose job is just outsourcing research to other facilities along with project managers, marketing and regulatory would move the the Eye Health headquarters along with the head of D&R Labs would be kept to support currently marketed products.

What would be different from Valeant if a good company purchased B+L. A good company in addition would make enough cuts to change the culture of D&R to turn it around. Cut 1000 people and then replace with 400 of the best scientists and managers you can find to change the culture and the direction of D&R. With Valeant the difference is that they are just giving up on D&R rather than deciding to improve it. To make the company now their own they are moving the headquarters which means all of the intellectual property including D&R will eventual move to New Jersey. Rochester will be a big and maybe BIGGER consolidated manufacturing site.

If you are in D&R and are given a choice to move to New Jersey or stay in Rochester move to New Jersey. The headquarters of a company is always where the best of the best in the company go. D&R if it even exists in the future will be directed from New Jersey and the best people in D&R will be there to manage what is left in the pipeline to develop.

 

[Anonymous]

The sad fact is Rochester is not a location that attracts quality talent. Sooner or later B+L would of had to leave the ancestral home and move to a location where quality talent wants to live if we wanted to be a truly competitive, international leader. True for R&D, marketing, finance and all other talent. International employees were shocked and a little embarrassed by our global HQ. I respect the past but at some stage you have to move on. Sorry Rochester you are too sleepy, insular and last century to be a global HQ.

 

[Anonymous]

What, you think Valeant is going to attract "top talent"? A joke, right? Being a good place to work and having that reputation are far more important than location.

 

[Anonymous]

Mmmm. Work for lack lustre company in NJ or live in lack lustre Rochester. Decision is not that hard. Rochester is for retirement not progressive business. Hasn't Kodak and Xerox already taught you that? Or was that Valeant and WP doing as well? Adapt and survive and prosper or close your eyes and grow old. International business hub is not Rochester!

 

[Anonymous]

You may not be a sycophant. But you do have your head up your ass.
A) You make it sound like Grobe went to Baghdad. He went to New Jersey. I believe he is sincere in what he communicates but it has not worked for B&L.
B) Plenty of people have spent time away from their families working hard for B&L. I am one of them. Clearly you are not since you think a week in New Jersey trying to save yourself and your department makes someone a candidate for a Medal of Honor.
C) You really expose your true mentality with your list of what you think is important. Patents, rewards, acknowledgments !! Give me a break. You obviously are, or aspire to be one of the self-promoting ass wipes that have a cold dead hand on D&R. B&L has plenty of people with patents collected like trophies at B&Ls expense and A LOT LESS successful products.
D) Yes B&L has launched products but under current D&R mgt how many are first to market world beating, price-competitive market gainers for B&L ? Not so many. Too many me-too's after the competition have stolen the market. Remember - B+L used to be the Number One. We are a sorry 4th place now...we need a radical shake up.
E) Emails, meetings, reports - Valeant have your number. They understand your game. They don't need it.
F) I have never had a falling out with Grobe. I do not agree with his strategy. I'm not the only one.
G) I have been around long enough to be humble. Do you think I'm an idiot because I argue against maintaining the same mgt and strategy that have failed and slowly killed B+L for 20 years ? I cannot control who buys or sells B+L, or if I will have a job next month, but if I do, it would at least be good to know that the pain people are feeling might secure the long term future of this company. We don't need another compromise just so Valeant can make a quick buck and sell us on. The best news we could get right now is that Valeant are in for the long term.
H) I don't think I have a problem with my mental capacity but I do think you need an attitude adjustment. What you consider important or worth saving is just wrong. Try looking at the world after you take your head out of your ass. The view is clearer.

A) Clearly you saw my point. This arguement proves that.
B) I have spent time away from my family, for a week as well, working for B&L. Whether NJ or Baghdad, it is still away from his family. A medal of honor would be a stretch, but definately a hand shake and even a hug would be appropriate.
C) Clearly you have no patents or acknowledgements. Working hard and earning respect for doing so would make even Ghandi feel good. This doesn't make one egocentric or a "self promoting ass wipe". Clearly you don't know how patents or acknowledgements are given... they aren't awarded by based on your own preferences but on hard work. Someone else has to grant you patents and acknowledgements. This arguement seems like a bit of envy... there is really no need for me to argue this point anymore.
D) Biotrue and Biotrue-1 day are both first to market bio inspired competitive products. Patients are constantly switching over day by day to these two products, both of which came out under Grobe for the record. These are leading competitive products.
E) I don't even understand this arguement. That is all part of everyones day to day routine whether under Valeant or not.
F) If you don't agree with his strategy that is one thing. Not all management choices are favorable ones. Personally, I have no problem with this statement. I don't agree with every choice anyone makes on any given day, but a personal attack is another ball of wax.
G) Grobe came back AFTER I did. He hasn't been here, nor has any of the other management, long enough to blame them for the past 20 years. Without trying to sound like a sychophant, Grobe has been one of the best things that has happened to R&D in a long time. (I can also find people who agree with this statement) We have had more product launches in the last ~6 years because of him than over the last 20. Tell me is Ron still here? NO! How long has Brent and Sheila been here to blame for the past 20? The truth is.... WP and Valeant are to blame for B&L's upcoming demise. Not management.
H) As for taking my head out of my ass, I do have a clear understanding of what got us in this mess. I also have a clear understanding of who is to blame for our current predicament. Although lay-offs are going to be awful, it is reassuring to know that people are fighting for us to stay here. In my opinion, that is all Grobe ever wanted as well. That has been my only point from the beginning. Blaming Grobe for this mess seems short sighted and narrow minded. Sounds like you will be good buddies with MP!

 

[Anonymous]

Didn't say Rochester was. I'm saying if I ever live in the NJ area again, it will not be working for Valeant. I view my work as more than a paycheck. Put Valeant in paradise, and it's still not going to attract and retain talented people. Given the choice you proposed, I'd take B+L of old in Rochester over Valeant anywhere.

When you "play" in a market like NJ that has many options, you better have something to offer prospective talent. Why would talented people choose Valeant over the next big NJ based pharma company? Being in NJ isn't enough. Top talent is not motivated by shareholder value.

By the way, although you may view it as the garden state, there is a huge percentage of the country who view NJ as much less desirable.

 

[Anonymous]

A) Clearly you saw my point. This arguement proves that.
B) I have spent time away from my family, for a week as well, working for B&L. Whether NJ or Baghdad, it is still away from his family. A medal of honor would be a stretch, but definately a hand shake and even a hug would be appropriate.
C) Clearly you have no patents or acknowledgements. Working hard and earning respect for doing so would make even Ghandi feel good. This doesn't make one egocentric or a "self promoting ass wipe". Clearly you don't know how patents or acknowledgements are given... they aren't awarded by based on your own preferences but on hard work. Someone else has to grant you patents and acknowledgements. This arguement seems like a bit of envy... there is really no need for me to argue this point anymore.
D) Biotrue and Biotrue-1 day are both first to market bio inspired competitive products. Patients are constantly switching over day by day to these two products, both of which came out under Grobe for the record. These are leading competitive products.
E) I don't even understand this arguement. That is all part of everyones day to day routine whether under Valeant or not.
F) If you don't agree with his strategy that is one thing. Not all management choices are favorable ones. Personally, I have no problem with this statement. I don't agree with every choice anyone makes on any given day, but a personal attack is another ball of wax.
G) Grobe came back AFTER I did. He hasn't been here, nor has any of the other management, long enough to blame them for the past 20 years. Without trying to sound like a sychophant, Grobe has been one of the best things that has happened to R&D in a long time. (I can also find people who agree with this statement) We have had more product launches in the last ~6 years because of him than over the last 20. Tell me is Ron still here? NO! How long has Brent and Sheila been here to blame for the past 20? The truth is.... WP and Valeant are to blame for B&L's upcoming demise. Not management.
H) As for taking my head out of my ass, I do have a clear understanding of what got us in this mess. I also have a clear understanding of who is to blame for our current predicament. Although lay-offs are going to be awful, it is reassuring to know that people are fighting for us to stay here. In my opinion, that is all Grobe ever wanted as well. That has been my only point from the beginning. Blaming Grobe for this mess seems short sighted and narrow minded. Sounds like you will be good buddies with MP!

This thread was a lot better when you guys were able to write smaller and simpler complaints. Who has the time to read this??

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting thread. And this is what Valeant thinks of D&R.

In a response to the letter, Valeant spokesperson Laurie Little said in a statement: “While Bausch + Lomb is a great company, the contact lens operations, which makes up the vast majority of the non-corporate based jobs in Rochester, has been underperforming

If D&R is so great why is it that the new owner has this opinion. Seems like a new direction for D&R is coming. Underperforming means that the new products are not competitive in the market place.

Putting D&R to the test. Sales of new products in the market place. Valeant gives D&R an F.

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting thread. And this is what Valeant thinks of D&R.

In a response to the letter, Valeant spokesperson Laurie Little said in a statement: “While Bausch + Lomb is a great company, the contact lens operations, which makes up the vast majority of the non-corporate based jobs in Rochester, has been underperforming

If D&R is so great why is it that the new owner has this opinion. Seems like a new direction for D&R is coming. Underperforming means that the new products are not competitive in the market place.

Putting D&R to the test. Sales of new products in the market place. Valeant gives D&R an F.

What an unnecessary dig on D&R. Yes, going well over 10 years without a new material nearly put B&L out of the lens business, but Valeant knows damned well that the new SiHy slated for launch in early 2014 will be the best lens on the market. They stand to make hundreds of millions annually from it, and the reward for D&R delivering this product (not to mention Biotrue 1Day barely a year ago) will be a massive slew of terminations.

 

[Anonymous]

What an unnecessary dig on D&R. Yes, going well over 10 years without a new material nearly put B&L out of the lens business, but Valeant knows damned well that the new SiHy slated for launch in early 2014 will be the best lens on the market. They stand to make hundreds of millions annually from it, and the reward for D&R delivering this product (not to mention Biotrue 1Day barely a year ago) will be a massive slew of terminations.

If a company spokesperson will not stand up for their own products. Who will?

 

[Anonymous]

If a company spokesperson will not stand up for their own products. Who will?

Reality check from New owner. Defensive snippiness from D&R stooge.