Leading through uncertainty

When Ian Kloer joined Darya-Varia Laboratoria in October 2020 as Vice President Director, the world was in turmoil. The COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted industries globally, and pharmaceutical companies were facing unprecedented pressure to respond quickly while simultaneously safeguarding their own operations.

For Kloer, however, the crisis represented not only a challenge but also an incredible chance to reshape the future of the company.

“I found it very exciting when I joined, because Darya-Varia Laboratoria offers a lot of opportunities in terms of innovation, in terms of coming up with ideas,” Kloer, who is now President Director of the company, tells The CEO Magazine.

“Joining during the pandemic was really quite interesting. You were limited in certain areas, but there were also new opportunities opening up in other areas, with things like digital segments really accelerating.”

Navigating volatility

Joining Darya-Varia Laboratoria may have coincided with one of the most volatile periods ever for businesses all across the world, but Kloer – who brought more than two decades of industry experience to the role, having trained as a medical doctor before choosing to pursue the commercial side of healthcare instead – was ready to implement a plan that would see the company not only survive but thrive.

Together with the leadership team, Kloer focused on aligning responsibilities, strengthening the company’s portfolio and ensuring the business was ready for what could follow the pandemic. While many companies reduced spending and pulled back on investment, Darya-Varia Laboratoria took a different approach.

“It was a calculated risk,” he explains. “We continued investing in activities and campaigns, focusing on portfolios that could be accelerated to help address healthcare needs during the pandemic.

“So these helped us to mitigate risks, while also anticipating a future where there was possibly transformation of business.”

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“At Pura Group, innovation goes beyond technology, it protects trust. Together with Darya-Varia Laboratoria, we deliver advanced packaging solutions, including anti-counterfeiting innovations that prevent product falsification. Through secure, reliable and high-quality solutions, we support product integrity and contribute to safer healthcare standards.” – Benni Sevren Christian Wowor, Director, Pura Group

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The company leaned heavily into digital acceleration, investing in digital communication, hybrid engagement programs and support initiatives for healthcare professionals – a strategy that proved fruitful. It also went one step further and supported healthcare workers directly during the pandemic by providing essential protective equipment and assistance programs when they were needed most.

“When some other companies were pulling back resources, we continued to invest and continued to support healthcare workers during difficult times,” Kloer recalls.

That willingness to take calculated risks during uncertainty has since become a defining feature of Darya-Varia Laboratoria’s transformation approach. While stabilization was the first priority, acceleration soon followed, with an emphasis on strengthening the product pipeline, exploring adjacent business opportunities and reshaping its organizational structure to support long-term growth.

“I would say it continued to be a transformation for us,” Kloer reflects. “This is also our next step in managing performance and continuing to transform Darya-Varia Laboratoria from a pharmaceutical manufacturing company to a more healthcare integrated company.”

Toward integration

The shift reflects broader changes occurring across the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, where companies are increasingly looking beyond traditional manufacturing to build more integrated healthcare ecosystems. For Darya-Varia Laboratoria, diversification has become an important strategy for balancing risk and unlocking future opportunities.

“As we continue to focus on building our base business, we are also looking for other areas where we can expand and strengthen through portfolio diversification,” Kloer explains.

“This has helped Darya-Varia Laboratoria to be more stable in many instances where we see that when one business is challenged, the other business usually has the opportunity.”

Over the past few years, one of the company’s key initiatives was the establishment of a new subsidiary, Varia Interhealth Indonesia, designed to provide greater flexibility and accelerate growth opportunities. Striving for operational excellence at the same time as prioritizing innovation may be a complex task, but for Darya-Varia Laboratoria, it’s another non-negotiable that ensures the company is competitive within the market.

“We focus on preparing the growth engine coming from new products and new businesses, but at the same time, we also look into operational excellence from a manufacturing and commercial point of view, determining how we can continue to drive efficiency where it is needed,” Kloer says.

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“Our long-standing partnership is built on unwavering mutual integrity and trust. We are deeply proud that our premium gelatin serves as the foundation for Darya-Varia Laboratoria’s exceptional health and wellness solutions. Through seamless integration of our passion for quality and the company’s specialized expertise, we achieve a standard of excellence without compromise. Darya-Varia Laboratoria remains our premier valued customer and we grow together.” – Hidenori Takemiya, Representative Director and President – Executive Officer, Nitta Gelatin

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The true beating heart of the organization is a solid, highly skilled workforce that believes in its products, and are dedicated to going above and beyond for its customers.

“It is very important to focus on building the team because these are very good people,” Kloer enthuses. “I may not have all the answers, but I’m quite sure with all the capable people of Darya-Varia Laboratoria, together we can find the answers to any challenges we face as a team.”

Trust and communication also underpin the company’s relationships with suppliers and long-term partners, such as Pura Group and Nitta Gelatin, which guarantee seamless operations across the entire ecosystem.

“The key point is communication,” he says. “It’s not about wanting to win in every negotiation. It’s finding the mutual understanding of each other’s position. We listen to them and they also listen to our situation and needs.

“It’s an open communication with us and that’s why some of our suppliers and business partners have been with us for more than 30 years.”

Now, as Darya-Varia Laboratoria celebrates its 50th anniversary, Kloer sees the impressive milestone as confirmation that the company’s long-standing commitment to healthcare innovation and service continues to resonate.

“After 50 years in Indonesia, it means that we are doing the right thing,” he says with a smile. “We continue to be a company contributing to the healthcare of Indonesia. We call our employees DVL warriors.

“We are quite privileged to be part of this company, because we know that we are not just producing and selling a product, but actually delivering something for the betterment of health in many people.”