Editors’ Note

Prior to assuming his current post, Mihail Marcu was Chief Executive Officer at MedLife and Corporate Department Manager and then Vice President at Robank. His education includes Mathematics Faculty from The Bucharest University in 1995. He has taken various courses with the following institutions: DC Gardner in London, The Open University London, Institutul Bancar Roman, JAICA, Euromoney Training, and WS Atkins.

Company Brief

MedLife, the Romanian private medical market leader, has been active in the market since 1996 and is considered the largest and most important private medical services supplier in Romania. The company has a portfolio of six mono- and pluri-disciplinary hospitals; nine hyper-clinics (large clinics with all services in one place) in Bucharest, Timişara, Braşov, and Arad; eight self-owned medical labs; 28 general medical centers in Bucharest and around the country; eight Excellency Centers (with unique medical specialization); and partnerships with 135 medical centers all over the country. MedLife (www.medlife.ro) has implemented the First Private Medical System, which offers integrated solutions for treatment and diagnosis.

MedLife appears to have been insulated from the economic crisis in terms of the constant development the company experienced in 2010 and 2011. What is the secret to that success?

MedLife’s expansion began a few years prior, so from 2010 to 2011, we were able to accelerate our development plans. It’s no secret that we operate in an industry that has large potential for growth and is among the few industries that has not been so dramatically effected by the economic crisis. Also, health in general cannot be “postponed” due to a crisis; it’s about how we approach and handle the crisis. For MedLife, it has been about constant investments and consolidating a reliable private medical system.

What is the potential for Romania, and in particular of Bucharest, with regard to health services and what can you tell us about the quality and specialization of the doctors on the Romanian medical market?

Romania and its city capital have so many opportunities to offer with regard to the private health sector. The market will continue to grow as the needs of the population increase. I am proud to say that MedLife has succeeded in offering a quality medical alternative for Romanian patients and we now have standards that match those of any European hospital. We have one of the best medical teams, from doctors with certified national and international expertise to the auxiliary medical personnel, which is well-trained in order to satisfy the highest requirements. We have succeeded in creating a system that can guarantee a correct diagnosis and the best conditions for treatment and comfort.

What are MedLife’s most recent investments and future plans?

Our expansion has included Greenfield investments as well as investments in buildings that already exist. In 2011, we opened with a new Hyper-clinic in Bucharest (Titan area) and moved ahead with the first private pediatric hospital, the greatest of its kind in Eastern and Central Europe. We then opened a multidisciplinary hospital in Braşov, a medical lab in Arad, the first private orthopedic hospital in Romania, and many pharmacies all over the country. We also invested in an aesthetic dermatology clinic – DermaLife – and a Herniology Center. For the next year, we will focus on consolidating the First Private Medical System created by MedLife and we will have fewer openings but more campaigns to strengthen our leading position in the market.

You are Co-Founder of the Romanian Business Leaders Summit. What is your objective with this project?

We want to gather all the important and relevant Romanian entrepreneurs, young but mature leaders, who can join forces and express their opinions on subjects that matter, and can change the evolution of this country that I love so much. I am a true patriot and this project is one of the things I chose to involve myself in to change something in Romania. The voice of the people who are really doing something for this country must be heard, especially by the government and the politicians. We should be part of the decisions that affect our lives and the Romanian Business Leaders Summit will offer the credibility that the Romanian business environment has so much need for. We will offer solutions for raising competitiveness among the companies and we will find ways to encourage sustainable entrepreneurship.•