Founder’s Profile
I was born in a small village in Gujarat India in 1939. At the age of nine I travelled to Kenya by ship to join my parents. My primary and secondary schooling was in Kisumu Kenya East Africa. After I completed the Senior Cambridge exams, I went to the UK in 1957 for further studies.
I qualified as a Pharmacist in 1965 from London University (B.Pharm. MRPharmS) and currently I am a member of Institute of Directors London. In 1971 I was given life time membership and was awarded Fellowship of the Institute of Directors (F.Inst.D)
My first employment as a Pharmacist was at a Boots Chemist day and night shop situated in Piccadilly, in the heart of London. After that, brief spell at Boots, I was appointed as Pharmacy Manager of one of the branches of Co-operative Chemists in Bexleyheath Kent.
In 1967 with the help of family members I acquired my first Pharmacy called Jenkins Chemist in Bexleyheath Kent. This was the starting of my pharmacy career and as a businessman. A chain of retail Pharmacies were created in the London and Manchester areas. We also acquired an established pharmacy wholesale distributing business known as Box and Drivers based in Sidcup Kent.
The Group started expanding in different fields of Pharmacy with the acquisition of a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Company with partners from Uganda called Inter Alia Pharmaceuticals based in Girvan, Scotland. This was the start, of my involvement in International business.
The Group joined hands with Sardanis Group from Zambia who had chain of Pharmacy shops in Zambia named Karibu Chemist. The UK Pharmacy chain was expanded in the name of Jenkins Chemist with shops in Birmingham and London.
After the disposal of the businesses to Sardanis Group, a new chain of Pharmacy shops were created in the name of Duncan’s Chemist with branches in London and Birmingham. The Group was known as the Letap Group of companies.
The Letap Group expanded in the International market particularly in, Third World countries but mainly in Africa. The Letap international business was primarily involved in contract manufacturing from UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Korea, China and India for exporting to Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Zaire, Zambia, Tanzania Kenya, Uganda and Botswana. The sourcing of the products at economical prices was very important, as the importing countries foreign exchange was restricted in those days.
I have spear headed, turnkey projects for the, setting up Pharmaceutical factories in, Ghana, Uganda, Zambia and Botswana. The know-how of personnel, and machinery was gained from India. I have also provided expertise, to the TTK Chemicals Group (Hyderabad) for, the manufacturing of antibiotics such as, amoxicillin from penicillin by using synthetic method from Korea. The TTK Group also looked to us when, supplying condoms in bulk from Japan for Indian market.
The Letap Group further expanded by purchasing a manufacturing company called Regent Laboratories. This was the time when the generic market opened up in a big way in the UK. To assist Letap international business a brand new manufacturing facility called Letap Laboratories was set up in Ashford Kent.
Letap exported products in a number of, brand names such as Letalin, Letamol, Letquine, Ampileta, Letacetine,andTropex etc. This created a significant, market in many African countries. Later, the Letap Group acquired a well-known pharmaceutical raw material company known as, Marsing & Company with headquarters in Denmark and operating offices in various parts of the world.
I resigned from the entire Group in 1991. My 30 years of work, which I enjoyed, came to an end very abruptly.
This was the time when my three sons graduated from, University. Shiten Patel had a degree in Computing Science, with an MBA, Sandip Patel gained, a pharmacy degree and Maneesh Patel had a degree in Economics.
The Family also acquired an established wholesale generic distributor called Don Elder Products.
Life Essence Ltd. a family company specifically set up to market herbal products in the European market. The company launched ‘Memory Plus’in the UK. Another herbal product marketed was Cogent db+ for treating diabetes. New EEC regulation relating to herbal products came in force.
The family business Mygate, progressed over 10 years and grew quickly, particularly in the IT sector. Mygate was one of the premier Apple hardware and software reseller. The company was voted into Virgin Fast track 100 fastest growing companies.
At present the family strength in UK is in Pharmaceuticals and IT business. I retired from the family business in 2010 and moved to Goa in India.
In October 2011, I decided to use my enormous experience in the International Market. Hence Villa Gatehouse Associates (VGA) Import Export business was set up. VGA intend to specialize in Pharmaceuticals and IT products.
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