Sir William Castell, former Commercial Director

Interviewee joined the company in 1966 as a Commercial Trainee and worked with Calmic and Coopers McDougall & Robertson. He left to qualify as an accountant and returned c1975 as Finance Controller. He late became Managing Director of Wellcome Biotechnology and in 1987 became Group Commercial Director. He left c1989.

Topics discussed include:

* training for commercial trainee

* career history

* Fred Wrigley, personality and management style

* the race to become chairman, AJ Shepperd and Peter Upton

* developing markets in Asia, inc Japan and the partnership with Sumitomo to form Nippon Wellcome; India; and Pakistan

* US company

* product list

* Research and Development at Beckenham site, commercial vs research focus; working relationship of John Vane, Ronnie Cresswell and James Black, working atmosphere

* competition to become AJ Shepperd's replacement; Shepperd's management style

* WT involvement in business decisions

* John Robb; reasons for Castell's departure

*merger with Glaxo, effect on company, company response

* development of a global business; expansion into Europe under Fred Wrigley; Claude Matons

26 Sep 2001

2 audio tapes and transcript Tape 42

This item needs to be accessed onsite using specialist equipment. Email collections@wellcomecollection.org to request an appointment.