Frans Van den Bergh
Encyclopedia
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
business man, who founded the cigar factory Alto in Turnhout, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and who would become one of the leading managers of Janssen Pharmaceutica
Janssen Pharmaceutica
Janssen Pharmaceutica is pharmaceutical company, established in Belgium in 1953 by Paul Janssen. Its headquarters are located in Beerse, in the Campine region of the province of Antwerp, Belgium. It was created not as a subsidiary of a chemical factory but solely with the aim of conducting...
. In addition to his success with Alto, he was by the marriage of his daughter Lea related to Margriet Fleerackers, the mother of Dr. Paul Janssen. For these reasons, he was asked by the parents of Dr. Paul Janssen, Constant Janssen
Constant Janssen
Dr. Jan Constant Janssen , was a Belgian physician and businessman. He was the third child of Adriaan Victor Janssen and Anna Catharina Eelen . He went to highschool in Hoogstraten and studied medicine at the Catholic University of Leuven and the University of Ghent...
and Margriet Fleerackers, to help them manage the growing family business with its five branches.
In 1961, he became President of the Governing Board of Janssen Pharmaceutica
Janssen Pharmaceutica
Janssen Pharmaceutica is pharmaceutical company, established in Belgium in 1953 by Paul Janssen. Its headquarters are located in Beerse, in the Campine region of the province of Antwerp, Belgium. It was created not as a subsidiary of a chemical factory but solely with the aim of conducting...
which he would stay until 1980, when he was succeeded by Luc Wauters. He led the negotiations with the Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson is an American multinational pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in 1886. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the company is listed among the Fortune 500....
on the acquisition of Janssen Pharmaceutica. It was Frans Van den Bergh who suggested the name Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V. for the company, which was accepted by Dr. Paul Janssen
Paul Janssen
Paul Adriaan Jan, Baron Janssen was the founder of Janssen Pharmaceutica, a pharmaceutical company with over 20,000 employees. In 2005 he finished as runner up, after Father Damien, in the poll for The Greatest Belgian organized by the regional Flemish television...
, and this name is in use since 10 February 1964.