Leading the Fight

From coast-to-coast-to-coast, advocates, volunteers and partners are helping to advance our fight against diabetes

Please upgrade your Flash Player to view this video.

Hugh O’Neill - Laval, Quebec

Hugh O’Neill is president and CEO of sanofi-aventis Canada, a company that joined the fight against diabetes more than 85 years ago, by developing techniques that enabled the large-scale production of insulin.

Hugh arrived in Canada in 2009, having worked for close to 25 years in the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. The rate of diabetes is similar in both countries and Hugh is all too aware of its impact on people, their daily lives and their families.

“I joined this industry fresh out of business school. I was enthusiastic about my job, but I didn’t appreciate fully the impact that a company like ours can have on people’s health and well-being.”

“Once I began to have firsthand contact with people who relied on us to help treat their conditions, my outlook changed. My job became a vocation. I’m proud to be part of the search for solutions that allow us to better treat and manage diabetes. Our work with the Canadian Diabetes Association is a key part of these efforts.”