By : Nedal Zubeidi
Jordan Daily – Chanelle Pharma, Ireland’s largest manufacturer of generic pharmaceuticals for human and animal health, has been highlighted as a flagship example of Irish investment in Jordan, as part of an Embassy of Ireland initiative showcasing success stories.
At an event in Amman, Irish Ambassador to Jordan Marianne Bolger praised Chanelle’s achievements since establishing operations in Jordan in 2008. “It’s very important that we tell the story of a really successful Irish investment… And why they not only invest in Jordan but why they stayed here,” Bolger said. “One of those reasons is about the talent that’s here. The talent that exists in Jordan.”
Chanelle Pharma, headquartered in Loughrea, Ireland, employs over 700 people across Ireland, the UK, Portugal, and Jordan. The company exports to more than 80 countries through its four manufacturing and five R&D facilities.
Rasha Al-Baik, General Manager of Chanelle Pharma in Jordan, joined the company in 2009 when it was still a start-up operating from a partially constructed lab. “There were only four people hired at that time… It was like a family. Maybe it was ten employees only,” she said.
A graduate of the University of Jordan’s Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Baik had worked in pharmaceutical manufacturing before responding to a newspaper ad in 2008. “It was a little bit risky. It’s very small and it just started… But it was a very unique idea. I will take the risk and I will go for it,” she recalled.
Al-Baik was initially tasked with overseeing animal health products, a new area for her. “They said no panic. It is the same as human health with some small differences,” she said. She later trained in Ireland for one month in 2009 to deepen her expertise and align operations with European standards.
Chanelle’s lab in Jordan achieved full accreditation in 2009, enabling it to deliver services across the European market – a first for Jordan at the time. “This was a big milestone for Chanelle Jordan,” Al-Baik said. “No lab in Jordan has this certification so we can provide this service to European companies.”
Founder Michael Burke, who regularly visited Jordan in the early years, made the strategic decision to build a lab in Amman instead of relocating talent to Ireland. “Why don’t I open the lab here in Jordan? And hire more people in Jordan,” he reportedly said, recognizing the country’s strong pharmaceutical capabilities.
“Without Jordan, I would never achieve what I achieved today,” Burke told staff. According to Al-Baik, “He believes in us. And he invests in people in Jordan.”
The Jordan operation now provides a full range of pharmaceutical R&D, testing, and regulatory services for both human and veterinary products. “From Jordan, we were doing all of the services… like we were in Europe,” Al-Baik said.
Chanelle’s lab is also certified by Jordan’s FDA and recognized as a national reference lab. “We were acknowledged as a reference lab in Jordan. And they were very impressed with what the work is done in Jordan,” she added.
Today, Chanelle Jordan serves clients in both European and non-European markets, assisting pharmaceutical companies with product development and international regulatory submissions.
Ambassador Bolger underscored Jordan’s attractiveness as a business destination. “Irish companies should look to invest more and more in Jordan. First and foremost, it’s a great place to live and work,” she said.
The event was hosted as part of the embassy’s ongoing initiative Success Stories in Focus, aimed at highlighting impactful Irish investments in the Kingdom.
