Department of Economics and Internal Affairs Head

(Please check against delivery)

Welcome address by Cantonal Councillor Dr Urs Hofmann at the inauguration ceremony for Roche's Quality Control and Quality Assurance laboratory building in on 26 April 2012

Ladies and Gentleman

As the American philosopher and writer Ralph Waldo Emerson once observed, "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." And Hegel, before him, had found similar words: "Nothing great can be done without passion." Both precepts are supremely exemplified by Roche and the visually captivating, functionally efficient and sustainably designed building that is to be inaugurated today. The enthusiasm and passion with which Roche goes about its business are plain for all to see! Not for nothing is Roche the world's largest biotech company, with a 10,000-strong workforce in alone. And Roche is in fact by far the biggest employer here in Kaiseraugst.

For me, it is a particular honour to welcome you all to this new building on behalf of the Cantonal Council of . I sincerely hope that the entire staff and management team will quickly settle into their new home and I wish them every success here in the Fricktal region. Your decision to build here in Kaiseraugst – in Aargau's "boom valley" – was unquestionably the right one.

Up to my appointment as Aargau Cantonal Councillor, I was privileged to work as a legal consultant for Kaiseraugst local council for some 20 years. I came to know and cherish the area and local people, and very soon appreciated the enormous significance of Roche for the development of this municipality. This makes me all the more proud to attend today's inauguration of the new Roche building in my capacity as Head of the Cantonal Department of Economics and Internal Affairs.

Let me take this opportunity to thank the executive team at Roche for their investment decision along with all those involved in the building's design and construction. My warmest thanks also go to Kaiseraugst local council, under the tireless stewardship of Chairman Max Heller. Instead of just sitting back and observing the miraculous development of its industrial zone, Kaiseraugst local council has long pursued a proactive business and planning strategy aimed at attracting companies with bright future prospects and interesting jobs to offer. - 2 -

Fricktal has, in recent decades, witnessed an unprecedented success story: what was once the canton's "poor relation" has been transformed into one of the most economically powerful regions in Switzerland. Posting added value in the order of CHF 164,000 per head employee, Fricktal is Canton Aargau's most productive business region. Moreover, as Neue Aargauer Bank's most recent study on the cantonal economic structure shows, it is also among the national frontrunners, ranking fourth among Switzerland's most productive business regions.

Did you know, by the way, that Canton Aargau boasts more research and development jobs than any other part of the country? Or that an increasing number of people are moving here to take up residence? In the domestic competition between cantons, Aargau has in recent years established its credentials as one of the most innovative locations. Thanks to its single- minded policy of attracting and retaining businesses, our canton has for the second time claimed third spot in Credit Suisse's annual "Location Quality Indicator", notably outstripping both Geneva and -Stadt.

Aargau managed to achieve this excellent ranking by offering everything a company needs:

• A central location with first-rate transport links: Aargau lies at the heart of Switzerland's most powerful economic region, between the business centres of Zurich and Basel. It is very easy to reach by rail, road and air.

• A large supply of skilled workers backed up by local research and educational facilities: The Paul Scherrer Institute in Würenlingen/Villigen, Roche, Novartis and Syngenta in the Fricktal region, the ABB Research Centre in Baden-Dättwil, the Plastics Training and Technology Centre (KATZ) in Aarau, and the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), for which a large new campus is currently being built at Brugg-Windisch. All these companies and institutions, with their large, highly skilled workforces, are located in Canton Aargau.

• An attractive tax regime: Taxation levels for both companies and private individuals in Aargau are moderate by Swiss standards.

• Canton Aargau is business-friendly. Innovative companies such as Roche are welcome and bureaucratic obstacles are avoided wherever possible. Our economic development agency, Aargau Services, provides assistance for all companies seeking to locate here. - 3 -

• And, last but not least, Canton Aargau is an attractive residential location thanks to its affordable building land, good schools and attractive environment.

So the Canton of Aargau already has plenty of aces up its sleeve. The numerous companies that successfully offer their top-of-the-range technological products on the world market – including not only big global players, but also SMEs from all parts of the canton – testify to the innovative power and high locational quality of our canton. Yet, there is no room for complacency: the Cantonal Council is determined to redouble its efforts over the next few years in strengthening Aargau's position as Switzerland's high-tech canton. Shortly before Easter, it put a bill before the cantonal parliament proposing investments in the order of some CHF 40 million over the next few years

• to make companies in the canton even more competitive – by optimising the technology and knowledge transfer from educational and research institutes to SMEs, particularly in the fields of nanotechnology and energy systems,

• to implement a targeted development planning policy to ensure the timely provision of suitable sites for high-value-added companies,

• to provide extra support for young companies in the TECHNOPARK© Aargau foundation and additionally sponsor collaborations between SMEs and higher- education institutions using financial resources from the Aargau Research Fund.

Innovation and research are key to the future economic success of our canton – and of Roche too. We are delighted that Roche has responded by investing in the Canton of Aargau. So, dear Roche employees, let us hope that your enthusiasm and passion will be rewarded by even greater achievements in the future – for Roche, and in Aargau!