We have been asking alumni to share their stories as part of our campaign to mark 100 years of the School of Pharmacy at Nottingham this academic year.

Once such profile was provided by Edgar Wallner (Pharmacy, 1958), who contacted us to share his reflections in October, before we very sadly heard of his passing just a couple of weeks later in November.

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Edgar was deeply passionate about the University of Nottingham and had been a loyal donor since the early 1990s to a wide range of causes. He was a recipient of an Alumni Laureate award in 2011 and an Honorary Degree several years later.

His generosity towards Lakeside Arts in particular was truly transformational, leaving a lasting impact on the cultural life of the university and its wider community. The Wallner Gallery continues to remain a thriving space, with community installations welcoming many guests annually. Edgar was well known and warmly regarded by many across campus, and his longstanding commitment will forever be felt and appreciated.

One of the very earliest cohorts to graduate in Pharmacy, we are honoured to share his thoughts and memories of his life at Nottingham and subsequent successful career.

Why did you choose to study at the School of Pharmacy?

I was impressed with the subjects covered because they allowed several ultimate avenues of employment. I found the campus very attractive and the possibility of living in hall very welcome. 

What was your experience of studying at the School of Pharmacy?

The school was in cramped quarters, in previously temporary pre-fabricated buildings but the atmosphere was good and the shared experiences were excellent.        

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Where has your career taken you since graduating and how has this been impacted by your time at Nottingham?

I started as a post graduate apprentice at Boots and subsequently joined the International Division. I was sent to Boots Australia as a medical representative. Early in my career I was involved in the worldwide launch of ibuprofen, which Boots discovered. I returned to Australia as Assistant Medical Marketing Manager and was then appointed Managing Director of Boots Far East Company in Singapore in 1964 at the age of 27.

In 1968 I returned to England as Europe manager. The company sent me to Harvard School of Business Administration in 1971, after which I was appointed Manager of Overseas Companies Operations. After 14 years of a very happy time at Boots, in 1973 I was head hunted to join a new American medical device company. National Patent Development Corporation which had acquired the first soft contact lenses from the Czechoslovak government, which led to the formation of Hydron Europe, in which I became Marketing Director.

We set up a joint venture with Smith and Nephew and launched the first soft lenses while licensing Bausch and Lomb for their brand. During that time, we took the company public in the USA. In 1978 I was head hunted to join ElectroBiology Inc, a US start up specialising in electrical stimulation of non-healing fractures, as European Manager, in which I organised a number of clinical trials resulting in several publications in respected journals.

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During this time we also acquired rights to market a novel form of External Fixation from the University of Verona. In 1987, a group of us, who had met at Harvard, raised the finance to acquire 80% of the company, leaving the original owners with 20%. We gave share options to all employees, not as was normal, the fat cats at the top. In 1992 we floated the company on NASDAQ. I was President and CEO until I became Vice Chair in 2002 and retired in 2004. We had taken sales from $500,000 per annum to over $300M.

On my retirement, I set up a theatre production company, National Angels, to transfer National Theatre productions to the West End, Broadway and Toronto. We took the risk of any losses but returned a substantial part of the profits to the theatre. Among the productions we transferred were War Horse and One Man Two Guvnors, for which James Corden won a Best Actor Tony Award. We closed the company after 15 years, as we were all getting rather old. The basis for all my endeavours was my education at Nottingham University, where I had been Internal Secretary of the Union and at Harvard, which at the time was an inspirational course, during which I learned the immense value in making employees shareholders. I am very grateful to Nottingham University for giving me the basis for all these activities and particularly for the award of an honorary doctorate.

What are some of your memories of Nottingham?

I think the highlight of my time at Nottingham, was the fact that I met the girl who was to become my Wife. Judith was reading French and German, and was passionate about theatre which was transmitted to me and became a huge part of our lives. It led me to the National Theatre, where I ended up as Vice Chair of the Development Council. Between us, we had four children, two of whom graduated from the University, and eight grandchildren. We are still married 69 years after meeting at our beloved University.

What are your words of wisdom for the next generation of students currently studying at the School of Pharmacy?

You can only be successful by using your imagination, learning to prove your positions by analysing the true facts and by loving what you do. Hard work and long hours, and care for others are indispensable. No-one owes you a living and the ball is always in your court. Good Luck.

Edgar Wallner, born 13 January 1937; died 8 November 2025