Willy Michel

Industry experience preceded a founder-owned medical-device business

Before becoming an entrepreneur, Michel built a career in pharmaceutical sales and management and spent six years heading Novo Nordisk's Swiss operation. In 1984 he co-founded Disetronic with his brother Peter and three scientific collaborators to develop a small insulin pump. ^[2][3]

Disetronic turned the technical project into a commercial diabetes-device company, adding injection systems alongside infusion pumps. Michel eventually took sole responsibility for much of the company's development, production, distribution and sales after his brother left the business. ^[2]

The major liquidity event came in 2003, when Roche agreed to acquire Disetronic in a transaction valued by Ypsomed at CHF1.6 billion. Michel immediately bought back the injection division for CHF425 million, separating the business Roche wanted from the platform he intended to keep building. ^[2][1]

The retained injection business became Ypsomed and stayed under family control

Michel renamed the retained operation Ypsomed and expanded it as a supplier of injection and infusion systems for self-medication. The company remained publicly listed while the Michel family kept control, combining outside market valuation with a large continuing founder-family stake. ^[3][2]

Ypsomed's 2024/25 annual report says Michel and his three children together held 71.5% of the company at March 31, 2025. That retained ownership links Michel's billionaire wealth directly to companies he founded and rebuilt through the Roche transaction, rather than to an inherited operating business. ^[3][1]