Inside the Strategy Room

160. Voices of CEO Excellence: Merck's Ken Frazier. Episode 2.

Jun 2, 2023

41:24

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Episode notes

Introduction

2min

How to Get the Most Out of Your Board

3min

The Importance of Patience in the Pharmaceutical Industry

2min

The Importance of External Positioning in the CEO Job

3min

The Importance of a Responsible CEO

4min

The Importance of Respecting Your Employees

3min

How to Lead a Successful Life

4min

How to Maintain Inspiring Self Esteem

2min

The Importance of a Good Counselor

3min

10.

The Role of Merck in the Penn State Crisis

4min

11.

The University's Response to the Free Report on Jerry Sandoski

4min

12.

The Power of Resilience in Crisis Management

3min

13.

Philanthropy and Social Purpose

3min

14.

Inside the Strategy Room

2min

In this second episode of our Voices of CEO Excellence interview with Ken Frazier, the former executive chairman and CEO of Merck candidly reflects on how he managed past crises.

Frazier discusses his decision-making process around the litigation trial concerning Merck’s pain-relief drug Vioxx, and how his employees ensured that a potentially crippling cyber attack did not stop production of critical medicines. He also speaks about how his most important advisor, his wife Andrea, has kept him grounded.

Frazier spoke with Vik Malhotra, former chairman of McKinsey’s Americas region and co-author of last year’s New York Times bestseller, CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest and Steve Van Kuiken, a former leader in our Life Sciences Practice and global leader of McKinsey Technology.

Listen to other episodes in our Voices of CEO Excellence series:

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