The CEO Dialogue

Pascal Soriot has been described as the hottest CEO in Pharma. After almost a decade at the helm of AstraZeneca, the company has seen a remarkable turnaround - battling falling sales to become one of the most valuable companies on the FTSE 100.For many, the drugmaker is synonymous with its coronavirus vaccine, but the source of Astrazeneca’s success traces back long before the pandemic. This week, Pascal Soriot tells IMD President Jean-François Manzoni about the future of the pharmaceuticals industry and the need to build a greener and more sustainable world.Highlights of  their conversation include a lesson on how to fend off corporate takeovers; some tips on CEO survival; and Soriot’s view on how COVID has changed consumer attitudes to healthcare.—————————Links:Read our new magazine, I by IMD, here.Discover IMD's leadership programmes here.

Mark Schneider is arguably the most powerful man in the food and beverage industry. As CEO of Nestlé, he oversees the biggest company in the sector - with 270,000 employees, a $350bn market cap, and a gigantic portfolio of brands that includes everything from Perrier to Purina.It would be simple to keep things moving in the same direction. But, as the softly-spoken German-American reveals to IMD President Jean-François Manzoni, the company is approaching a once-in-a-generation moment of change.Among key takeaways in this episode, discover why Schneider thinks recovery from the pandemic will be a several-year process; what the future of nutrition could look like; and why decision-making remains the hardest part of his job.—————————Links:Read our new magazine, I by IMD, here.Discover IMD's leadership programmes here.

When Jørgen Vig Knudstorp became CEO of the LEGO Group in 2004, the company was on the verge of ruin. Sales were falling, debts were piling up, and innovation had slowed to a crawl.What happened over the following decade has been called the greatest turnaround in corporate history. Among key takeaways in this episode, discover how Vig Knudstorp split the company’s recovery into three manageable chapters; why he believes in the power of “paradoxical leadership”; and why the LEGO Group we know today is more like a forest than a manicured garden.—————————Links:Read our new magazine, I by IMD, here.Discover IMD's leadership programmes here.

Alexis Nasard likes to express himself openly and with a minimum of jargon. It’s a skill that he developed early in his career, as he rose through the ranks at Procter & Gamble - and which later enabled him to thrive as Global Chief Marketing Officer of Heineken and then CEO of Bata Shoes. Nasard’s gift for communication is one of the reasons he’s known in the industry as a “brand master”. And, as Jean-François Manzoni discovers, it also makes him an unusually forthright interviewee - sharing valuable insights and learnings from a career that spans four decades and multiple categories.Among key takeaways in this episode: discover why corporate communications should be like olive oil; why 95% of PowerPoint slides can be done away with; and why every leader should strive for intellectual humility.----------Links:Read our new magazine, I by IMD, here.Discover IMD's leadership programmes here.

From a distance, Ilham Kadri might seem like an intimidating figure. She’s the CEO of Solvay, a multibillion-dollar chemicals company. She was recently named by Fortune Magazine as one of the most powerful women in business. And she has a track record for making tough decisions at the top.But, as she reveals to Jean-François Manzoni in this candid conversation, her leadership style is actually informed by a commitment to listening - and to giving back. And the changes she’s made at Solvay are already putting this into practise.Among key takeaways in this episode, discover how Kadri’s upbringing in Morocco has influenced her approach to sustainability, why she sees vulnerability as a strength, and why Covid-19 should be a wake up call for businesses everywhere.----------Links:Read our new magazine, I by IMD, here.Discover IMD's leadership programmes here.

Jordy Kool’s CV is a page-turner. From a stint in an elite military unit, to an award-winning tenure as CEO of the Infotheek Group, and then a mid-career reinvention as a mentor and investor -- it runs long on adventure and short on predictability.But, as he tells Jean-François Manzoni in this wide-ranging conversation, his success has been built on a few simple principles.Among key takeaways in this episode, discover how Kool’s military training has shaped his decision making in business; his time-management tricks when pursuing several projects at once; and the calculus he uses to decide when it’s time to sell a company.----------Links:Read our new magazine, I by IMD, here.Discover IMD's leadership programmes here.