Today it’s more about agility and resilience in an organization! Stefan Oschmann, Vorsitzender der Geschäftsführung MERCK Group - a podcast by Future of Leadership Initiative

Stefan Oschmann, CEO of MERCK Group, one of the world’s leading science and technology companies is joining Sebastian Morgner. In the twelfth episode of the podcast, the issue of Covid-19 is discussed form the frontline perspective of the pharma industry.

When Sebastian Morgner asked how the shutdown has affected the daily work as a chief executive of a global group, Stefan Oschmann shares that while he grew fond of concepts like video calls and home office, he also thinks those models can not sufficiently cover all aspects of business. Therefore, the future of work will rather see a hybrid in between old and new, than a radical shift from one to the other.

The conversation turns to the pros and cons of our globalized world when facing pandemics like Covid-19. Stefan Oschmann talks about the lack of public attention to health security risks and the success factors to prevent them.

Thereafter, the conversation shifts to the possibilities of developing a vaccine and the debated role of institutions like the Gates Foundation and the World Health Organisation. After explaining how the search for a vaccine is usually conducted, Mr. Oschmann shares his view on the role of Bill Gates in the worldwide fight against the disease. When it comes to the WHO, he argues that while the organization is flawed it is an essential factor in global health and needs to be depoliticized.

In his opinion what leaders and managers can learn from the crisis is that it is important to be prepared and think in crisis scenarios while at the same time be on the lookout for opportunities and new developments. We live in a time that requires a mindset of innovation, resilience and agility more than ever before.

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