Lars Rebien Sørensen
Lars Rebien Sørensen shares how Novo Nordisk is leading the industry with a focus on marrying strong results with environmental and social sustainability.
Corporate social responsibility is deeply engrained in the DNA of Novo Nordisk, with the company boasting an egalitarian and sustainable approach to global health care. With more than 90 years of experience in diabetes care, and leading positions in haemophilia care, growth-hormone therapy, and hormone-replacement therapy, Novo Nordisk is determined to help patients from all nations and socioeconomic brackets access affordable, smart health care.
This inspiring company employs approximately 38,000 staff in 75 countries, and markets its products in more than 180 countries. The CEO Magazine recentlyspoke to Novo Nordisks CEO and President Lars Rebien Sørensen about the companys dedication to ethical and affordable global health care.
My background is quite unusual for a pharmaceutical executive as I have a Master of Science degree in forestry. I joined Novo Nordisk when it was still a conglomerate. We had an industrial chemicals business, which is now a separate company. I worked for them for 12 years until 1994, when I was appointed head of the pharmaceutical business, which included sales, marketing, and manufacturing. In 2000, I became CEO and the two companies were split up and we allowed shareholders to hold equity in those two separate companies. Since then Ive been CEO of Novo Nordisk, and altogether Ive been with the company for 32 years.