Belén Garijo: Our best option for a safer, more stable, and secure world

Belén Garijo shared on LinkedIn:

“For one week in January since 1971, a frozen Davos in the heart of Switzerland has hosted political, business, cultural and other leaders from across the globe to discuss the state of our world and how to address its biggest challenges together.
We, at the Merck Group team, were delighted to participate this week in WEF24. We listened, learned, and contributed significantly to the conversations about the topics and trends affecting us all. Despite the craziness of the Davos schedule, I enjoyed and profited from every minute (I even managed to train myself on the fundamentals of embedding AI within an organisation).
Here are my key takeaways from this edition:

• Among the many significant challenges converging to make our world even more complex and uncertain, the ones that got the most attention circled geopolitics. I highlight the confidence in recharging growth in China, the increasing prominence of India as a pole of attraction for business investment, and the urgency of boosting European competitiveness. About this third topic, most of us agreed on the need for less red tape, an end to hyper-bureaucracy, reduced fragmentation and more holistic industry policies. Starting now, that’s the path Europe must take to stimulate collaboration, growth, and competitiveness.
• The digital transformation of our global markets powered by generative AI will only accelerate from here. The infinite applications of GenAI in any sector mean that mass adoption is imminent. We are just beginning to glimpse its potential impact on the world. It’s already reached a place it’s not been before – creativity.
• My belief that we at Merck have an extraordinary opportunity and responsibility is now stronger than ever. Our 355-year history of resilience, diversified business model, global footprint, and diverse team put us in the sweet spot to impact health, life, and sustainability worldwide. Innovative, values-driven organizations like ours have a vital leadership role to play moving forward.

Overall, I feel optimistic and confident. There are some lights visible on the horizon. Stakeholders across Germany, Europe, and other regions worldwide genuinely care about building the necessary collaborations to strengthen our collective resilience and rebuild societal trust. Over the last week, we made good progress in defining the key challenges and the urgent need to solve them together. Now, it’s time to implement feasible solutions.
While globalization isn’t perfect, it’s our best option for a safer, more stable, and secure world.”

Source: Belén Garijo/LinkedIn.

Belén Garijo is the Chair of the Executive Board and CEO of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. She joined the company in 2011 as Chief Operating Officer of the Biopharma business, becoming President and CEO of Healthcare in 2015. In July 2020, Belén Garijo was appointed Vice Chairman of the Executive Board and Deputy CEO in addition to her role as CEO of the Healthcare business. She moved from Deputy CEO to CEO in May 2021.

Under her leadership, Healthcare at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, has become a key player in the area of oncology, immunology and immuno-oncology, after the profound repositioning of the portfolio, the reorganization of R&D and the transformation of the commercial model. Before joining Merck, Belén Garijo served as the Senior Vice President of Global Operations Europe at Sanofi-Aventis and Global Integration Leader of Genzyme after its acquisition by Sanofi.

She previously held several local and global executive positions, both in R&D and commercial, at various companies at the forefront of the Healthcare sector. She started her career as a practicing physician at La Paz hospital in Madrid before moving to the pharmaceutical industry. She is a medical doctor, specialized in clinical pharmacology.