How COVID-19 has redefined business purpose and leadership

At the third annual Helen Alexander Memorial Lecture – supported by the CBI, the Economist, Informa and the University of Southampton – we highlight the theme ‘Women on Business’, featuring a prominent speaker from the pharmaceutical industry. As this unprecedented period continues, the speakers discuss whether the pursuit for COVID-19 vaccines has identified a different purpose for business, reflecting on leadership and inclusivity.

Speakers

• Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, Director-General, CBI
• Emma Walmsley, CEO, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
• Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor-in-Chief, The Economist

Key takeaways from the lecture

• Carolyn Fairbairn begins the session acknowledging this year as being a “reset moment” for business, highlighting the importance of not taking a step back for gender equality
• Emma Walmsley and Zanny Minton Beddoes start off the Q&A, with Zanny questioning how the pharmaceutical industry balances speed and safety with vaccines
• The session then moves onto the purpose of global pharmaceutical gia