HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to HomeLeadershipback to Research & KnowledgeDefining Momentsback to Leadership

Book

Defining Moments

What every leader should know about balancing life

By Kees Van der Graaf

137 pages

Paperback

Overview

Keep reading

Overview

Keep reading

“Defining Moments is a deeply honest, personal and at times moving account of one man’s voyage of self-discovery. Through a series of defining moments, Kees shows how personal crises and professional challenges can not only be overcome but can also be used to help give greater purpose and meaning to life – to help make the individual stronger, the family more cohesive and the organization more united.”

Paul Polman, Chief Executive Officer, Unilever

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Paperback

You can also buy the book on Barnes & Nobles, Book Depository, Orell Füssli and Routledge.

Publisher

International Institute for Management Development

ISBN

9782839907064

Keep reading

Article

How to give feedback: Your six-part checklist

Learn how to give feedback effectively with six proven leadership practices that resolve conflict, correct behavior and foster team growth.

A strategic thinking test for leaders - Brain Circuits

Take the strategic thinking test for leaders to assess your readiness and explore practical steps to strengthen this vital leadership capability.

Leadership Strategy

By Michael D. Watkins

in I by IMD

Case Study

Sandoz (B): The art of staying true to your mission

Strategy Leadership Global Business

By Jim Pulcrano, Charan Singh, Zita Falk, Franciska Darmer and Barbara Schmidt-Ley

Article

Five key steps to accelerate your leadership career

Discover five key steps to accelerate your leadership career and learn how to amplify impact while navigating critical transitions.

Leadership

By Alyson Meister

in I by IMD

Case Study

Sandoz China: Do we stay or do we go?

Strategy China Leadership

By Mark J. Greeven and Jim Pulcrano

Case Study

Sandoz (A): Breaking free to stand alone

Strategy Leadership Global Business

By Jim Pulcrano, Charan Singh, Zita Falk, Franciska Darmer and Barbara Schmidt-Ley

Video

Lean and clean are perfect partners, says CEO of engineering giant

ABB CEO Morten Wierod on leaner cleaner strategy, electrification, automation, robotics, AI, digital transformation, sustainability, leadership.

Leadership Strategy Sustainability

By Jean-François Manzoni

in I by IMD

Podcast

Leaner, cleaner, faster, stronger: How ABB is reshaping an engineering icon for the future

ABB CEO Morten Wierod on leaner cleaner strategy, electrification, automation, robotics, AI, digital transformation, sustainability, leadership.

Innovation Leadership Sustainability

By Jean-François Manzoni

in I by IMD

Article

Is there a leadership “personality”?

Explore the truth behind leadership personality and success. Learn how to harness your traits to shape the leader you want to become.

Shipping Decarbonization - Maersk

How Maersk is rewriting the rules of shipping decarbonization – through collaboration, purpose, and placing big bets on the fuels of the future.

Leadership Supply Chain Sustainability

By David Bach and Felix Zeltner

in I by IMD

Sandoz (B): The art of staying true to your mission

By Jim Pulcrano Charan Singh Zita Falk Franciska Darmer and Barbara Schmidt-Ley
Case reference: IMD-2670 ©2025

Summary

This case series explores Sandoz's spin off from Novartis, which was finalized on 4 October 2023. Case B looks at Sandoz once it has become independent. The hard work of figuring out the best way to spin off is done, a new strategy created, and some difficult choices made. But now how will CEO Richard Saynor and his leadership team ensure that Sandoz is fit for purpose?

Reference IMD-2670

Organization Sandoz

Industry Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

Leadership

Global Business

Browse all topics

Sandoz China: Do we stay or do we go?

By Mark J. Greeven and Jim Pulcrano
Case reference: IMD-2680 ©2025

Summary

The Sandoz leadership team faced an important decision as it broke away from Novartis and became a public company. Should Sandoz retain the global geographical coverage it had had in its many years as part of Novartis? Or should it focus on fewer geographies and a simplification of the business models it was using? Since Sandoz was in a lower margin business than an innovator pharma company like Novartis, eventually, the senior leadership team decided to exit China. There was a belief that it was going to be difficult to compete on price with local Chinese companies, and the investment required to invest in more complex generics, as well as high-margin biosimilars, was beyond the means of Sandoz as it became a publicly listed company. The case also touches on the differences of opinion in a very strong leadership team and the options that were explored, or not, as the sale of Sandoz China to Aspen Pharmacare was concluded.

Reference IMD-2680

Organization Sandoz

Industry Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

China

Leadership

Browse all topics

Sandoz (A): Breaking free to stand alone

By Jim Pulcrano Charan Singh Zita Falk Franciska Darmer and Barbara Schmidt-Ley
Case reference: IMD-2669 ©2025

Summary

This case series explores Sandoz's spin off from Novartis, which was finalized on 4 October 2023. Case A follows Richard Saynor's (CEO, Sandoz) ruminations as he builds the company strategy in preparation for the board's approval of Sandoz as a standalone company. The narrative outlines the key strategic areas that Richard, along with his senior leadership team, considered and which strategy was eventually approved by the board of directors (i.e. product portfolio mix), the direction of the growth strategy (i.e. top vs. bottom line approach), target geography regions and ownership model. Case A focuses on the dilemmas and considerations of each strategic area.

Reference IMD-2669

Organization Sandoz

Industry Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

Leadership

Global Business

Browse all topics

Lean and clean are perfect partners, says CEO of engineering giant

By Jean-François Manzoni
in I by IMD

Summary

ABB CEO Morten Wierod on leaner cleaner strategy, electrification, automation, robotics, AI, digital transformation, sustainability, leadership.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Leadership

Strategy

Sustainability

Browse all topics

Leaner, cleaner, faster, stronger: How ABB is reshaping an engineering icon for the future

By Jean-François Manzoni
in I by IMD

Summary

ABB CEO Morten Wierod on leaner cleaner strategy, electrification, automation, robotics, AI, digital transformation, sustainability, leadership.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Innovation

Leadership

Sustainability

Browse all topics

Shipping Decarbonization - Maersk

By David Bach and Felix Zeltner
in I by IMD

Summary

How Maersk is rewriting the rules of shipping decarbonization – through collaboration, purpose, and placing big bets on the fuels of the future.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Leadership

Supply Chain

Sustainability

Browse all topics