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Report

The IMD Annual Report 2021

Challenging what is and inspiring what could be

128 pages

April 2022

PRINTABLE PDF – 13MB

Each year, the IMD Annual Report charts and explores the institution’s approach and activities as a world leader in executive education and research. Fueled by pioneering thought leadership, a unique proximity to business and innovative pedagogy, IMD develops leaders who transform organizations and contribute to society through an award-winning range of open and custom programs, and MBA and EMBA degrees.

In 2021, the board was impressed by the commitment and united spirit of the IMD faculty and team, led by President Jean-François Manzoni. We continued to invest with bold ambition to build a diverse, technology-enabled offering for a new era, rather than just waiting for the storm to subside.

The IMD Annual Report 2021 can be read in full here:

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Energy transition: how to surf the wave of change

Future-ready organizations that focus on the energy transition and accelerate along with it will reap the benefits.

Change Management Strategy Sustainability

By Julia Binder and Knut Haanaes

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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

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Case Study

Sandoz China: Do we stay or do we go?

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By Mark J. Greeven and Jim Pulcrano

Case Study

Sandoz (A): Breaking free to stand alone

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

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

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

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Energy transition: how to surf the wave of change

By Julia Binder and Knut Haanaes
in I by IMD

Summary

Future-ready organizations that focus on the energy transition and accelerate along with it will reap the benefits.

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Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Change Management

Strategy

Sustainability

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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

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Related topics

Strategy

Leadership

Global Business

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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

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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