Merck kenneth c frazier biography of alberta

As the COVID pandemic amply demonstrated, pharmaceutical companies play a vitally important role in society and the people who lead them are among the most influential figures of the business community. Some stand out for dedicating their leadership to principles of justice and fairness, in addition to driving their company's growth. Thanks to a family who instilled in him a passion for learning and a deep sense of ethics, as well as his own drive and hard work, Frazier was able to transcend his obstacles, succeeding in school and earning a scholarship to Penn State University, followed by a scholarship to Harvard Law School.

Even before he chose law as a career, Frazier was inspired by the example of Thurgood Marshall, the first Black Supreme Court justice. Through Frazier's tireless efforts, Cochran was eventually granted a new trial, found not guilty, and freed. Frazier's work was not limited to the courtroom: on several sabbaticals from the firm, he taught trial advocacy to Black attorneys in South Africa during apartheid.

He successfully led the company's legal team through significant challenges before moving on to positions of increasing responsibility at Merck, including leadership of the commercial division and eventually chief executive officer and chairman in , becoming the first African American CEO of a major pharmaceutical company.

As head of an organization dedicated to saving and improving lives, and advancing medical science through medicines and vaccines, Frazier approached his job with the same commitment to principle and ethics that had guided him throughout his career.

Merck kenneth c frazier biography of alberta: We manage a corporate grants

He steered the company toward taking greater risks for the fulfillment of its health mission rather than solely increasing its investment returns. Toward that end, Frazier's year tenure at the helm of Merck was marked by an increasing emphasis on the research and development of new treatments and products, often placing long-term innovation ahead of short-term profitability.

In keeping with his personal passion for social justice, Frazier also placed renewed emphasis on Merck's involvement in philanthropic, educational, and humanitarian initiatives. Among his special interests are expanding healthcare access to underserved communities and increasing economic opportunities for underrepresented groups.