
39 segments available
Johnson & Johnson CEO William Wendell says secret is going beyond Band-Aids and baby shampoo. Recorded: February 2, 2007
William Wendell discusses the misconception that Johnson & Johnson is solely about baby shampoo and Band-Aids. He highlights that the pharmaceutical business is the largest segment, followed by medical devices and consumer products. This segment emphasizes the growth of J&J's pharmaceutical and medical device sectors, which have outpaced the consumer business over the years.
"the interesting thing about J J is most people think as the dean said about baby shampoo and Band-Aids but if you really look at Johnson and Johnson the biggest segment is our pharmaceutical business ..."
Wendell elaborates on J&J's medical device and diagnostics business, which is the largest in the world. He mentions key areas such as diabetes care, vision care, and genomics, showcasing how these sectors are integral to J&J's growth strategy. This segment highlights the importance of innovation in medical devices and their role in personalized medicine.
"lenses vistacon which is down in Florida our Ortho clinical Diagnostics business which looks at Diagnostics and is really very much involved now in genomics and Gene and looking at personalized medici..."
In this segment, Wendell addresses the challenges faced by J&J's pharmaceutical business, particularly the impact of generic competition on sales. He discusses the loss of revenue from the genericization of the Duragesic product and how it affected overall growth rates. This highlights the volatility and competitive landscape of the pharmaceutical industry.
"businesses that grew slower than their competition and the reason for that is a is a product called duragesic which went generic last year and when you have a generic product go generic you lose about..."
Wendell provides insights into J&J's consumer business, discussing products like Tylenol and Splenda. He notes the competitive pressures from generic brands and how this has affected growth. This segment underscores the challenges and strategies within the consumer health market, emphasizing the need for innovation and brand strength.
"Baby which everyone knows and then Health Women's Health Care which makes up our consumer segment which Again by itself would be about the sixth largest consumer business in the world and the largest ..."
Wendell talks about J&J's acquisition of Pfizer's consumer healthcare group, highlighting the strategic importance of this move. He explains how this acquisition enhances J&J's market position and product offerings, particularly in oral health and skin care. This segment illustrates J&J's approach to growth through strategic acquisitions.
"health care Brands we became one of the largest players in that area Lubriderm going into our our skin and and hair care and then you have Visine going with our contact lenses in that area so we saw w..."
In this segment, Wendell discusses the importance of balancing J&J's portfolio across pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and consumer products. He emphasizes the consumer business as a stable revenue source and its role in mitigating risks associated with higher-tech sectors. This highlights J&J's strategic focus on maintaining a diverse and resilient business model.
"from about 14 leadership positions to over 20 leadership positions which means that you have a lot of Leverage in dealing with these uh these large accounts where a lot of the business grows up the OT..."
Wendell introduces J&J's Credo, a foundational document outlining the company's management philosophy. He explains its four tenets, focusing on prioritizing patients, employees, community responsibility, and shareholders. This segment emphasizes the ethical framework that guides J&J's business practices and decision-making.
"launching that at the end of the year which really brings us into a another area to yet further grow our our OTC business the other thing that this did was it really balanced our portfolio the way the..."
Wendell highlights J&J's commitment to philanthropy and community support, detailing the company's contributions and employee involvement in charitable efforts. He shares examples of J&J's responsiveness to global crises, reinforcing the company's dedication to social responsibility. This segment showcases J&J's role as a corporate citizen.
"portfolio to bring our almost a quarter of our business back into the consumer area the moving on to the management philosophies we have a document that many of you may be aware of called our Credo It..."
In this segment, Wendell discusses the relationship between J&J's business practices and shareholder value. He argues that prioritizing customers and employees leads to sustainable returns for shareholders. This highlights J&J's belief in a holistic approach to business that benefits all stakeholders.
"good places to work secure jobs and to make sure that we treat them well the third one is our philanthropy and that we we have a responsibility to give back to the communities in which we live and wor..."
Wendell explains J&J's philosophy of being broadly based in healthcare, emphasizing the convergence of technologies across pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and consumer health. He discusses the benefits of collaboration between different sectors within the company, which fosters innovation and enhances patient care. This segment illustrates J&J's integrated approach to healthcare.
"dollars that share is now worth over half a million dollars so there's been a pretty fair return that these people have have realized as um by investing in the company but I I think the thing that has..."
Wendell concludes by discussing J&J's decentralized operational structure, which allows for flexibility and responsiveness in various markets. He highlights the importance of local leadership in adapting to regional needs and driving growth. This segment emphasizes J&J's strategy for maintaining a strong global presence.
"it makes you look at things differently you have to make sure you're taking care of your customer first and foremost your employees the communities you live managing your business well the shareholder..."
Wendell explains Johnson & Johnson's philosophy of maintaining a broad focus in human health care, contrasting it with other companies that have spun off divisions. He highlights the convergence of technologies in healthcare, using examples like the Cypher stent and the duragesic patch to illustrate the benefits of collaboration between pharmaceutical and device teams.
"at leadership we look at people and we look at the people that work in our company and treat them properly broadly based in human health care this is one that we debate all the time if you went back p..."
Wendell discusses the future of personalized medicine, emphasizing the role of genomics and proteomics in tailoring treatments to individual patients. He describes how understanding genetic makeup can lead to more effective medications and better patient outcomes, reinforcing the importance of a broad healthcare approach.
"putting them together the duragesic patch which went off patent was really when we worked with fentanyl which was a product and looked at a passive patch where we were able to get engineers and and ph..."
Wendell highlights the decentralized management structure at Johnson & Johnson, which empowers local leaders in 57 countries. He discusses how this approach fosters leadership development and allows for better understanding of local markets, ultimately leading to more effective business operations.
"innovation that's going on any place in the world decentralized is another one the dean spoke about where in 57 countries we have 200 operating companies the people that run our companies the women me..."
Wendell stresses the importance of balancing short-term returns with long-term investments in the business. He shares insights on Johnson & Johnson's significant investments in research and development, acquisitions, and the need for sustainability to ensure the company's future success.
"leaders and it allows people to make mistakes and make mistakes in areas where it's not going to be as catastrophic as if you're running a multi-billion Dollar business of some of our larger businesse..."
Wendell discusses Johnson & Johnson's commitment to delivering fair returns to shareholders over the long term. He reflects on the company's history of sales increases and dividend returns, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing both shareholder interests and community responsibilities.
"billion dollars in the development and investments in our business we spent about 7 billion in r d we spent 16 billion in the the acquisition of Pfizer consumer health care and then we had other Acqui..."
Wendell concludes by reiterating that the core of Johnson & Johnson's success lies in its focus on people and customers. He emphasizes the significance of being in great markets and having great people, which together drive innovation and positive outcomes for the company.
"and if you look at this chart over again the last 10 years you can look at it over the last 20 30 40 or 50 or 100 years well 60 years you see that the returns that J and J have given to shareholders h..."
Wendell opens the floor for questions, inviting the audience to engage in a discussion about Johnson & Johnson's strategies and insights shared during the presentation. This segment marks a transition from the presentation to an interactive dialogue.
"so with that that's all I had to say and I went through it pretty quickly hopefully so that we'd have time for a q a but that's that's really about what J is all about it's uh it's about customers and..."
William Wendell discusses the importance of collaboration across different divisions at Johnson & Johnson, such as the medical device and pharmaceutical groups. He highlights the role of the J&J Development Corporation in fostering internal ventures that encourage innovative thinking and problem-solving among diverse teams.
"um uh people from the farm group with maybe the medical device group and they actually look at things we have a we have a group which is called jjdc Development Corporation where we set up internal Ve..."
Wendell explains how mapping the human genome has opened new avenues for personalized medicine. He emphasizes the potential of genetic markers to predict patient responses to treatments, particularly in oncology, and how J&J's diagnostics efforts are focused on identifying responders and non-responders to therapies.
"Diagnostics group Now set up in our in our research facility in La Jolla that works actually with our pharmaceutical research and development group to look at the genomic up with patients the again Ci..."
Wendell outlines Johnson & Johnson's approach to leadership development, emphasizing the importance of a diverse skill set and global exposure for future leaders. He describes the company's intense succession planning program that prepares individuals for leadership roles through varied experiences across different markets and business units.
"okay yeah yeah I mean basically it's it's looking at the you know the whole breakthrough you know mapping the human genome everybody thought was going to be this big breakthrough well it was but it di..."
In this segment, Wendell reflects on the unique opportunities at J&J for employees to gain diverse experiences across various business sectors. He contrasts this with more centralized companies, highlighting how J&J's decentralized structure fosters management development and allows for career growth through varied challenges.
"those areas but we have a our orthoclinical Diagnostics company we have a company called vertech that sits in La Jolla with our biotechnology company in in La Jolla and they're actually look at all th..."
Wendell shares insights on the importance of mentorship and practical experience in leadership development at J&J. He discusses how the executive committee actively engages with potential leaders, providing them with opportunities to learn from mistakes and gain hands-on experience in different business areas.
"time um so, I, have a, question, about, leadership developments and session planning and skills so when you look for the next leader of Johnson and Johnson in an increasingly globalized economy what s..."
In this candid segment, Wendell talks about the lessons learned from failures and poor decisions throughout his career. He emphasizes the importance of resilience, persistence, and surrounding oneself with talented individuals to overcome challenges and drive success.
"we also try and give them opportunities to work in in businesses or areas or manage Brands where you know where they're going to learn they're going to make mistakes and they're going to learn so we t..."
Wendell reflects on his experiences working in Asia and the importance of cultural sensitivity in leadership. He discusses the value of listening and learning from diverse perspectives to enhance personal and professional growth, particularly in a globalized business environment.
"wisdom and the future of this trend well the thing that's unique about J and J at least I think it is is you can you can go anyplace in the world you can work in all different businesses I've worked i..."
Wendell articulates the strengths of J&J's decentralized management approach, which empowers local leaders to make decisions. He contrasts this with centralized management styles, arguing that decentralization fosters innovation and leadership development by leveraging the expertise of individuals across the organization.
"that's one of the things that a corporation like j j or some of the others has to offer where you don't have to move if you want to gain varied experiences and you want to develop different skills and..."
In this segment, Wendell discusses the importance of diversity in leadership at J&J. He emphasizes the need for a team that brings together varied functional, geographical, and experiential backgrounds to foster innovation and effective problem-solving within the organization.
"I think there is there is a difference there um I think the other piece that you know is is sometimes criticized of uh J J is kind of what we were talking about here is we do we do live somewhat in ou..."
In this segment, Wendell reflects on his experiences in Asia and the importance of listening over speaking. He shares insights on communication skills and the value of admitting mistakes. This discussion underscores the maturation process in leadership and the benefits of collaborative problem-solving.
"to do is surround yourself with people that are much better than you are I mean there's no doubt in my mind that the people sit on the executive committee are much better at what they do than I could ..."
Wendell advocates for setting ambitious goals in business, arguing that striving for higher targets fosters innovation and growth. He addresses the criticism he faces for his aggressive approach and emphasizes the need for a supportive environment where employees are not penalized for not meeting high expectations.
"experience for me because we do hear about the Ugly American who goes over there and thinks they know everything I would hope to think I wasn't that way but I did think I knew a lot more than I probab..."
Wendell discusses Johnson & Johnson's commitment to curing diseases rather than merely treating them. He reflects on the company's responsibility in healthcare and the importance of addressing unmet medical needs globally. This segment highlights the ethical considerations in the pharmaceutical industry.
"within a group yeah goal setting you know growing organization and decentral organization like yours and how you re-motivate the group that have achieved The Impossible goal and say you should like go..."
In this segment, Wendell addresses the challenges of healthcare costs and the importance of making medications affordable. He shares Johnson & Johnson's initiatives to provide access to essential drugs, particularly in underserved regions, emphasizing the company's role in the broader healthcare solution.
"you've got to think about those things but I I think you should set aggressive goals now realistic goals and attainable goals but but really aggressive goals and somebody who beats their you know thei..."
Wendell discusses the convergence of technologies and skills within Johnson & Johnson, highlighting how consumer insights enhance pharmaceutical and medical device sectors. He shares examples of successful integration, such as the development of products that combine scientific research with consumer needs.
"afraid of of doing things differently I mean if you set a huge objective you look at it a whole differently different way than if you said at this little incremental change you got to look for somethi..."
Wendell reflects on the need for intervention in resolving conflicts between business units at Johnson & Johnson. He discusses the importance of collaboration and breaking down silos to foster innovation and profitability, emphasizing a unified corporate identity over individual business interests.
"afford and we actually came out at a lower price and we had initially anticipated we're setting up Distributors and and manufacturers we're giving rights to in some of the different parts of the world..."
In this segment, Wendell explores how Johnson & Johnson continues to foster innovation despite being a large organization. He discusses the importance of adaptability and the integration of diverse skills to remain competitive against smaller, more agile companies in the healthcare sector.
"that we're trying to treat patients but but where whether whether it's in Tokyo or Shanghai or or or Beijing or Belgium wherever it may be you know we have groups of people that are working with the g..."
William Wendell discusses the importance of collaboration between different business units at Johnson & Johnson. He reflects on past interventions to resolve conflicts and emphasizes the need for a unified approach to innovation, moving beyond departmental silos to foster teamwork and shared success.
"and move people with skills as well as the Technologies together economy and the business units I was wondering if there's ever been a time when you've intervened to try and resolve a conflict between..."
In this segment, Wendell addresses the challenges large companies face in fostering innovation compared to smaller biotech firms. He explains how the pressure to maintain profits can hinder investment in new ideas and highlights the importance of decentralization to empower teams to make quicker decisions.
"are so so you intervene um setting up the the diagnostic group in La Jolla was an intervention where a couple of us got involved and said we need to do this we need we the farm people have been actual..."
Wendell shares insights on how Johnson & Johnson is working to decentralize decision-making processes. He discusses the importance of allowing lower-level teams the freedom to act quickly and the cultural shift needed to encourage innovation without excessive bureaucracy.
"think innovation in general is is a challenge the thing that most biotechs have as an advantage over over a large company is they don't have a profit the day you turn profit is the day you got a probl..."
This segment covers Johnson & Johnson's approach to innovation through acquisitions and internal development. Wendell explains the balance between starting new projects from scratch and acquiring existing companies to enhance their product offerings, emphasizing the importance of strategic investments in R&D.
"you asked a question about my career I'll tell you there there were times when I just went out and did it and God bless it you know fortunately many of them worked out some didn't and so I suffered th..."
Wendell discusses Johnson & Johnson's perspective on universal healthcare coverage in the U.S. He shares his experiences with healthcare systems in other countries and emphasizes the need for collaboration among industry stakeholders to ensure patient access to medications while fostering innovation.
"them one more yeah or Johnson Johnson have a opinion on uh Universal Health Care coverage in the US in terms of like single care or Universal values or employment and if any of these are actually impl..."