He Transformed Galenica, Reinvented the NZZ, Then Started Over at 67 (with Etienne Jornod)

In this episode of Getting Serious, Woody sits down with Etienne Jornod, one of Switzerland’s most accomplished business leaders, to explore what it really means to think and act like an entrepreneur, whether you’re running a pharmaceutical giant, a 250-year-old newspaper, or a Geneva biotech you acquired at the age of 67.

Etienne Jornod built his reputation transforming Galenica from a traditional drug wholesaler into two separately listed companies, one of which, Vifor Pharma, reached a market value of CHF 16 billion. He then took on the chairmanship of NZZ, replacing the board, appointing a new CEO and editor-in-chief, outsourcing the print operation to a competitor, and turning a struggling institution into a profitable digital media company with 60,000 subscribers in Germany alone. When that chapter closed, he did not slow down. He acquired OM Pharma and started again.

The conversation covers his philosophy of entrepreneurship, which he believes should apply to every person in an organization, including the receptionist, his three non-negotiable pillars of strategy, people, and communication, and why Switzerland, with its political stability, access to talent, and open doors at every level of government, remains in his view the best place in the world to build something.

This episode is available on YouTube and Spotify.

This episode is brought to you by Swissquote, Switzerland’s leading digital bank, combining everyday banking with advanced trading and investment solutions. Discover more at swissquote.com.