logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2022
33m 53s

Rapid Response: "Be confident enough to ...

Waitwhat
About this episode

Ken Frazier, the longtime CEO of pharmaceutical giant Merck, was one of the few Black CEOs at the top of Corporate America. Now as an adviser at General Catalyst and co-founder of the social impact organization OneTen, he’s re-shaping how business addresses racial and health equity. He joins host Bob Safian to discuss crisis adjustment, the positive side of fear, and the importance of vulnerability. Plus, he addresses the rising divisiveness in American culture, and the important role that business can play – by stressing our commonality and emphasizing kindness.

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com

Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/subscribe

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Today
How a summer job grew into an ice cream empire, with CEO Ben Van Leeuwen
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is one of the fastest growing dessert brands in the country. It’s known for its seriously delicious classic flavors and its wacky collaborations. (Kraft Mac and Cheese ice cream, anyone?) Co-founder and CEO Ben Van Leeuwen talks with Jeff Berman to reveal ho ... Show More
32m 44s
Jul 8
PBS fights for its future, with President & CEO Paula Kerger
PBS President & CEO Paula Kerger joins Rapid Response to take us inside the organization’s financial reality if federal funding is stripped, and how she’s battling to protect iconic programming — from Frontline to Sesame Street. Kerger shares the role of corporate philanthropy in ... Show More
27m 7s
Jul 3
How Baby2Baby stepped up as LA wildfires raged, with co-CEOs Norah Weinstein and Kelly Sawyer Patricof
Devastating wildfires tore through Los Angeles at the start of 2025. Nonprofit Baby2Baby was on the ground leveraging its deep knowledge of how to respond to natural disasters to help families in need. Co-CEOs Norah Weinstein and Kelly Sawyer Patricof joined host Jeff Berman on s ... Show More
36m 16s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2023
160. Voices of CEO Excellence: Merck's Ken Frazier. Episode 2.
In this second episode of our Voices of CEO Excellence interview with Ken Frazier, the former executive chairman and CEO of Merck candidly reflects on how he managed past crises. Frazier discusses his decision-making process around the litigation trial concerning Merck’s pain-rel ... Show More
41m 24s
May 2023
159. Voices of CEO Excellence: Merck’s Ken Frazier. Episode 1
As CEO of Merck, Ken Frazier gained the respect of his employees, shareholders, and the broader community - both through the company’s performance during his 11-year tenure and also through his handling of several tests of his leadership. Now Merck’s former executive chairman, he ... Show More
42m 20s
May 2020
Salesforce’s Marc Benioff: Capitalism Must Change
Salesforce Founder and CEO Marc Benioff is calling for a more compassionate capitalism amid Covid-19. He feels CEOs and businesses have the responsibility to think about all of their stakeholders, not just their shareholders. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, ... Show More
23m 34s
Jan 2021
“Never Mistake Presence for Power”
Economic and social inequalities between white and Black people gained global attention again this year. In this podcast episode, Rashad Robinson, president of Color Of Change — the largest online racial justice organization driven by more than 7.2 million members — spoke on the ... Show More
33m 9s
Apr 2020
The North Face vs Patagonia - Zen and the Art of Business | 4
It’s the dawn of the 1990s and Yvon Chouinard is struggling to come to terms with his new status as a successful entrepreneur. He cannot decide what to do with the fast-growing monster he’s created.  Meanwhile, The North Face’s new owner Odyssey International is pushing the limit ... Show More
25m 52s
Jul 2022
125. Charles Lowrey on putting purpose at the heart of Prudential Financial’s transformation
Over the past three years, Charles Lowrey, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, has led a transformation of the 150-year-old insurance and investment management company, a journey that has also spanned the entire pandemic. He joins Dame Vivian Hunt, a senior partner in our L ... Show More
32m 29s
Jun 2020
Using Radical Candor to Improve DEI Conversations 2 | 5
Our new podcast series, “Radically Candid Conversations,” features experts and guests who will help us learn, reflect, and put our insights into action. Our second episode features Tiffani Lee, a partner at the law firm Holland & Knight, who recently wrote in an article about add ... Show More
1 h
Jun 2022
Business Daily meets: Tech entrepreneur Frederic Kerrest
Tech entrepreneur Frederic Kerrest tells Sam Clack how he helped to build the multi-billion dollar tech company, Okta, from scratch.He goes through the life and business lessons he’s learned along the way – and explains the importance of listening to great advice at every stage o ... Show More
18m 43s
Jul 2021
Best Buy’s Hubert Joly on Walking the Talk of Stakeholder Capitalism
Hubert Joly, former chairman and CEO of Best Buy, says that now is the time for companies to get serious about operating to benefit not just shareholders but also employees, customers and broader society. In the face of environmental crisis, racial turmoil, and rising economic in ... Show More
27m 20s