Joaquín Duato: "The most important thing about a leader is knowing how to bring out the best in others work "

The challenges of business leadership, the evolution of healthcare, and the importance of making strategic decisions throughout one’s professional degree program were the central themes of the session led by Joaquín Duato, president and CEO of Johnson & Johnson. The “ meeting ” took place at the University of Navarra’s Madrid campus ( postgraduate program ), as part of the “ framework ” of the “Master's Degree ” in Pharma-Biotech Business Management offered by the School of Pharmacy and Nutrition.

The “ meeting,” moderated by Antonio Fernández of Deputy Director ( Master's Degree), based on questions posed by the students, provided a firsthand look at the professional career of one of the healthcare sector’s top executives. Duato emphasized that “the most important thing for a leader is to know how to amplify the work of others; to make people feel that, thanks to your presence, the group will function better than if you weren’t there.” For Duato, this requires building relationships of trust with the people you work with, which, as he emphasized, “are based on honesty.” He also stressed the importance of clearly communicating the organization’s vision so that teams understand the purpose of their work and can contribute to common goals.

Regarding corporate “ purpose ,” Duato emphasized the importance of professionals being able to connect their daily work with the company’s “ mission statement ”: “One of the fundamental aspects of leadership is connecting what one does with the ‘ purpose ’ of the ‘ business.’ In a healthcare company, this means gaining firsthand knowledge of the impact our medications have on patients.” In the healthcare sector, this connection takes on special significance, as the work of the teams directly or indirectly affects patients’ lives, helping to guide decisions, strengthen employee commitment, and give meaning to the organization’s goals.

During the session, Duato shared some of the experiences that have shaped his professional career and emphasized the importance of seizing opportunities, taking on new challenges, and maintaining an open attitude toward change. In this regard, he noted that moving to another country was a challenge even in the staff, although the satisfaction he finds in his work makes up for that effort.

The session also included a segment on the future of healthcare and the changes that are transforming the sector. Duato discussed the relationship between innovation and access to treatments, as well as the convergence of technology and biology, which is opening up new possibilities for addressing unmet medical needs. In this context, he highlighted the challenges healthcare companies face in driving scientific and technological advances without losing sight of their impact on patients.

Duato emphasized the importance of taking responsibility for results, learning from mistakes, and recognizing well-executed work . In an industry as complex as healthcare, where innovation involves facing uncertainties and the possibility of making mistakes, leadership requires drawing lessons and translating strategy into concrete actions that contribute to achieving the organization’s goals. He also noted the importance of maintaining confidence in one’s own work and exercising patience in the face of circumstances beyond one’s individual control: “Having the patience to say, ‘Well, I’m doing my job well, but sometimes things don’t work out because of market conditions I can’t control.’”

The “ meeting ” event concluded with some reflections from Duato on the search for employment and professional development . Duato encouraged students to trust in their abilities and approach the selection process with confidence. He also pointed out that initial rejections do not necessarily determine the course of a professional career. And he encouraged students to be persistent, to remain eager to learn, to listen to others, and to maintain an open attitude toward new opportunities.