In a recent article for Life Science Leader, Rob Wright shared some insights following a meeting with Kim Bush, a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation representative.
“Personally, I have been very impressed with how the foundation has turned the ailing pharma R&D program upside down, spearheading innovative projects that most pharma and bio companies would be hesitant to touch (and venture capitalists reluctant to fund). But even more impressive is the foundation’s ability to attract top talent,” he wrote.
Wright goes on to discuss the meaning of wealth, stating that money does not grant power- “it is what you do with it.”
“In the case of Gates,” he says, “it is his ability to give it away. At the age of 56, Bill Gates is already the most generous person on the planet, having given away $28 billion to make a difference in the world. I choose to believe that it is this desire to make a difference- to leave a legacy as Stephen Covey used to say- that is the reason the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been able to attract not only top people, but folks with the necessary skill sets to not only tackle, but succeed in accomplishing world health issues…. You need a variety of skills, such as international relations, international finance, and technology, just to name a few. Thus, the foundation’s leadership team includes members who have executive-level experience having worked for The United Nations, Citibank, Merck, Novartis, The World Bank, medical device companies, technology companies and so on.”
He added a dramatic statement, claiming that “The Gates Foundation leadership team should be the envy of every organization on the planet, and serve as a model for successful team building.”
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