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    BPI Expert Faculty

    Raymond V. Gilmartin

    Professor of Management Practice

    Harvard Business School

    Key Takeaways

    • 1.As CEO of Merck & Co., he grew revenues from $15 billion to nearly $50 billion and launched 17 new drugs.
    • 2.He is a respected authority on business ethics, advocating for corporate responsibility and integrity.
    • 3.Serves as a Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School, teaching on leadership and successful enterprises.
    • 4.Led Becton Dickinson's transformation into a major multinational corporation through strategic restructuring.

    About Raymond

    Raymond V. Gilmartin is a respected authority in leadership and business ethics, serving as a Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School and as an expert faculty member for the Best Practice Institute.

    Who is Raymond V. Gilmartin?

    Raymond V. Gilmartin is a distinguished Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School, where he imparts knowledge on building and sustaining successful enterprises within the MBA program and leads executive education programs. His academic work focuses on the intersection of leadership, organizational development, and ethical corporate culture.

    Gilmartin is recognized for his profound impact on major global corporations, steering them through periods of significant growth and transformation. His expertise extends to the pharmaceutical industry, where he championed ethical practices and inclusive management strategies to foster innovation and creativity.

    Quick facts about Raymond V. Gilmartin

    Role
    Company
    Expertise
    Notable for
    BPI affiliation

    What is Raymond V. Gilmartin known for?

    • Transformational Leadership: Guided Merck & Co., Inc. through significant growth, expanding revenues from $15 billion to nearly $50 billion and launching 17 new drugs.
    • Ethical Corporate Culture: Advocated for and implemented ethical practices within global business strategies, emphasizing corporate responsibility and integrity.
    • Organizational Redevelopment: Led Becton Dickinson's transition into a multinational firm through strategic restructuring.
    • Social Impact Initiatives: Championed Merck's Mectizan donation program, which has provided over $1 billion in aid for river blindness, and committed to AIDS vaccine research.
    • Academic Contributions: Teaches "Building and Sustaining Successful Enterprises" at Harvard Business School and "Leading Science-Based Enterprises" in Executive Education programs.
    • Board Engagements: Served on the boards of Microsoft, General Mills, the National Association of Corporate Directors, UNCF, and the Harvard Business School Board of Advisors.

    What is Raymond V. Gilmartin's background and experience?

    Raymond V. Gilmartin's career spans leadership roles in top-tier pharmaceutical and medical device companies, followed by a distinguished academic career. He began his professional journey as a Development Engineer at Eastman Kodak, gaining practical experience in manufacturing operations.

    He then transitioned to the healthcare industry, joining Becton Dickinson in 1976. He rose through the ranks to become Chairman, President, and CEO, serving until 1994. Under his leadership, Becton Dickinson evolved into a prominent multinational corporation. In 1994, Gilmartin took on the leadership of Merck & Co., Inc. as Chairman, President, and CEO. During his 12-year tenure, he significantly expanded the company's global footprint and product portfolio while instilling a culture of original research and ethical conduct.

    Gilmartin joined the Harvard Business School faculty in July 2006 as a Professor of Management Practice, bringing his extensive industry experience to the academic world. He also contributed to broader economic and trade discussions, serving on the President's Export Council and as a past chair of the Council on Competitiveness.

    Education:

    • BS in Electrical Engineering: Union College (1963)
    • MBA: Harvard Business School (1968)

    What topics does Raymond V. Gilmartin speak and write about?

    Raymond V. Gilmartin's discourse predominantly centers on leadership, organizational strategy, and the critical role of ethics in corporate culture. He explores how strong, values-driven leadership can foster creativity and drive sustainable growth, particularly within science-based enterprises. His insights often touch upon the complexities of managing global businesses and the importance of inclusive management practices.

    His known monograph, "Ethics and the Corporate Culture," highlights his deep commitment to embedding ethical considerations into the core operations and strategic decisions of organizations. He addresses how companies can align effective business performance with responsible conduct, advocating for a holistic approach to corporate governance.

    How does Raymond V. Gilmartin contribute to the Best Practice Institute?

    As an expert faculty member for the Best Practice Institute, Raymond V. Gilmartin brings his extensive leadership and ethical expertise to BPI's community. His insights into building and sustaining successful enterprises, whether in the pharmaceutical industry or other sectors, align with BPI's mission to identify and disseminate best practices in leadership, organizational development, and workplace culture. While specific webinar titles are not on record, his contributions undoubtedly reinforce the principles of the Most Loved Workplace® movement and the SPARK Model, emphasizing positive corporate cultures and ethical leadership.

    Where can you learn more from Raymond V. Gilmartin?

    You can learn more about Raymond V. Gilmartin through his faculty profile at Harvard Business School, where he continues to teach and contribute to leadership development. His work on ethics and corporate culture provides valuable perspectives for those interested in creating more effective and responsible organizations.

    Background & Perspective

    Raymond V. Gilmartin is a respected authority in leadership and business ethics, serving as a Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School and as an expert faculty member for the Best Practice Institute. He is recognized for his transformational leadership as the former head of two major global corporations and his academic contributions to building ethical, successful enterprises.

    Background and Career

    Raymond V. Gilmartin has a distinguished career spanning both industry and academia. He joined the Harvard Business School faculty in July 2006. Prior to this, he was the Chairman, President, and CEO of Merck & Co., Inc. from 1994 to 2006. During his 12-year tenure, he guided the company through a period of significant growth, expanding revenues from $15 billion to nearly $50 billion and launching 17 new drugs.

    Before leading Merck, Gilmartin was the Chairman, President, and CEO of Becton Dickinson, where he served from 1976 to 1994. Under his leadership, he led the company’s strategic restructuring and transition into a prominent multinational corporation. He began his career as a Development Engineer at Eastman Kodak.

    Gilmartin has also served on the boards of Microsoft, General Mills, the National Association of Corporate Directors, UNCF, and the Harvard Business School Board of Advisors. He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Union College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

    Areas of Expertise

    Gilmartin's expertise lies at the intersection of leadership, organizational development, and ethical corporate culture. His primary specialties include:

    • Leadership
    • Business Ethics
    • Organizational Development
    • Pharmaceutical Management
    • Corporate Governance
    • Global Business

    He is particularly noted for his skill in steering large organizations through transformation, fostering innovation through inclusive management strategies, and instilling a culture of original research and ethical conduct.

    Topics and Academic Contributions

    At Harvard Business School, Gilmartin teaches "Building and Sustaining Successful Enterprises" in the MBA program and "Leading Science-Based Enterprises" in Executive Education. His writing and speaking engagements focus on values-driven leadership, organizational strategy, and managing global businesses. He is the author of the monograph, "Ethics and the Corporate Culture," which details his commitment to embedding ethical considerations into core business operations.

    Social Impact and Governance

    A hallmark of Gilmartin's leadership is his commitment to corporate responsibility. He championed Merck's Mectizan donation program, which has provided over $1 billion in aid for river blindness, and committed the company to AIDS vaccine research. He has also contributed to national economic policy as a past chair of the Council on Competitiveness and a member of the President's Export Council.

    Areas of Expertise

    LeadershipBusiness EthicsOrganizational DevelopmentPharmaceutical ManagementCorporate GovernanceGlobal Business

    Research Topics

    LeadershipEthicsOrganizational DevelopmentWorkplace Culture

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    Frequently asked questions

    Best Practice Institute

    Best Practice Institute is the research organization behind Most Loved Workplace® certification, the SPARK Model, the Love of Workplace Index™ (LOWI™), and The Workplace Report.

    The Workplace Report

    The Workplace Report is BPI's original workplace culture research and editorial briefing series for CEOs, CHROs, people leaders, talent leaders, and employer-brand teams. It turns BPI's 25 years of research, Most Loved Workplace® certification data, SPARK findings, and current workforce signals into practical analysis leaders can use.

    The report format includes executive summaries, research-backed articles, company examples, methodology notes, and practical implications for retention, hiring, culture, leadership, and employee experience. New research and analysis is published on an ongoing editorial cadence at /workplace-report.