May is a special moment about mothers, those bits and pieces about maternal love, about the past of growth, about the joy and sorrow of individuals, are being commemorated, told, and asked.
Each generation of women faces the challenges of their own particular era, and their emotions, experiences, and experiences are empathetic collective memories of the era. Some people have subverted the path that their mothers have walked, some people have gained insights from their mother's experience, and some people are inheriting their mother's beliefs and continuing their mother's spirit...... Women in this era are no longer confined to the roles given by society, but use the surprise of every appearance to let us see their freedom and ease.
How powerful is the spiritual power given by the mother? In the process of chatting with Zhang Wei, Managing Director of Merck China Healthcare, we deeply felt the energy brought by this huge "magnetic field". Mother's love is like a relay, allowing us to grow up in being loved and mature in giving.
Wei Zhang, Managing Director of Merck China Healthcare
When we talked about "mother", a smile spread on Zhang Wei's face, "My mother is my role model, she is a very hardworking, hard-working, optimistic woman, and I learned a lot from her. She has always encouraged me to observe, to experience, to perceive the world. It is also driven by this spiritual force that Zhang Wei has become an all-rounder in the workplace today.
In her, we see a more layered feminine charm, gentle, sassy, bold and fearless. So, as a female leader in the pharmaceutical industry, how does she interpret "female leadership"? Under her leadership, what role will Merck KGaA play in the global market? With multiple identities, how did she break through herself again and again and navigate between her career and life? With these questions, we chatted with Zhang Wei about her thoughts and insights.
Mother's perseverance is the internal driving force engraved in her bones
"Brave" and "not giving up easily" are the innate marks of Zhang Wei's mother. My mother was born in a complex and uncertain era, and she did not have the opportunity to receive a better education, and her learning career came to an abrupt end after finishing her secondary school. However, the mother who did not admit defeat since she was a child did not give up being a better version of herself, although she did not have a high degree of education, but she never stopped on the road of self-improvement. With unremitting efforts, at the age of 40, she became the deputy director of a state-owned enterprise, managing a factory with thousands of employees. "In those days, it was a great situation." Zhang Wei said with a smile, his eyes revealing adoration and admiration.
There are many narrow doors in life, but only when you pass through these narrow doors can you find a new way. After retiring, her 58-year-old mother unfortunately contracted cancer, "After five rounds of chemotherapy, her hair kept falling out, and she continued to receive the next chemotherapy treatment before the new hair grew." Her digestive system was disrupted as a result, but she is still optimistic, and to this day, 18 years later. The doctor in charge of my mother's treatment still says that this is our model patient, a star in the fight against cancer. Every time she goes to the hospital for follow-up, she will also find opportunities to share her anti-cancer experience with other patients and inspire them to face life again. In the ups and downs of life, my mother found the ability to create happiness, and she wanted to tell everyone: don't always be depressed about the difficulties in front of you, don't be anxious, don't be confused, and believe that there is always a place where you can bloom yourself.
Zhang Wei's mother
As the British sociologist Ann Oakley wrote in "Motherhood for the First Time", "Becoming a mother means not only a change in work, but also a reshaping of one's personality." ”
It is a courage and persistence that builds her strong internal drive and leverages the height of life. It was those innermost strengths that gave her the courage and desire to explore the world freely. After the treatment, she felt that she had to change her life and travel all over the world, and so far she has traveled to six continents except Antarctica, and has been to more than 50 countries. I think it's the optimism and perseverance that have sustained her to where she is today. ”
Her mother's past experiences had a profound impact on Zhang Wei's growth, and also made her firmly believe that women have a tenacious inner strength and can not be knocked down by any difficulties. "That's resilience, and it's what I saw in my mother, it's a trait that is carved into her bones, and it's this spiritual drive that pushes her to overcome and overcome life's difficulties."
With the changes of the times, modern women's lifestyle, marriage and family outlook have changed, from the traditional concept to a more equal, personalized and liberal value orientation, and pay more attention to the realization of personal value, rather than limiting themselves to the role framework of wife and mother.
Zhang Wei and her mother
"Although I admire my mother, I think that in this day and age, in addition to playing their own role, women should take care of their bodies, needs and emotions, so that they can take better care of their families," Zhang Wei admitted. ”
Her wide range of hobbies is her outlet for stress relief. Zhang Wei loves all things beautiful and interesting. She loves to read, and through the nutrients she absorbs from reading, she precipitates into a better version of herself; She loves to run, likes to measure life with her feet, and feels the steadiness and freedom from the earth; She loves skiing, immersed in the world covered in silver, listening to the sound of the wind in her ears...... "Exercise can help me relieve stress, better switch between work and life, and also help me improve my physical strength, energy, and emotional energy." "Only by learning to please yourself will women shine all the time and live a hot and hot life.
"The modern working woman must have a strong support system behind her to be able to switch between multiple identities, and my support system includes my family and friends, who support me at work and take care of my daily life. Of course, this support system also includes ourselves, and we have to have our own hobbies and interests. Running and maintaining this support system well will give you encouragement when you need it. Zhang Wei emphasized that no matter what role you are in, you must be 100% committed. For example, when I am in the company, I will devote myself to my work; When I get home, I take a break from work and give my time to my family and communicate with them instead of ineffective companionship. ”
Firm belief and fulfillment of Merck's "two-way running"
The famous American female writer Anais Nin once wrote in the book: "The greater the courage of a woman, the broader her life." In the face of the various situations of life, Zhang Wei has always used the courage to brave the wind and waves to face different stages and create his own highlight moments.
However, if you want to interpret the highlightful life script, you often need to go through the game of "giving" and "gaining". When faced with certain choices in life, Zhang Wei sometimes presents a desperate "disobedience".
At the beginning of her career in the medical industry, Zhang Wei was an anesthesiologist at Beijing Tongren Hospital, and in the eyes of many people, this is an enviable "iron rice bowl" job, but for the curious Zhang Wei, it is easy to be dull and dull, she tries to break the calm and wait for a chance to appear.
While attending an academic event for a foreign company, she was exposed to a completely different field, a completely new world. So, she made an important decision in her life - to end her three-year career as a practicing doctor, and to devote herself to a new journey full of unknowns without hesitation, to try, to take risks, to explore, and to meet every "ups and downs" of life with the best attitude, even if she encountered strong opposition from the people around her, but she firmly believed that she was the helmsman of destiny.
"Looking back on that moment, there is one unforgettable thing," Zhang Wei said with a smile, "among the many objections and doubts, there was only one person, and she voted in favor, and that was my mother." She told me that if this choice makes you feel particularly free, then you should go ahead. Her eyes were full of determination and gratitude, "I am grateful to my mother for respecting my choice, and because of her, I am full of courage and strength in making decisions." Perhaps, the decisive spirit of his mother has already imperceptibly brought a far-reaching impact to Zhang Wei.
It is true that when a person is faced with what he wants to do, when he is full of love for a profession, at any stage, at any time, it is never too late to start again.
In her more than 20-year career, she has expanded her responsibilities and accumulated rich experience in developing strategy, driving growth, and business integration. From a front-line medical representative all the way to today, she has never regretted the decision she made in the first place.
In July 2022, Wei Zhang officially joined Merck KGaA as Managing Director of Merck China Healthcare, responsible for the overall business of Merck Healthcare's healthcare segment in China. She used "mutual attraction" and "two-way running" to describe her relationship with Merck.
"Merck China is deeply integrated into the Chinese market, and there is a realistic need to realize the localization of corporate management talents. Looking back at the development trajectory of the first half of my career, I have always been rooted in the medical and health field, and the international vision and professional experience gained from the experience and growth of multinational pharmaceutical companies have made this two-way journey at the right time. Zhang Wei replied with a smile.
On the other hand, Merck has a deep sense of identity with the concept of "Patient Together", "Merck has a global history of 356 years and has been operating in China for nearly a century, and the concept of 'patient first' has touched me and is in line with my values in the medical industry for many years. From nurturing life to improving life and then prolonging life, Merck covers the health needs of the whole life cycle, which is Merck's special positioning, and it is also the key point that I particularly agree with. ”
Merck Beijing office
Employees have always been a vital part of the Group's development, "Merck has a diverse, equal and inclusive corporate culture, which encourages everyone to fully develop their own personality, gives people a real sense of belonging, and gives everyone equal opportunities for growth, which is also a strong attraction of this platform to me." "We encourage our employees to practice a 'high impact' culture in their behaviour to help companies build a competitive advantage." ”
Of course, the concept of "people first" is not only reflected in employee care, it has long been throughout and implemented in every detail. Not long ago, Zhang Wei participated in the annual Merck China Forum, which has been held for 17 years since 2008, gathering experts and scholars in various fields at home and abroad, and has become a well-known and popular multidisciplinary exchange platform. At this year's event, the chairman of the forum and Zhang Wei said a seat that deeply touched her, "The sixth forum was held in 2013, it was the unfortunate year of the Ya'an earthquake, and the forum happened to be held in Chengdu that year. It is these small actions in the face of crises that embody Merck's great love and touch the softest place in Zhang Wei's heart.
Move towards the "new" and grow resiliently through the cycle
As the world's leading technology company, Merck has been deeply involved in China for nearly 100 years. During this time, it has witnessed the rapid changes in China. Merck is a witness and beneficiary of the "China speed" of the transformation and upgrading of China's pharmaceutical and health industry.
In the new business environment, change is the norm. Looking at the entire market, the external environment has undergone major changes in the past two years, especially after the epidemic, the way the whole world operates and the business model has undergone many changes. In the face of the complexity and changeability of the external world, enterprises are destined to always dance with "uncertainty".
In such an environment, Merck's pace of development has not slowed down. Zhang Wei mentioned that she once asked Dr. Frank asks the question: "Will changes in the external environment have a huge impact on our company's business layout?" Dr. Frank replied, "When you look back at Merck's more than 350 years of history, you will find that we have actually experienced a lot of serious changes. For example, two world wars, such as several global economic crises, or plagues, etc., these Merck have come through. So, I don't think the current complexity will have an impact on Merck's long-term growth strategy. ”
近日,默克集团首席执行官Belen Garijo(葛丽鹤)陪同德国总理朔尔茨访华,在公司内部的员工大会上,Belen Garijo也强调"When China goes well, the company goes well"足以窥见,中国市场对于默克全球战略布局的重要性。
In Zhang Wei's view, as an old and young company, Merck's biggest success secret is that it has been thinking with "intergenerational" as a time scale, observing the changes in the world from the perspective of "intergenerational", not in a hurry to make quick money and hot money, and taking long-term interests as the starting point, so as to make corresponding strategic formulation.
"Therefore, whether it is investment, decision-making, or the direction of development, in the face of challenges, we can use long-term thinking and vision to examine and solve problems, so as to drive high-quality resilient growth." Zhang Wei shared.
Image source: Merck China
Initially, Merck started as a chemical and pharmaceutical company, but over time, Merck's business has gradually diversified into the fields of life sciences and electronic technology, and the pharmaceutical and health industry has become a strong "golden iron triangle" business for the development of the group, and the diversified layout has also enabled the group to make full use of key trends, complement each other's advantages, and maintain resilience and innovation vitality.
Innovation is the core of enterprise development. It is also innovation that makes this ancient company rejuvenate again and again. In the field of medicine and health, as an indispensable and important part of Merck's global R&D system, the China R&D center has a complete R&D value chain from the first to the fourth stage of clinical trials, as well as bioequivalence (BE) research.
It is worth mentioning that Merck's innovation takes place at all stages of the industrial chain. From early-stage research, academic collaborations, commercial collaborations to out-of-hospital markets, Merck actively embraces the possibility of innovative collaboration. "In order to create higher long-term value, we also actively seek to introduce excellent innovative products from outside, expand the pipeline layout, and realize the two-wing drive of 'self-developed' and 'introduced'." "In China, we have carried out fruitful explorations with local partners in the fields of drug development, digital health, precision medicine, drug accessibility and chronic disease management, and are committed to becoming the preferred partner among medium-sized pharmaceutical companies," Zhang said. ”
In the development process, the concept of "sustainable" development is also the insistence of Merck with all its might. Merck has always been guided by this, and has always believed that by promoting human progress, it can create lasting value for the natural environment, employees and stakeholders in all aspects of society, and realize the beautiful vision of sustainable development through a series of small initiatives.
Image source: Merck China WeChat public account
In January this year, Merck announced the signing of a 10-year green power purchase agreement with China Resources Power, which is Merck's first long-term green power procurement project in China, with a total of 300 gigawatt hours (GWh) of green power purchased over 10 years. After the implementation of the agreement, the proportion of green electricity used in Merck's production and operations in China will increase to 60%, and the scope of carbon emissions will be reduced by 185,000 tons, further promoting Merck's global commitment to sustainable development - by 2030, 80% of the purchased electricity will come from renewable energy; Achieve climate neutrality by 2040.
"Exploring the path of low-carbon sustainable development is not limited to this, but also reflected in all aspects of product upgrading and iteration." For example, Zhang Wei said, "For example, in the field of assisted reproduction, we launched the free pack last year, which reduced the packaging of the therapeutic injection pen by 40%, and required less refrigeration space in clinical and home environments, making it smaller and more portable for patients." At the same time, the easy-to-use packaging reduces the carbon footprint of our therapeutic pens by 33%. Replacing plastic pallets with cardboard can make packaging materials fully recyclable, reducing plastic waste by 180 tons per year, and providing the same products and services in a more convenient and sustainable way. ”
Assisted reproduction is looking for a "living" opportunity to help couples become parents
Referring to assisted reproduction, the cornerstone business of "giving birth to life", Zhang Wei said, "This is a very special business segment, as a mother, I deeply understand the emotional roller coaster that patients go through during the treatment process, but I hope that all hopeful couples know that you are not alone." All those working in the assisted reproduction industry are working hard to help couples and become parents. "It is reported that as of 2022, more than 10 million newborns have been born through assisted reproductive technology in the world, of which about 5 million have come to the world with the help of Merck's therapeutic drugs.
In 2022, the mainland's population will show "negative growth" for the first time, and although the second-child and three-child policies have been liberalized one after another, the birth rate of the mainland's population has not shown a significant upward trend. According to the data of the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2023, the annual birth population of the mainland will be 9.02 million, the birth rate of the population will be 6.39 per thousand, the natural growth rate of the population will be -1.48 per thousand, and the number of newborns and the birth rate are the lowest in the past five years.
Due to the postponement of childbearing age, the influence of environmental and mental pressure, the number of infertility patients in mainland China continues to rise. According to the preliminary analysis of the latest "13th Five-Year Plan" survey data in 2020, the incidence of infertility in mainland China has risen to about 18%, and women's reproductive health, as the most important subject of fertility, is facing more and more challenges.
Image source: Merck China WeChat public account
When it comes to being women-friendly, Merck is always on the move. In September 2023, Merck and the WE Women's Development Association jointly released the white paper "Healthy Women Healthy Economies", through research, we can see that working women mainly face three challenges when considering family birth planning: First, women must take into account career considerations when making reproductive decisions. In China, traditional perceptions and expectations of women as primary caregivers in the family persist, and women bear a double burden when balancing career and family responsibilities. Second, insufficient knowledge of reproductive health prevents adequately informed decision-making. Working women often lack reliable and complete access to information, making informed reproductive health decisions. Third, the assisted reproductive treatment journey of working women is full of difficulties. Whether it's the stigma surrounding infertility or the time and energy it takes to travel to and from the hospital every day, working women receive high-quality system support when they receive treatment.
"We have been working hard for women's health and well-being, and we are also making positive contributions to creating a childbirth-friendly workplace environment and increasing fertility in China. As a leader in the field of assisted reproduction, Merck has an unshirkable responsibility for policy advice. Relying on the strength of the state, clinical experts and industry, we are also actively promoting the improvement of the quality control system of assisted reproductive technology. Because the assisted reproduction process is long, the key nodes of each process may affect the final outcome. We hope to provide medical professionals and patients with precise solutions throughout the treatment chain and treatment process, promote the improvement of patient experience and treatment outcomes, and help patients successfully carry their babies. ”
In order to cultivate and educate the awareness of diagnosis and treatment of infertility groups, Merck also works closely with various partners to popularize reproductive health knowledge and key information of assisted reproductive treatment. "According to IQVIA's analysis data, it takes an average of 2.7 years for patients who meet the infertility treatment indications to enter a formal assisted reproductive institution," Zhang Wei explained, "In fact, many patients' time is wasted on the wrong path, and the success rate of assisted reproductive technology is positively correlated with the age of the patient." According to professional data, after the age of 35, women's fertility is declining off a cliff. So how to shorten the 2.7 years for patients with fertility needs through popular science education and green channels has become particularly important. If they can be admitted to a formal medical institution to receive help earlier, it may change the outcome of assisted reproductive treatment. ”
Image source: Merck China
From raising awareness of the disease, optimizing treatment and counseling, to access to treatment, Merck is with patients on their fertility journey. Through the cooperative medical alliance project, a green channel for patients to directly access the reproductive center is established, helping to solve the "revolving door" problem in the assisted reproductive industry; By exploring a multi-level payment guarantee system, we can improve the accessibility of medication for patients. Since 2022, Merck's assisted reproductive drugs have been included in the rights and interests of Beijing Universal Health Insurance. What's more worth mentioning is that not long ago, Merck's assisted reproductive drugs were exclusively included in the "Huigong Card" (Employee Family Cancer Prevention and Anti-Cancer Security Card) guided by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, which effectively reduced the economic burden of "working people".
Externally, Merck contributes to the construction and improvement of a childbirth-friendly society; Internally, Merck has also taken many steps to create a woman-friendly and childbirth-friendly workplace environment. Zhang Wei shared, "Last year, Merck launched an employee assisted reproduction benefit plan, in Chinese mainland, all Merck regular employees and their legal spouses are eligible to participate, and the reimbursement limit for each employee is up to 170,000 yuan. In addition, the company has carried out projects such as the 'Good Pregnancy Station' to provide professional support for employees with reproductive health needs from the perspectives of reproductive health knowledge sharing, expert Q&A, and green channel for employee registration. Merck's 'flexible working system' and paid 'family care leave' not only help female employees balance work and family responsibilities, but also encourage male employees to actively take on the family division of labor. ”
无畏向前无问西东，勇敢Speak up
According to a BCG Boston Consulting Group report on women's leadership, today's female leaders face specific challenges across six dimensions: long-term or frequent travel/job changes, lack of consensus on gender equality, lack of female executive role models, difficult first-time management opportunities, lack of confidence in securing opportunities, and the need to work more to achieve recognition.
As the first local head of Merck China's medical and health care, Zhang Wei believes that in this era, female leaders should be de-labeled and de-specialized, look at their roles with a normal heart, and actively take on the mission assigned by each role. "Whether male or female, we should not look at gender as a determining factor when assessing their talents and abilities, but rather look at each specific 'person'."
"Women are born with a lot of traits compared to men, such as being better at communicating, easier to build trust, more relatable, more empathetic and resilient, all of which are qualities that need to be a leader. As a female leader, be aware of these special strengths and make the most of them. Zhang Wei emphasized that it is necessary to believe that each individual is unique, and not to be defined by factors such as gender, origin, and age. In addition, I hope that more women will have the spirit of daring to take risks, have the courage to pioneer, dare to try and make mistakes, and bravely stand up and speak up. We need to say out loud what we care about, what we call for, what we oppose, little by little to fix the world's response to us. At the same time, learn to care for yourself, so that you can be self-consistent under the pressure of life and work, to invest, to pay, and to store energy for yourself. ”
She has proven that effective leadership is not always task-oriented and short-term performance, and that managers can care more about others, care about society, and achieve a win-win situation for enterprises and employees with strong empathy skills.
Grows inwards and blooms outward. In the future, Zhang Wei will continue to lead the company out of the fog in the challenging external environment, through the cycle, and achieve steady and far-reaching progress with the "power of her" that moves forward fearlessly.
Here are some of the conversations between Forbes China and Zhang Wei:
Forbes China: As a prominent professional woman, can you share some of your thoughts or actions with other professional women?
Zhang Wei: I used to tell our colleagues internally, I think that no matter what gender you are, these aspects are very important and can help you get to the end.
First, you must be reliable. It sounds easy to have everything in place and everything to reply, but not everyone can do it. Everything is reliable, so that you can quickly enter the state of learning at a young age, and quickly grow into a trustworthy professional.
Second, I think especially after reaching the middle level, you should have more courage and responsibility, so that you can go further. Because when you get to the middle level, you have a lot of decisions to face. When making decisions, you have to have the courage to take some risks, to try and make mistakes, and you have to have the responsibility to say that I am responsible for this matter.
At the top, optimism and perseverance are indispensable if you want to continue to grow. In a way, resilience determines how far you can go. If you are optimistic enough and resilient enough, you can go further and be more steady.
Forbes China: Are there any books that have particularly touched you and benefited you a lot and you would like to share them with you?
Zhang Wei: There is a very practical book to share with you - "Atomic Habits". I still remember the small print on the cover: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results. The formation of habits is not a momentary thing, focusing on the current trajectory, every small change, every small accumulation, will eventually show great power. Let's try to see if you can develop a new habit through the ideas and tools in the book.
Disclaimer: All information related to the voice of the brand is creative content, not Forbes editorial content.