Former Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Merck
Search every verified Kenneth Frazier interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Kenneth Frazier, former chairman and CEO of Merck, has spoken extensively about corporate leadership, racial equity, and the importance of taking public stands on social issues. In 2022, he was recognized as International Executive of the Year by the Executives' Club of Chicago. Frazier has described his decision to resign from President Trump's business council after the 2017 Charlottesville comments, stating that he felt an obligation to stand up against what he called "intolerance and extremism." He said his board unanimously supported him speaking to the company's values rather than as an individual. Frazier has also discussed the OneTen initiative, a coalition of companies committed to hiring one million Black Americans without four-year degrees over ten years, describing it as a way to create "family sustaining wages" by making jobs skills-based rather than credentials-based. Frazier has been outspoken about voting rights, noting that he helped organize a full-page ad signed by about 700 business leaders opposing what he described as undue interference with voting. He has said that "it's a mistake for corporations to take democracy for granted" and that companies should insist on "everyone who's an eligible voter having a fair and equitable opportunity to cast their vote." During the COVID-19 pandemic, Frazier emphasized the need for broad, equitable access to vaccines, stating that "unless all of us are safe none of us are safe." He has also criticized what he called "vaccine nationalism" and urged transparency in vaccine development, saying that pauses in clinical trials should reassure the public that safety systems are working.
“I learned something very important which was and I'm going to be very honest how segregated the workplace is because if you worked at bookbinders there were certain jobs for black people and certain jobs for white people and there was not only that sort of dividing line around race but obviously there was a huge econom...”
“93% of lowincome Americans have significant legal problems and they have no representation that means that you could be thrown out of your house you can have your children taken away from you you can be a veteran who deserves certain benefits and not get them there is a real Gap in our country between when we talk abou...”
“I think the challenge is the country is divided down the middle I know and no matter what position you're taking you're going to alienate one side or the other and so for me it really was are you taking a position that you believe is consistent with the country's fundamental values and the company's values I'll give yo...”
“I went down to the White House three times and by coincidence I was the one sitting next to president Trump every time right the picture I'm right next to him so I'm very visibly aligned with the president's Business Council I said we need a noisy withdrawal here people need to know what my principles are I called my b...”
May 4, 2022 Join the Executives' Club of Chicago on May 4th as we recognize the 2022 International Executive of the Year, ...
Two of America's most prominent Black business leaders, Ken Chenault and Ken Frazier, discuss the controversy surrounding DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives. Chenault emphasizes the importance of creating inclusive environments and the necessity of diversity strategies for businesses. And Frazier stresses the need to expand opportunities for marginalized groups while maintaining fairness, advocating for a balanced approach that benefits everyone. 🎧 LISTEN TO THE PODCAST Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xeCvuJ...…
Amid college campus protests over Palestine and Israel, stark U.S. political divides, and legal challenges to diversity initiatives, business leaders face new pressure on whether to speak out and take action on issues of our time. Ken Frazier, former CEO of Merck, and Ken Chenault, former CEO of American Express, offer their unfiltered advice, as board members of the Harvard Corporation and two of America’s most prominent Black executives. It’s a candid conversation about the most controversial topics in American business, from DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) to January 6th. The pair co…
In 2021, troubled by a law change in Georgia that could restrict voting access, business leaders Ken Chenault and Ken Frazier partnered to gather support from U.S. executives to take a stand. They secured more than 700 signatures for their statement opposing “discriminatory legislation.” But the pair told the audience at the TIME100 Summit on Wednesday that today’s social climate would make such an effort more difficult to achieve in 2024. Read more: https://ti.me/3w7mqbL Subscribe to TIME Breaking News YouTube Channel ►►: https://ti.me/3ROMUXY Subscribe to TIME’s YouTube channel ►► http:/…
As the COVID-19 pandemic amply demonstrated, pharmaceutical companies play a vitally important role in society and the people who lead them are among the most influential figures of the business community. Some stand out for dedicating their leadership to principles of justice and fairness, in addition to driving their company's growth. One such executive is Ken Frazier, retired chairman and CEO of Merck. Please join us in congratulating Kenneth C. Frazier, recipient of the Bower Award for Business Leadership, 2023 Franklin Institute Awards. Learn more at fi.edu/awards
Ken Frazier talks race, government, and capitalism at the Judge Leon Higginbotham Breakfast Tribute in Philadelphia. He speaks on the concept of blind procedural fairness – that is that it only matters that the finish line is the same, not the starting line. In terms of race in America, the law is not color-blind, he says. He says the real question is: how much inequality are we prepared to tolerate? ***** A. Leon Higginbotham was a judge, scholar, civil rights pioneer, Philadelphian, and now, mural subject. The Philadelphia Citizen (https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/), Mural Arts Philadelph…
Ken Frazier advocates for being a "woke" CEO – finding compatibility between social good and wealth creation. How do we incentivize and reward success, but at the same time create opportunity for everyone? That answer is essential for an equitable future. Ken Frazier was the featured speaker at the Judge Higginbotham Breakfast Tribute in Philadelphia held on November 2, 2022. He helped to honor this legend in history. A. Leon Higginbotham was a judge, scholar, civil rights pioneer, Philadelphian, and now, mural subject. The Philadelphia Citizen (https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/), Mural A…
BLACK ENTERPRISE CEO Earl “Butch” Graves, Jr. opens our virtual summit with a review of the status of Black participation among the upper echelon of corporate America. To kick-off our Summit, Graves engages in a robust conversation with one of the corporate America’s most brilliant leaders: Kenneth Frazier, retired CEO and executive chairman of Merck and an architect of OneTen, the innovate platform designed to get major companies to hire 1 million Black workers without degrees over the next decade. Frazier will share his views, among other topics, on how to increase the number of Black CEOs a…
The June 7, 2022, Lasker Lessons in Leadership program featured a livestream interview with Kenneth C. Frazier, Executive Chairman of the Board and Former CEO, Merck & Co., Inc. by NIH-Cambridge Scholar Jasmine Mack. Mr. Frazier spoke about his upbringing and reflected on the transition from practicing law to becoming Merck’s CEO. He also shared what he thinks makes a good leader, including how to inspire leaders from marginalized groups. https://laskerfoundation.org
Throughout his tenure at Merck, Ken Frazier made it a point to stand up for his principles. Unlike most CEOs, Ken was once his company’s CCO. That experience prepared him to think multi-stakeholder and pass decisions through the lens of the company’s character and values. At the 2022 Page Spring Seminar, Ken sat down with industry icon and longtime Page member Bill Nielsen, in what would go on to be the highest-rated conference session in Page history. They discussed Ken's leadership philosophy, his love for the communications function, and the role business can play in bettering society.
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