Michael Doss on operational execution
From Interview with Mike Doss, President and CEO of Graphic Packaging International · · Egon Zehnder
“I go to our facilities and I see our people bringing that stuff forward and tying it in. So, it cascades down through our 23,000 employees and it's a very important thing to be able to do.”
On , Michael Doss, President, Chief Executive Officer & Director at GRAPHIC PACKAGING HOLDING CO, spoke about operational execution during Interview with Mike Doss, President and CEO of Graphic Packaging International on Egon Zehnder.
About Michael Doss
Michael Doss, President and CEO of Graphic Packaging Holding, discussed the company's strategy and industry challenges in a series of interviews in 2025. He stated that the company rolled out its "Vision 2030" in February 2024, built on four pillars: innovation, culture, planet, and results. Doss said the theory behind the plan is that success in the first three areas will lead to results. He described communicating the plan on a single page, noting that he found people do not pay attention if it is too long. Doss said he sees the plan cascading through the company's 23,000 employees. Doss commented on the economic environment, saying the US and European consumer entered 2025 "stretched" and that tariffs have made them "nervous." He said the company works with customers to help them win in a crowded market space through innovation and sustainability. Regarding talent management, Doss said he has become more focused on his direct reports' roles in developing talent, noting that some excellent operators have not been as good at that. He described the last five years, including COVID, supply chain disruptions, and tariffs, as creating "dramatic" strain on executives and boards. Doss said the average tenure of a Fortune 500 CEO is now five years, requiring constant work on succession planning.