In this fictional case, the CEO of a global pharmaceutical company based in Belgium with operations in Moscow is contemplating what to do in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The company is experiencing pressure from shareholders, Ukrainian and Belgium government officials, and the public to follow in the footsteps of many multinational corporations and cease operations in Russia. However, since the firm provides medically necessary products, the decision isn’t straightforward. How can the CEO navigate the complicated political waters of this decision and make the most humanitarian decision? Should the company exit Russia completely, or should it continue to operate but on a smaller scale? Expert commentators respond.
Belinda Genser, the CEO of Spark Pharma, was sitting in the boardroom with Claude Muteba, the firm’s CFO and her closest confidante, and she didn’t like the look on his face. They’d just finished the leadership team’s weekly meeting and were using the time afterward to catch up.
