Hakan S. Edstrom is the President and Chief Operating Officer of MannKind Corporation. MannKind is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutic products for diseases such as diabetes and cancer. Hakan has held senior executive positions in the United States with Bausch & Lomb, Inc., and Pharmacia Inc. Hakan was previously a director of Q-Med AB, a biotechnology and medical device company. He was educated in Sweden and holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from the Stockholm School of Economics. Hakan was interviewed at his office in Valencia, California.



What is unique about Mannkind Corp.?

“We focus on undertreated disease areas and apply new technologies to them. We currently are working on a therapy which will change the paradigm of diabetes care. We treat with insulin in a way which mimics the way it is used in healthy individual’s pancreatic function. Our delivery mechanism is via the lungs.”

How did you get the name Mannkind?

“The driving force behind the company is its founder Alfred Mann. He is an inventor and a visionary. This is his ninth company. He invented the pacemaker through his company Pacesetter which has evolved into St. Jude Medical. He also developed cochlear implants through his company Advanced Bionics.”

How has your Scandinavian background influenced your leadership?

“How you grow up impacts how you act as a leader. I can see that I am more collaborative and seek out wide participation in decision making. People are allowed to express their opinions and take part in the discussions. It is important that people have well defined roles. Not all are decision makers, but all are participants. I also think it is very important that people realize that they are not only responsible for doing their job, but also in how they do it.”

How do you stay in touch with your Scandinavian roots after 25 years in the United States?

“A Swedish wife keeps me grounded. It’s always helpful to have someone who can remind you of who you really are and what a proper balance in life is. For a good portion of the time, when I was with Pharmacia, there were frequent trips to Sweden which I was able to tie into vacation time. Also, I have served on the Q-Med AB board. There is also my tie in with the Stockholm School of Economics alumni network.

How do you stimulate curiosity and creativity?

“To stimulate curiosity and creativity you have to create a culture where people are comfortable and fears are minimized. One of the things I encourage to ensure that people have a good balance in their lives is that they take their vacations. I guess that is the Swede in me. We also have a fairly liberal policy allowing researchers to operate skunk works on projects which interest them. We have a feasibility studies group which is constantly looking for new applications with our technologies with which we can partner with other companies.”

How do you develop inclusiveness?

“This is a challenge for us. We have 3 locations in the United States, The headquarters is on the West coast and we have two facilities on the East coast and 450 people to include. To address this we have a weekly telephone management meeting and each month a face to face meeting which we rotate among the three locations. Every six to eight weeks I hold a company-wide teleconference where I report to all employees new developments and key items we discussed at recent board meetings. It is also important that I am visible to all, so I do a lot of walking around when I visit each location and talk with the people. We also have instituted the “Mannitarian” Award. Employees can nominate other employees who they see as contributors to our success. This leads to recognition awards.”

What do you see as Scandinavian leadership’s contribution to global leadership?

“Good leadership is good leadership. You have to make known that you expect accountability and integrity. The Scandinavian way of doing it, with a more balanced look at individuals as whole human beings has an effect. We include and make people part of the team along with giving all access.”

Author: JOHN DUNNIGAN