Novo Nordisk faces leadership and labor tensions

Novo Nordisk is facing significant internal friction following a shift toward a high-performance culture under CEO Mike Doustdar. Doustdar recently called for employees to work at a faster pace, stating the company must act like a ‘top athlete’ to remain competitive in the global medicine market. This rhetoric has drawn sharp criticism from labor unions, specifically the Technical Workers' Union (Teknisk Landsforbund). Union representative Jannik Frank Petersen described the comments as ‘undignified,’ arguing that employees already work hard and have already made significant sacrifices for the company.

The tension follows a period of strategic and leadership instability. While the company remains highly profitable, reporting a 2025 operating profit of 128 billion DKK, it has faced a loss of market momentum. Challenges include losing ground to competitor Eli Lilly in the U.S. obesity market, disappointing product performance, and a significant drop in market value during 2024.

This period of transition has been marked by major leadership changes, including the departure of former CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen and several board members, including Chairman Helge Lund. The company is also undergoing restructuring, which includes plans to lay off 9,000 employees globally, with 5,000 of those positions located in Denmark.