NOVARTIS
Novartis, one of the world’ s largest pharmaceutical companies, has sharpened its sustainability focus under the leadership of Korab Zuka, who took the role of Global Head of Social Impact and Chief Sustainability Officer at the end of 2024.
Korab, who joined Novartis a year ago, brings a career shaped by social impact work in both the public and private sectors. His role unites sustainability, access to medicine and the company’ s philanthropic foundations under one strategy.
For Korab, sustainability is about more than environmental targets. It is intrinsically tied to human health and to expanding access to the company ' s scientific breakthroughs. As he puts it:“ In order for people to have healthy lives, you have to have a healthy planet.”
A journey rooted in impact While Korab has forged his career across some of the world’ s most influential health organisations, his professional beginnings were far from corporate headquarters.
“ I worked at the UN Mission in Kosovo,” Korab recalls.“ That was the first time I fell in love with wanting to do something that could really have an impact.”
Over the following years, he transitioned from global diplomacy into health-focused non-profits, where he worked on reducing patients’ outof-pocket costs in Washington DC. That experience, Korab explains,
20 January 2026