GSK Korea chief: '40 years of trust' to drive healthcare innovation

"The core lesson I took from leading the H1N1 pandemic response in Brazil in 2010 was that prevention is better than cure," said Gunna Riediger, president and CEO of GSK Korea. "I saw firsthand how profoundly the act of vaccination — not the vaccine as a product in itself, but actually getting people immunized — can transform the lives of patients and society as a whole. Over the past year since taking up this post, I have devoted every effort to connecting Korean patients with innovative global treatments and prevention options quickly and effectively."

Riediger made the remarks in a joint interview with The Herald Business and the Korea Herald at the company's headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, reflecting on his first year in the role and his leadership philosophy. GSK Korea marks its 40th anniversary this year, and on Aug. 1 Riediger will simultaneously celebrate his first anniversary as president and the company's official founding anniversary.

Riediger is a healthcare professional with 22 and a half years at GSK. He joined the company in 2004 through its Future Leaders Program — a global early-talent initiative — while studying business administration at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. He went on to lead the vaccine division and spearhead the H1N1 pandemic response in 2010, before serving as country manager for Colombia and delivering strong results across Latin America.

The more than 20 years of on-the-ground experience he built in Latin America became a powerful leadership asset when he arrived in Korea, a key market in the Asia-Pacific region. "Economic development levels and demographic structures differ from country to country, but GSK's fundamental mission — delivering innovation to patients who need it, in treatment and prevention, at the right time — is exactly the same everywhere," Riediger said. "I was deeply impressed, from the moment I arrived, by the sophistication of Korea's healthcare system and the outstanding capabilities of its professionals."

Riediger spoke particularly highly of Korea's mature infrastructure and clinical research capabilities. Korea ranks among the top 10 markets globally for GSK's research and development investment. "The capabilities demonstrated by Korea's university hospitals, research institutions and specialist clinicians are by far the strongest within our global network," he said. "Clinical projects involving Korean researchers and patients are not simply a channel for bringing products into the Korean market — they serve as a core pillar of global drug development for patients worldwide."

On the portfolio side, Riediger emphasized a full-lifecycle approach spanning both treatment and prevention. "Over the past 40 years we have led the field in respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and we now want to make a deeper impact on public health by significantly expanding our portfolio into anticancer drugs, blood cancers, HIV and infectious disease treatments," he said. He added that GSK Korea would continue building a mutually beneficial relationship with the domestic healthcare ecosystem through post-marketing surveillance studies and real-world evidence research, alongside clinical trials.

Riediger also said he aims to lead a paradigm shift in adult vaccination as Korea enters a super-aged society. "The purpose of vaccines goes beyond simply extending lifespan — it is about how well older people can maintain their quality of life," he said. "Expanding vaccine coverage among the elderly can reduce hospital visits and hospitalization rates, easing the cost burden on the national healthcare system. We need to fundamentally reshape the system toward genuine 'healthcare' centered on prevention." He added that he hopes mutual recognition agreements and other forms of global regulatory cooperation will help create an environment in which innovative new drugs reach Korean patients more quickly.

As the internal force driving that innovation, Riediger pointed to leadership development and a transformation of organizational culture. He said he has worked to instill a culture in which employees take the initiative and drive change themselves, rather than passively waiting for instructions. GSK Korea's internal motto for this year reflects that ambition: "Lead the Wave."

"It is above all important that each member of our team feels personal accountability for the impact we create," Riediger said. "I am building an environment where employees can take on bigger goals for patients without fear of failure." To mark its 40th anniversary on July 8, GSK Korea held a panel discussion bringing together long-serving staff and new hires to share the company's history and vision. The company is also actively running employee-driven corporate social responsibility initiatives, including a partnership with Save the Children and support programs for vulnerable elderly people.

"GSK Korea's 40-year history is proof of the sustained commitment we have built together with the Korean people, patients, government and regulatory authorities, and the entire healthcare ecosystem — and it is a commitment to the future," Riediger said. "We will continue to position ourselves as a trusted scientific partner and a responsible collaborator, delivering innovative treatment and prevention options to Korean patients and the healthcare system at the right time."