Lean profits, leaner CEO: Inside the Novo Nordisk miracle

The global chief executive of weight loss drug giant Novo Nordisk, Mike Doustdar, lost 25 kilos – but he did it the old-fashioned way.

Novo Nordisk global chief executive Maziar Mike Doustdar started work at the pharmaceutical company as a clerk. Louie Douvis

Michael SmithHealth editor

Mar 27, 2026 – 8.42am

Halfway through a light lunch with the man running the company that introduced weight loss drugs to the world, Mike Doustdar makes a surprising admission.

Sixteen years ago, long before blockbuster medicines such as Ozempic and Wegovy, known as GLP-1s, were broadly available, the chief executive of Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk lost 25 kilograms the old-fashioned way.