The Head of the Gates Foundation on Combatting 'CEO Disease'

Sue Desmond-Hellmann has worn many hats over the course of her career. She's the rare executive who's spent time in private practice, worked for two major U.S. pharmaceutical corporations, served as chancellor of a top university and now, helmed the world's largest private foundation.

As CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation since last year, Desmond-Hellmann has added more discipline, flexibility and holistic thinking to the organization's work. She's continued to expand the foundation's direct investments into private companies that are helping the poor. And she has tried to take a manager's, rather than just a scientist's, approach to making the foundation a great place to work.