Kris Hager is the general manager of Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) Taiwan, a subsidiary of the American multinational biopharma company focused on transforming patients’ lives through science. Since taking the role in 2023, he has led BMS Taiwan through portfolio expansion in hematology, oncology, and immunology, and the company’s re-entry into the cardiovascular segment, building on its six decades of presence in the market.
An engineer by training, Hager has spent 15 years at BMS, holding positions across research and development, sales and marketing, global strategy, and commercial leadership roles in China and now Taiwan. He earned a master’s degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech and an MBA from Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business.
TOPICS Associate Editor Alex Myslinski sat down with Hager in October to talk about BMS’s history of innovation and commitment in Taiwan, the role of integrity and inclusivity in business, and how every experience feeds into professional perspectives. An abridged version of their conversation follows.
You’ve had quite a career journey, from engineering to consulting, and now biopharma. How do these experiences help you lead today?
Engineers are problem solvers — we try to see how the different pieces of a problem fit together to create a solution. I still use that same analytical approach today when I face new challenges in the industry.
Management consulting helped me sharpen a different skillset — strategic thinking, learning agility, and adaptability. As healthcare is very complex and dynamic, these experiences have shaped how I make decisions and guide my teams, and it’s become a big part of my leadership style.
Where could Taiwan further focus its healthcare policy efforts?
The government has launched some good initiatives under its Healthy Taiwan policy, signaling strong direction and great intent to improve patient outcomes, including the ambitious goal of reducing cancer mortality by 30% by 2030.
Take the Cancer Drugs Fund, modeled after a similar UK program. I like that policymakers are looking outward and asking, “What mechanisms could work for Taiwan?” Essential program elements are already in place and some pilots are underway, but the focus now should be on implementation to ensure progress continues in a practical and transparent way.
Taiwan also has room to increase its healthcare investment, especially compared with other Asian markets like Japan or South Korea. There’s a clear link between healthcare investment and improved health outcomes.
Evolving existing drug-pricing mechanisms — like building a more predictable and transparent value-based pricing mechanism with the Managed Entry Agreement and International Reference Pricing systems — would send a strong signal that Taiwan values innovation on par with other major markets. It would also help bolster the resilience of the island’s pharmaceutical supply chain.
What’s it been like working with AmCham to support Taiwan?
AmCham helps us navigate through opportunities in market access and policy. Having a platform to learn from other markets and bring those ideas into Taiwan gives us a seat at the table with the NHIA and other key stakeholders.
Even brief interactions like at the AmCham events — when we get to better understand respective priorities or exchange ideas— can help shape the industry.
Companies can go at it alone, but there’s real strength in critical mass. And having access to a global network of associations adds weight and credibility to those conversations.
How do you build an open and approachable culture at BMS?
It starts with the belief that what we do internally ultimately shapes how we show up externally.
We’ve invested heavily in building an inclusive workplace. At BMS, our People Business Resource Groups, or PBRGs, bring together employees with shared interests and experiences. There’s PAN (Pan Asia Network) fostering growth within the Asian community, Pride Alliance for the LGBTQ community, B-NOW (Bristol Myers Squibb Network of Women) for women’s leadership, and CLIMB (Cultivating Leadership and Innovation & Multigenerational Belonging). Each group helps people bring different perspectives as well as their best selves to work, making us a stronger, more connected team.
How do you bring this culture to patients and the community?
When you have a team that’s both patient-focused and inclusive, that mindset naturally carries through to how we work with others. Our Global Patient Week, for example, sees teams across the company volunteer, fundraise, and hear directly from patients about their experiences.
We’ve been named among Taiwan’s best workplaces, received the Ministry of Labor’s Work-Life Balance Award, and earned LGBTQ-inclusive workplace certification. Those recognitions aren’t the goal, but they reflect the kind of respect and care that through daily practice becomes instinctive in how we engage with the community.
Why is it important that people step outside their immediate roles and explore new opportunities?
We have a concept called “tour of duty.” It’s usually three to six months, or in some cases even longer, either part-time or full-time, during which employees take on a different role based on their own development goals and the company’s business needs.
Ultimately, these opportunities allow employees to make an impact beyond their job description, develop new skills and connections, and make notable progress toward career objectives. This is a win-win for the employee and the company.
Any success stories with this program?
One of my team members had a background in strategy and operations but wanted more in-depth commercial experience. For most of this year, he’s been working as a marketing manager, learning deep customer insights to develop robust strategies and partnering closely with the sales team. That experience is setting him up for the career path he really wants. It’s exactly the kind of growth we want to enable, and it makes him an even stronger asset to the business.
BMS is celebrating 60 years in Taiwan this year. When you think about that legacy, what stands out to you?
We talk about the past 60 years as a story of innovation and commitment to Taiwan.
BMS once had a broad portfolio that even included consumer products like shampoo and baby formula. Over time, though, we’ve evolved into a company focused entirely on serious diseases — oncology, hematology, immunology, and cardiovascular disease — the constant being a focus on bringing innovative products to market.
Introducing the first immunotherapy for cancer treatment in Taiwan and transforming the landscape of hepatitis B have been major milestones for us. Taiwan was once known as an “island of liver disease.” Today, many patients have been able not only to change their diagnosis, but also to redefine what it means to live with the condition.
How do you see the story continuing?
We aim to launch close to 20 new indications by 2030, continuing to invest in Taiwan’s healthcare system and deepen our collaboration with local stakeholders.
Taiwan’s healthcare landscape is undergoing major shifts — an aging population, evolving policies, and increasing complexity. That’s why partnership is key. Whether it’s with the government, healthcare providers, or other industry stakeholders, we all need to stay aligned on one goal — helping more patients live healthier lives.
You’ve said before that integrity is vital to BMS. Why is that?
For BMS, it’s not enough to win — it matters that we win the right way.
An example of that is when we evaluated a third-party company as a potential partner in Taiwan, we didn’t just look at its capability to commercialize a product. One of the top factors was integrity, which we assess by analyzing their policies, approach to risk management, and history of appropriate in-market behavior.
How a partner commercializes our products ultimately reflects on us. And because we have to meet strict global and U.S. compliance standards, we’re very deliberate in choosing partners who not only perform well but make the right choices along the way.
What qualities define a good leader?
It starts with vision and setting a clear direction for the team, helping everyone align around it. It’s also about balance — being able to make tough calls as a leader, while also giving the team room to make their own decisions. Finally, it’s about enabling people to be at their best through enhancing employee inclusion, development, and wellbeing.
How has the move to Taiwan changed your family dynamic or outlook on life?
I have a home laoban (boss) — and as long as I had her approval, moving here was fine. Before making the decision, my wife and I discussed it in depth. We asked ourselves if we could envision ourselves and our children here. The answer was yes, we pursued it, and it’s been fulfilling.
When I was young, I lived overseas in Japan and the Philippines since my father was in the military. That experience increased my desire to learn more about different cultures outside of the United States. It also made our family very close, because as you move and the environment changes, your family is the one constant. Those experiences shaped my desire later in life to live and work overseas.
And of course, there are many benefits to living abroad. My wife has made a lot of friends, my children’s Chinese is much better than mine now, and they’re having similar experiences that I had growing up that I still cherish.
What’s your best advice for young people looking to build meaningful careers in healthcare?
It really starts with a passion to make an impact. No matter what part of the business you’re in — sales, marketing, medical — your work touches patients, and having a sense of purpose makes a huge difference.
From there, a few qualities come to mind. Resilience, because our industry is all about being able to push through complex challenges to help patients. Collaboration, because we work with so many different stakeholders. And flexibility, especially early in your career when you’re still figuring out what excites you. Making the most of new opportunities helps you grow faster than you might expect.
Outside work, what do you do to recharge?
For me, it always starts with family. My wife is kind of like my counselor at home, someone I can talk things through with and debrief after the day. I’ve also learned to proactively book time for my kids’ activities, which forces me to unplug from work. For example, I coach sports that my children participate in and recently became a Cub Scout leader. This also gives me a chance to channel my leadership instincts into a different setting.
Working out is another outlet. It helps me de-stress and stay healthy so I can bring my best to work. And we love traveling as a family. My wife is from Brazil and loves the beach, so we gravitate toward places like Kenting, Okinawa, or the Philippines. There are a lot of great places to visit in Taiwan and across Asia.
