Ryan Olbrysh
How two professors built a myth that persisted for a decade
July 18, 2018
Laboratoires Berden had quite a run. Founded in 1996 by Eric Dumonpierre, who also served as CEO, Berden successfully commercialized Mutorex, a drug to treat obesity. Dumonpierre quickly became a star chief executive, winning several awards for corporate social responsibility. He invested in an all-hybrid vehicle fleet well before it was fashionable. He planted trees in and around Paris to stop deforestation. His employees loved him; they were given “solidarity leave” — full pay while on humanitarian missions, and he instituted a 32-hour workweek. Dumonpierre was celebrated at industry conferences and political forums, and was cited in the media.