The Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust will host a live program highlighting the life and work of Pfizer Chairman and CEO Dr. Albert Bourla on February 18 at 9:00 a.m. EST. In this virtual program, former longtime Radiolab host Robert Krulwich will talk with Bourla about his Greek Jewish ancestry as the son of Holocaust survivors and how these legacies have informed his work.
“We are deeply grateful for the work of Dr. Bourla and his team in developing the COVID-19 vaccine that is putting us on the path toward ending this devastating pandemic. I am honored that Dr. Bourla will share his personal and professional stories with us,” said Jack Kliger, president and CEO of the Museum of Jewish Heritage.
As the chairman and CEO of Pfizer Inc., Bourla oversaw the development of the first COVID-19 vaccine to be authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Commission and several other regulatory bodies around the world, capping off his career or more than two and a half decades with the biopharmaceutical company.
Bourla was born in Thessaloniki, Greece to a family with deep roots in the city’s Sephardic Jewish community. His parents were among the few in the city to survive the Holocaust. He now resides in New York and remains deeply connected to his family’s Jewish heritage and Holocaust experience. He serves on the boards of Pfizer, the Pfizer Foundation, Catalyst and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, is on the executive committee for the Partnership for New York City and is a trustee of the United States Council for International Business. He also is a member of The Business Council and the Business Roundtable.
Krulwich is science and technology journalist and former longtime host of the double Peabody Award-winning show Radiolab.
The conversation with Bourla is part of the Museum’s series, “Legacies,” which will highlight notable figures with a connection to Jewish heritage, identity and the Holocaust. The event will stream live on Zoom and is free with a suggested $10 donation. To view the event, register here.
