When Pascal Soriot reflects on the past year, the story of how he has led through the pandemic may turn out to be a case study for business schools in future. As CEO of AstraZeneca, Soriot — like all leaders in the pharma and health-care sectors — found himself thrust into the epicentre of a global crisis.

The need to find a solution to the coronavirus pandemic in record time created an extraordinary set of challenges and expectations for all stakeholders...