My Morning Routine: Stefano Mazzone, general manager of Roche Egypt

Stefano Mazzone, general manager of Roche Egypt: Each week, My Morning Routine looks at how a successful member of the community starts their day — and then throws in a couple of random business questions just for fun. Speaking to us this week is General Manager of Roche Egypt Stefano Mazzone (LinkedIn). Edited excerpts from our conversation:

My name is Stefano Mazzone, and I’m the general manager of Roche Egypt. Italian by origin and a scientist by training, I developed my pharma foundation and pursued post-degree education in healthcare management before spending the vast majority of my career with Roche across various parts of the globe. The company was founded in Basel, Switzerland in 1896, and today it spans more than 180 countries.

As general manager, my day revolves around a remarkable group of people. Together, we support the local healthcare ecosystem to ensure our innovations and treatments reach the patients who need them most.

Roche’s work is anchored in oncology, neuroscience, and rare diseases — including breast cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, multiple sclerosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and hemophilia. Our ultimate goal is to ensure sustainable, rapid access to medicine, so patients can achieve better health outcomes during the most difficult stages of their lives.

The challenge we address is twofold — advancing scientific solutions while ensuring local sustainability. One of our core corporate responsibilities is investing heavily in research and development to push breakthroughs for diseases that still have no cure. But we don’t operate as a transactional partner — showing up, selling drugs, and walking away. We invest in the local ecosystem itself, strengthening its processes, knowledge, and capabilities so that patients experience better outcomes end-to-end — from initial awareness and diagnosis through to treatment and follow-up.

I firmly believe life should be anchored by three pillars — family, self, and contribution to society — and they completely define how I structure my day.

I’m an early bird — my alarm goes off around 5:30am, and that first hour of the day belongs entirely to me. I step outside in complete peace and silence, take in the world and move straight into my morning workout. Wellbeing is a deep passion, and this is when I get mentally and physically primed for the day ahead. I genuinely believe in the Latin proverb mens sana in corpore sano — a healthy mind in a healthy body. Getting that physical foundation right changes how you engage with everything else.

By 6:30am, my family is up and my focus shifts entirely to them. I’m the proud father of an eight-year-old daughter who is central to my life. That hour — from 6:30 to 7:30am, breakfast, getting ready, and the drive to school — is time we fiercely protect and cherish.

Once the school run is done, it’s time to connect with the world — and that’s where EnterpriseAM comes in. I’m at the office by 8:30am — my morning read is non-negotiable: it keeps me across global trends and the macroeconomic and geopolitical forces shaping the world, helping me place Egypt’s fast-growing market in context and view local challenges through the lens of our stakeholders.

Once in, I prioritize spending quality time listening to our people — understanding their personal goals and figuring out how I can help them grow. Externally, I meet stakeholders locally or attend major industry conferences like the American Society of Clinical Oncology or the World Health Assembly to secure sustainable pathways for patient care.

I typically wrap up at the office around 5:30 or 6:00pm and head straight home. The evening block, 6:00 to 9:00pm, is sacred — I’m fully present, no exceptions. My daughter is deeply creative, and we love to color, design, and dive into small adventures together. It’s also when I reconnect with my wife, who has always been a mentor and sounding board for me.

When it’s time to switch off completely, I turn to the ocean or music. I’m a true ocean lover — diving, water sports, any chance I get. I’m also deeply curious about marine conservation and the realities of global warming. On weekdays, I unwind at the piano or guitar. You’ll rarely find me in front of a television — it’s simply not my thing.

The best advice I’ve ever received — always protect the balance between yourself, your family, and your contribution to society. Whatever you do, you will always be working with, through, or for people. Remaining humble, empathetic, and genuinely curious about others is the only way to stay at peace with yourself while achieving your goals.