Home › CNN 08.05.2026

How a vet & a lawyer became CEOs of Pfizer & Accenture

Accenture CEO Julie Sweet describes receiving the Anti-Defamation League's Courage Against Hate Award as one of her proudest moments as CEO, and getting diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time as one of the worst. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla was with her both times.

For The 1 on 1 with CNN, they get personal about their family history, the future of cancer, using AI in the workplace, and more.

Watch the latest episode of The 1 on 1 with CNN at CNN.com/the1on1.

Chapters: 0:00: Intro 00:37: Proudest moment in Sweet's time as CEO 01:42: How Bourla's parents survived the Holocaust 04:09: Bourla's career journey from academia to Pfizer 05:25: Sweet's path from Partner at Cravath to general counsel at Accenture 06:40: The lesson Sweet's dad taught her that influenced her life 08:45: Bourla's best advice 09:12: Pfizer's latest investments to try and cure cancer 10:23: How Sweet managed her second breast cancer diagnosis 13:39: If Bourla and Sweet switched jobs for a day 14:11: How Bourla and Sweet are trying to transform Pfizer and Accenture 17:09: How Bourla and Sweet use AI as personal assistants