Credit: Reuters

Global healthcare company Novo Nordisk is entering a new chapter in Malaysia with the introduction of its new corporate brand, “Novo”, marking the next phase for a company that has spent more than a century advancing care for serious chronic diseases, including diabetes and obesity.

Anchored by the new platform “Lasting Health Starts Now”, the rebrand reflects Novo’s belief that better long-term health is built through progress that people can see and feel in their everyday lives. Globally, the company will use the shorter “Novo” name in its day-to-day activities, while Novo Nordisk A/S remains its legal corporate name.

The new brand is being introduced alongside The Novo Way, an updated corporate culture designed to help the company operate with greater focus, speed and impact as the healthcare landscape becomes increasingly competitive, technology-enabled and shaped by changing expectations. Together, the rebrand and The Novo Way form part of Novo’s approach to achieving its business objectives and ambition to bring better health to more people.

The move comes as Malaysia continues to face a significant burden of chronic diseases. According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023, 54.4% of Malaysian adults were overweight or living with obesity, while 15.6% had diabetes. Ischaemic heart disease also remained the leading cause of medically certified deaths in 2024. Against this backdrop, Malaysia’s Health White Paper has highlighted the importance of stronger prevention, primary care and public-private collaboration to strengthen the country’s healthcare system.

Professor Dr. Jeyakantha Ratnasingam, Senior Consultant Endocrinologist and Head of Endocrine Unit at Universiti Malaya, noted that obesity and diabetes rarely occur in isolation, with patients often facing interconnected health risks involving blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and excess body fat. He highlighted the importance of early awareness and having the right conversations about health to enable individuals to take appropriate action and support better long-term outcomes.

For Tee Loong Tek, Head of Market Access and Public Affairs, Novo Malaysia, the company’s next chapter in Malaysia needs to remain relevant to people’s everyday lives. He noted that chronic conditions such as obesity and diabetes are managed every day, rather than only during medical consultations, making it important to bring scientific knowledge closer to people’s daily realities.

Bringing Science Closer to Everyday Life

At the heart of the new Novo brand is an approach that views health through the lens of the whole person, recognising that physical health is closely connected to mental wellbeing, daily routines, relationships, social circumstances and the environments in which people live.

The refreshed positioning reflects the changing way people manage their health, with individuals increasingly looking for progress they can recognise in their own lives while having access to more sources of health information and support. Through the new platform, Novo aims to bring scientific advancements closer to these everyday realities while strengthening recognition and trust.

Dr Chan Siew Pheng, Emeritus Professor of Endocrine Medicine at Universiti Malaya and Consultant Endocrinologist, emphasised that chronic diseases are experienced between medical appointments, making everyday factors such as diet, sleep, physical activity, stress, family circumstances and access to support important elements of health management.

She also highlighted the importance of early awareness and informed conversations, particularly as health risks can develop gradually. Helping individuals understand their health before complications arise can create greater opportunities for meaningful and sustainable change.

Novo’s refreshed visual identity brings together the company’s heritage and future by retaining the Apis bull, a symbol rooted in its history, alongside a contemporary Novo wordmark and visual system designed to strengthen brand recognition and consistency across markets.

At the global unveiling, Mike Doustdar, President and CEO, Novo, said the new brand and culture are strategically important in strengthening how the company operates and competes, while its fundamental purpose of changing people’s lives remains unchanged. The company’s ambition is to help more people achieve lasting health, starting now.

The Novo Way for a Changing Healthcare Landscape

Alongside the new brand, The Novo Way sets out how the company intends to work and compete in its next chapter, while retaining the scientific expertise, care for people and commitment to patient safety and ethics that have shaped Novo for more than a century.

The Novo Way is built around four principles: Customer Obsession, which places consumers and patients at the centre of innovation; Competitiveness, which focuses on raising performance and creating greater value for stakeholders; Clarity, which promotes clear priorities and decisive action; and Care & Integrity, which reinforces care for people while maintaining an uncompromising commitment to patient safety and ethical standards.

The new corporate identity will be progressively introduced across Novo’s communications and stakeholder touchpoints in Malaysia. While the company moves forward with a refreshed brand and culture, its underlying purpose remains focused on driving change for lasting health.

Through its new platform, “Lasting Health Starts Now”, Novo aims to bring conversations around chronic disease closer to everyday life, while encouraging greater awareness, understanding and earlier action to support better long-term health outcomes.