The Asia pharmaceutical industry is going through transformational times. However, beyond scientific breakthroughs and expanding markets, this transformation is attributable to the phenomenal leadership of women who stand as agents for change. From operating billion-dollar biotech companies to forging into new realms of health-tech startups, these women disruptors are trampling over the traditional footprints of industry norms. They look far beyond company profits, they push the boundaries of research, are working also for the affordable solution for healthcare, and fight for gender diversity in corporate boards and labs alike.
This article highlights the Top 10 Women Disruptors in Asia from the Pharmaceutical Industry who are creating new pathways for innovation and impact. These inspiring leaders are from various countries throughout the continent, imparting diverse views of the future of medicine. Be it drug delivery routes, ushering in the new world order in digital health, or botching up the latest clinical trials, or whose ministrations bring with them more intelligent, available, and humane care, shall share. As Asia continues to emerge as the global pharmaceutical powerhouse, these pioneering women, true Pharma Thought Leaders, stand as strong symbols of what is made possible with talent, resilience, and a great consciousness of purpose. Let us celebrate their journeys and the waves of transformation they are bringing to millions across the region.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw stands tall as one of India's most admired self-made women entrepreneurs. She started Biocon in 1978 from her garage with just Rs10,000 and converted it into a global biopharma powerhouse. She spearheads the cause for affordable medicines for diabetes and cancer, among other things, as the Executive Chairperson of Biocon and Biocon Biologics. Kiran creates large waves with her disruptive ideas and has won various awards in the international arena, including the Padma Bhushan. She holds more than 45 years of expertise in biotechnology, championing Pharma Digital Transformation, and is actively involved in cancer care, rural health, and education through her foundations. Nothing would inspire more than her story of how passion, courage, and creativity have so largely changed millions of lives.
Vinita Gupta is the CEO of Lupin Limited and leads Lupin Inc. and Lupin Pharmaceuticals in the U.S. Since taking over in 2013, she has helped Lupin grow into one of the top generic drug makers in America. With a pharmacy degree from Mumbai and an MBA from Kellogg, Vinita entered Lupin in 1993. Under her leadership, Lupin grew very fast in the United States and Europe through organic and inorganic growth, setting benchmarks for Women Leaders in Pharma worldwide. Her leadership has won her numerous awards from Forbes, EY, and CNBC, among others. Vinita is still driving Lupin's vision to make quality medicines available across the globe.
Breathonix and its Founder CEO, Jia Zhunan, are transforming healthcare with breath tests. Starting with the detection of lung cancer, she quickly moved toward designing the fastest breath test for COVID-19, which got approval in the whole of Southeast Asia. Her test was used to manage the pandemic by various airports and clinics. Jia holds a PhD degree from NUS and has been practicing breath analysis for almost a decade, holding several patents. Her fledgling company has won top awards, from ESG Slingshot to Select USA. As a woman in the Medtech field, she stands as a role model to many, proving how science and good ideas can tackle big health problems and save lives.
Zahabiya Khorakiwala, Managing Director of Wockhardt Hospitals, combines a calm confidence with a keen business acumen. Watching her father weather challenges, she took charge in 2010. Under her stewardship, Wockhardt opened its largest hospital in South Mumbai and took on fresh areas of specialty like pediatric heart care and aesthetics. Technology under her watch received a push for patient safety enhancements. While she encountered some bad times, she sees those as lessons for her. Currently, her focus is on growing in western India. In her rare moments of leisure, she spends time on weekends with her daughter, finding solace and fulfillment in motherhood.
Samina Hamied, former Vice Chairperson of Cipla, was behind the acceleration of growth in the company while keeping the purpose of making inexpensive medicines alive. Taking over in 2016, she pushed Cipla further beyond India by setting up front-end businesses in the US, South Africa, and emerging markets. Under her leadership, Cipla went on to acquire two companies in the United States and enter the biggest drug market there. Such determination of Samina towards complex generics and specialty drugs has been the main growth driver of Cipla. Despite various hurdles and changes in the management in the past, she continues to build up Cipla's global footprint, with India remaining at the heart of the strategy.
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US board-certified Pediatric Cardiologist Dr. Sunita Maheshwari is a Co-Founder of The Telerad Group. An alumna of Yale Medical School, she was recently honored for her work as a Trailblazing Indian Cardiac Leader. Dr. Maheshwari has earned accolades such as those for Businessworld’s 20 Most Influential Women in Healthcare and Times Now’s ‘Amazing Indian’ Award. She provides e-teaching to pediatric cardiology students and is much in demand as a speaker, having given over 200 talks, including TEDx. Dr. Maheshwari is the President of the Pediatric Cardiac Society of India and sits on the Boards of HDFC Bank and GSK Pharma India, where she oversees CSR work; thus, she combines medicine with responsible leadership.
Margaret Rumpf brings more than 25 years of experience in the healthcare leadership field globally. She now partners with MRD, serving as a Co-Founder of BoardLens Advisory and operating partner at ARCHIMED. Her current work focuses on growing healthcare companies worldwide. In her former life, she was at GSK, heading strategy, innovation, and growth across markets. A pharmacist with an MPH herself, Margaret carries this extremely specific technical knowledge base in terms of R&D, market access, and policy. Along with sustainability, Margaret firmly supports diversity and inclusion, mentoring leadership, and fostering the development of Asian and female talent. Born in Melbourne to Korean parents, she treasures cultural connections. She is driven to create inexpensive healthcare and inspire people to flourish.
Evelyn Pang is the General Manager in Singapore at Moderna. She is a pharmacist with a massive regional Asia experience. She has filled many sales, marketing, medical, strategy, and commercial leadership roles across her career. She has established many big brands in oncology, cardiology, diabetes, and vaccines, to name some. She has developed digital solutions that connect doctors to patients and has created teams with the best record of performance across 13 Asian countries. She promotes workforce diversity and builds strong ties among cultures. At Moderna, she sees innovation and partnership as disrupting healthcare.
Seyma Bahsi, Head of Turkey, Middle East, and Africa at Astellas Pharma, assumed this position as of October 2024. She has 24 years plus in the pharma world, spanning biotech, rare diseases, etc., and has marketing/sales background experience. Seyma is known for heading top-performing teams and, therefore, crafting a culture that nurtures great achievements. She is also skilled at strategy formulation and execution for growth and boasts the delivery of truly impressive business results. She believes in very strong relationships with all stakeholders and in driving operational excellence. Presently, she oversees 12 markets serving more than 418 million people and continues to work with Astellas Turkey.
Dr. Renu Swarup is a distinguished geneticist and former Secretary of India's Department of Biotechnology. After having done her PhD in Genetics and Plant Breeding and post-doctoral work in the UK, she has thus worked for more than thirty years in shaping the development of biotechnology in India. She was instrumental in the drafting of the National Biotechnology Vision and driving pharmaceutical innovation through major programs, including the COVID-19 vaccine and diagnostics programs. In her capacity as Chairperson of BIRAC, she has extended support to thousands of startups and incubators. Recipient of numerous awards, including BioSpectrum Person of the Year, she has also been at the forefront of advocating women scientist programs, inspiring many in the field of science and technology throughout the country.
In conclusion, these Top 10 Women Leaders are not only redefining the Asia pharmaceutical industry but also setting global benchmarks in innovation, access, and leadership. Their work goes beyond business success; they champion affordable healthcare, digital transformation, and diversity, inspiring countless others. As Asia cements its role as a pharma powerhouse, these disruptors illuminate the path forward.
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