MPW 2022: How Samina Hamied is making Cipla future-ready

Samina Hamied has a long-term vision for Cipla: she wants to transform it into a major global healthcare organisation. She’s come a long way from 2011 when the LSE alumna decided to give up her life in London as an investment manager to plunge into her family’s pharma business, with little or no experience in the sector.

Now, as Executive Vice Chairperson of Cipla, Hamied—part of the Business Today Most Powerful Women in Business 2022 list—is making the company future-ready by refreshing its leadership model, approach and culture.

The past year has seen significant milestones. “Most recently, we achieved the highest-ever quarterly revenue ($195 million in US business) through our differentiated product portfolio. We also expanded our market share through flagship respiratory and peptide franchises,” says the avid marathoner.

Hamied says one of her biggest successes was taking Cipla to North America through the acquisition of InvaGen and Exelan; the market contributes 28 per cent (Q3FY23) to Cipla’s overall revenues now. “I have always stayed true to my resolve and conviction in the bets that I have made over the years, which has pivoted Cipla towards its aspiration of becoming a major global healthcare organisation,” says Hamied. Like a good marathoner, she is pacing herself and Cipla for growth.