Mr. Pankaj R. Patel is one of the most successful and highly respected pharma entrepreneurs in India today. With over 30 years of experience in the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry, Mr. Patel combines both research and techno-commercial expertise and has published 50 research papers.
As the Chairman and Managing Director of Zydus Cadila, one of India's leading pharmaceutical groups, Mr. Pankaj Patel has been the guiding force behind the group’s fast tracked growth. From a turnover of Rs. 250 crores in 1995, the group’s turnover today stands at over Rs. 3400 crores and is poised to join the billion dollar league by 2010-11 and become a global research driven company by 2020. In the Business Today’s ranking of the Top 500 most valuable companies in the private sector, Cadila Healthcare Ltd. was ranked amongst the top 100 and Zydus Wellness was listed amongst the top 500 most valuable companies.
Innovative business practices and strategic leadership have made Zydus Cadila one of the most recognized corporate brands not just in India but in the global pharma industry. Zydus Cadila has been consolidating operations globally, particularly in USA, Europe, Latin America and Japan. Strategic approaches to growth, size and scale of operations, strong manufacturing network and strengths all along the value chain have made Zydus Cadila a formidable player. The group has an extensive manufacturing base comprising nine state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities spread across five states in India. The group has forged win-win alliances with several global pharma companies such as Hospira, Nycomed, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bayer Schering Pharma and Madaus AG, to name a few. The group is also one of the leading investors in research. 16 of the group’s brands feature amongst the Top 300 pharmaceutical brands in India (ORG IMS Feb 2010).
For his vision and foresight that have accelerated Zydus Cadila’s growth, Mr. Pankaj Patel was declared the ‘Pharma Man of the Year’ by the Federation of Indian Industry and Economists (FIIE) in 2004. In recognition of his entrepreneurial vision that has transformed the Zydus group into a leading pharma conglomerate, Mr. Patel was awarded the E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year – Life Sciences Award for the year 2009.
Mr. Pankaj Patel is on the governing councils of many national industry associations and forums such as Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance and Indian Drug Manufacturers Association. He has officiated as the Chairman of FICCI National Pharma Council (2005-06), was a FIP Regional representative to South East Asia region at the WHO, Chairman of Drugs, Pharmaceuticals and Fine Chemicals Panel, Basic Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics Export Promotion Council (CHEMEXCIL), Chairman of the 56th Indian Pharmaceutical Congress in 2005 and was a member of the CII National Committee on Drugs & Pharmaceuticals (2001-2002). He was also the President of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry and spearheaded special initiatives to assist Industry, Trade and address socio-economic issues, during his tenure (2006-07).
Mr. Pankaj Patel is associated with various industry associations and is actively involved in various educational institutions and is on the advisory committees and academic councils of leading pharmaceutical colleges and management institutes.
Mr. Patel is currently the President of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance and the Chairman of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) Gujarat State Council. He is the Executive Chairman, Vice President and Trustee of the Gujarat Cancer Society and Chairman of the Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute. Mr. Patel is on the Governing Board of The Ahmedabad University and is also President of the Ahmedabad Management Association.
