Leadership hiring for pharma, CDMO and life sciences.

Roles we fill: CEOs, CXOs, COOs, Manufacturing and Site Heads, Heads of Quality and Regulatory Affairs, Heads of R&D and Process Development, Business Development Heads for CDMO, Heads of Supply Chain, Strategy and Commercial Excellence Heads.

APIs and bulk drugs

• Service domain: manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), key starting materials (KSMs) and intermediates, for domestic formulators and regulated export markets.
• Product categories: generic APIs, high-potency APIs, fermentation-based APIs (antibiotics), KSMs and drug intermediates, peptide APIs.
• Market overview: the PLI scheme for bulk drugs (₹6,940 crore outlay) has drawn ₹5,210.74 crore of investment, with 39 projects commissioned for 28 APIs and KSMs by June 2026. Three bulk drug parks in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh have a project cost of over ₹6,306 crore.
• Global view: India is often called the pharmacy of the world, supplying a large share of the generic APIs used in the US and Europe. China still dominates many KSMs, so global buyers are pushing for an India-based second source.
• Hiring challenges: very few Site Heads have both regulated-market audit success and large multi-product API plant experience. Strong QA and production leaders are poached repeatedly, many plants sit in remote industrial belts (Vizag, Bharuch, Baddi) that are hard to relocate families to, and proven leaders expect pay well above typical plant budgets.
• Leadership hiring lens: API Site and Manufacturing Heads must combine plant safety, cGMP compliance and cost discipline. We test audit history (483s, warning letters, how they were closed) and multi-plant leadership. Many leaders aspire to lead a regulated-market plant or a backward integration project, which is a strong draw.
• Ownership culture: most API makers are promoter-led, often first or second generation, with technocrat founders deeply involved in chemistry decisions. Listed API firms add board governance and investor scrutiny. Leaders must be comfortable with promoter involvement while protecting quality decisions.

CDMO and CRDMO services

• Service domain: contract research, development and manufacturing for global innovator companies, from early chemistry and process development to commercial supply.
• Product categories: custom synthesis, process R&D, clinical and commercial API supply, ADCs, oligonucleotides and peptides, analytical and regulatory services.
• Market overview: India's CDMO market is expected to roughly double from about US$7 billion to US$14 billion by 2028, helped by China+1 sourcing and the proposed US BIOSECURE Act. Some Indian CDMOs saw 50% year-on-year growth in requests for proposals in 2024.
• Global view: Indian CDMOs now compete directly with players in China, Europe and the US for innovator business. Global pharma is moving work under China+1 sourcing, so Indian sites face audits and expectations set by US and European clients.
• Hiring challenges: leaders who can win and manage global innovator accounts are rare in India, and the best sit in a handful of CDMOs or overseas. Scientists who grew up in generics often lack the client-facing and programme management skills CDMO roles need. Retention is hard because global CDMOs and PE platforms pay sign-on and equity to poach proven Site and BD Heads.
• Leadership hiring lens: CDMO Business Development and Site Heads must win and keep global innovator accounts, not just run plants. We test customer references, project management of molecules through phases, and comfort with global client audits. Many candidates come from global CDMOs or innovator companies and want a bigger India-based mandate.
• Ownership culture: Indian CDMOs range from promoter-led family groups to PE-backed platforms and listed specialists. PE-backed players expect fast growth and equity-linked leaders. Promoter-led firms offer long tenure but expect strong alignment with the founder's vision.

Generic formulations and regulated-market exports

• Service domain: development, manufacture and marketing of finished dosage forms for India, the US, Europe and emerging markets, including complex generics.
• Product categories: oral solids, injectables, ophthalmics, inhalers, topicals, complex generics and 505(b)(2) products, branded generics for India.
• Market overview: the PLI scheme for pharmaceuticals has drawn ₹40,890 crore of investment against a ₹17,275 crore target. Cumulative sales reached ₹3,16,797 crore, including ₹2,03,730 crore of exports, with about 97,000 people employed.
• Global view: Indian companies are among the largest filers of generic drug approvals with the USFDA, and Europe, Latin America and Africa are growing export markets. US price erosion forces leaders to think in global portfolio terms, not just India sales.
• Hiring challenges: the pool of leaders with a clean regulatory track record (no unresolved warning letters or import alerts on their watch) is small and well known. Companies emerging from regulatory action struggle to attract top quality talent, and US business heads often prefer to stay in the US, so attraction needs a credible remediation plan and real authority.
• Leadership hiring lens: leaders here are tested on compliance culture as much as growth. We look closely at quality track record, regulatory relationships and portfolio choices. Aspiration often turns on leading a US business, a complex generics portfolio, or a turnaround after a regulatory issue.
• Ownership culture: many of India's largest pharma companies remain promoter-controlled, with family members in key roles. MNC pharma subsidiaries focus on brands and compliance. Leaders must read how much influence the family keeps over hiring, budgets and R&D bets.

Biologics and biosimilars

• Service domain: development and manufacture of biologics, biosimilars and vaccines, biologics CDMO, cell and gene therapy, and biotech research services.
• Product categories: monoclonal antibodies, insulin and peptides, vaccines, biosimilars, cell and gene therapies, enzymes.
• Market overview: India's bioeconomy reached US$195.3 billion in 2025, up about 18% in a year, with BioPharma at US$64.5 billion. The national vision is a US$1 trillion bioeconomy by 2047.
• Global view: Global biologics manufacturing has long been concentrated in the US, Europe, Korea and China. India is building capacity as a biosimilars exporter and biologics CDMO base, which is drawing back scientists and plant leaders from abroad.
• Hiring challenges: Only a small number of leaders in India have run commercial-scale biologics manufacturing, and many of the best work in Korea, Singapore, Europe or the US. Hiring often means bringing back diaspora talent, where family relocation, schooling and pay parity decide the outcome. Start-up biotech roles also need leaders comfortable with long timelines and funding risk.
• Leadership hiring lens: the scarcest leaders have run commercial biologics plants or taken biosimilars through US and EU approvals, and many sit abroad. We test scientific depth with commercial judgement, and long-horizon patience. Returning diaspora scientists often weigh family and schooling as much as the role, so we address relocation early.
• Ownership culture: Indian biotech leaders are often founder-led, with strong scientific identities. Large pharma groups run biologics as separate businesses with their own culture. Global biotech firms bring structured science careers but slower decisions.

Medical devices and diagnostics

• Service domain: design and manufacture of medical devices, diagnostics and imaging equipment, distribution and service networks, and contract manufacturing for global MedTech.
• Product categories: imaging systems (MRI, CT, ultrasound), implants and orthopaedics, cardiac devices, consumables and disposables, in-vitro diagnostics, critical-care equipment.
• Market overview: India's medical devices market is about US$14 to 16 billion, with projections of US$30 to 50 billion by 2030. The PLI scheme has commissioned 22 greenfield projects and started production of over 55 devices, with eligible sales of about ₹12,344 crore.
• Global view: Global MedTech majors run large engineering and sourcing centres in India and are starting to manufacture here for export. Indian device makers are also exporting to Europe, Africa and Southeast Asia, which raises the bar on quality systems.
• Hiring challenges: leaders who combine regulatory (CDSCO, CE, USFDA) knowledge with commercial channel building are scarce. Most experienced talent sits in MNC subsidiaries with strong brands, so Indian makers must offer scope, equity or a manufacturing-led mandate to attract them. Service and sales heads in smaller cities are hard to find and keep.
• Leadership hiring lens: MedTech leaders must combine regulatory knowledge, clinical relationships and channel building. We test success in launching devices in India and managing hospital and distributor networks. Many leaders from global MedTech want to build an Indian manufacturer, which promoter-led firms can offer.
• Ownership culture: global MedTech subsidiaries run on compliance and brand. Indian device makers are often founder-led and fast. PE-backed platforms expect quick scale and exits.

Ownership culture across pharma and life sciences: how ownership shapes leadership fit

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