Kanchana TK is the director general of the Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India. She has also served in senior leadership positions with Bristol- Myers Squibb, Vantage Insurance Brokers & Risk Advisors Pvt. Ltd. and Marsh/Mercer India.
Becoming a woman leader (in fact, the only woman leader) in a bastion of male leadership within the male-dominated pharmaceutical industry speaks volumes of Kanchana’s professional abilities and leadership skills. Her strategic focus on building business through building trust among stakeholders, and her attention to performance ensures that teams under her able leadership outperform competition.
A woman who believes that actions speak louder than words, Kanchana often demonstrates leadership by being a silent performer. A leadership trait she displays almost effortlessly is her ability to stay calm before, during and after the storm.
Kanchana has received many honors, including being named one of the ‘Top 50 Impactful Women in Healthcare’ (global listing) by World Health & Wellness Congress. She has also won the Bloomberg- UTV Women in Leadership Award, Women at Work Leadership Award by Bloomberg-UTV, and WILL Choice Award by Forum for Women in Leadership (WILL Forum India). She also co-authored the WILL Mothers’ Handbook.
Having worked in two highly regulated sectors – insurance and pharmaceuticals – Kanchana understands stakeholder expectations and the evolving policy ecosystem. Consulting on new product offerings for healthcare insurance, understanding patent and pricing issues in pharma, and designing patient assistance programs and access initiatives enable her to understand healthcare needs in India. Her experience managing public affairs in the Middle East and Africa gives her an understanding of healthcare paradigms in other geographies.
“My journey to becoming a leader was unplanned but with an intent to prove equality. My writing on diversity and inclusion is a way to share experiences and inspire fellow women colleagues,” Kanchana explains. Her advice for younger professionals? “Keep an eye on the goal, the rest will miraculously fall into place.”
