Corporate Governance
Board of Directors

Arun Kumar
Founder and Non-Executive Director

Arun Kumar
Founder and Non-Executive Director
Arun Kumar is a first-generation entrepreneur and known for his ability to identify great opportunities in “difficult to operate” business domains. He founded Strides Pharma Science Limited (Strides) in 1990 and has since then led the company in building a global reputation with a differentiated business model and delivering value for its stakeholders (over $5B value creation for shareholders, including distribution of the most extensive dividend by a pharmaceutical company in India).
Besides founding Strides, Arun’s family office (setup in the early 2000s) ran a differentiated set of investments spread across several companies with a combined revenue base of over a billion dollars and an invested capital of over half a billion dollars. Arun is credited to have co-founded and built India’s largest fully integrated Animal Health Company, SeQuent Scientific Limited, in less than five years. Arun’s stake in SeQuent was divested to the Carlyle Group in May 2020.
Arun is the promoter of Solara Active Pharma Sciences, a pure-play API company, targeted to become India’s second-largest API business in less than four years. Recently, Arun’s family office has entered a strategic partnership with marquee investors to build a global biologics CDMO, specialty injectable and vaccine business with capabilities across several technology platforms. The businesses run under Arun’s leadership and ownership have presence in 100+ countries with 7000+ employees and over 25 global manufacturing facilities worldwide.
Arun is a recipient of “EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award” in the healthcare sector in 2000, Business Today “India Best CEO Award” (in mid-sized companies category), and “The Best CEO in the Pharma & Healthcare Industry” in 2014.
Besides founding Strides, Arun’s family office (setup in the early 2000s) ran a differentiated set of investments spread across several companies with a combined revenue base of over a billion dollars and an invested capital of over half a billion dollars. Arun is credited to have co-founded and built India’s largest fully integrated Animal Health Company, SeQuent Scientific Limited, in less than five years. Arun’s stake in SeQuent was divested to the Carlyle Group in May 2020.
Arun is the promoter of Solara Active Pharma Sciences, a pure-play API company, targeted to become India’s second-largest API business in less than four years. Recently, Arun’s family office has entered a strategic partnership with marquee investors to build a global biologics CDMO, specialty injectable and vaccine business with capabilities across several technology platforms. The businesses run under Arun’s leadership and ownership have presence in 100+ countries with 7000+ employees and over 25 global manufacturing facilities worldwide.
Arun is a recipient of “EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award” in the healthcare sector in 2000, Business Today “India Best CEO Award” (in mid-sized companies category), and “The Best CEO in the Pharma & Healthcare Industry” in 2014.

Ankur Thadani
Non-Executive Director

Ankur Thadani
Non-Executive Director
Ankur Thadani is a Partner with TPG Growth and The RISE Fund, and co-heads their India office. He leads healthcare, consumer and energy investing across TPG Growth and The Rise Fund platforms in India and in the region. Prior to joining TPG in 2013, he worked with an Indian private equity fund, India Equity Partners, focusing on investments in consumer and healthcare sectors. Ankur received his MBA from Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) and was awarded a Gold Medal for outstanding overall achievement. In addition to Stelis Biopharma, Ankur also serves on the boards of Steriscience Specialties, Solara Active Pharma, API Holdings, Asia Healthcare Holdings, Asiri Healthcare, Care Hospitals, Tata Motors Electric Vehicles and Fourth Partner Energy.

P R Kannan
CFO and Executive Director

P R Kannan
CFO and Executive Director
Kannan is a proven finance leader with over two decades of experience in corporate finance and taxation, Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A), public listings and Initial Public Offers (IPO), Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) and corporate fundraising. He is a results-oriented team builder, with an outstanding track record of scaling-up organizations. Kannan is a Chartered Accountant and a Certified Management Accountant.
Kannan served in various key leadership positions in the Strides group for over a decade. He managed multiple investments and Investors while serving in an operating role across different companies from incubation to the growth phase. Kannan was the CFO for SeQuent Scientific Limited (SeQuent), where he led the company to sustainable growth through a combination of M&As and greenfield expansion programs. He played a significant role in the sale of SeQuent to the Carlyle Group in 2020.
Kannan served in various key leadership positions in the Strides group for over a decade. He managed multiple investments and Investors while serving in an operating role across different companies from incubation to the growth phase. Kannan was the CFO for SeQuent Scientific Limited (SeQuent), where he led the company to sustainable growth through a combination of M&As and greenfield expansion programs. He played a significant role in the sale of SeQuent to the Carlyle Group in 2020.

Mahadevan N
Non-Executive Director

Mahadevan N
Non-Executive Director
Mahadevan (Mahad) is a Senior Advisor to TPG Capital, a global private equity fund manager with > $100B assets under its management. At TPG, Mahad focuses on the healthcare and life sciences sectors, evaluating new investments in the sector and driving value creation initiatives in portfolio companies in India. He also co-founded Akna Medical, the leading hospital-focused medical distribution platform in India, which was acquired by API Holdings (Pharmeasy).
Prior to TPG, Mahad spent over 15 years in the UK and India with Grant Thornton and PwC, on M&A, IPOs, capital raising and performance improvement/restructuring, with a focus on healthcare, pharma, logistics and other sectors. Mahad started his career with Hindustan Unilever Ltd, where he worked on a number of supply chain improvement projects. Mahad is an alumnus of Indian Institute Technology (IIT), Madras and Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Lucknow.
Prior to TPG, Mahad spent over 15 years in the UK and India with Grant Thornton and PwC, on M&A, IPOs, capital raising and performance improvement/restructuring, with a focus on healthcare, pharma, logistics and other sectors. Mahad started his career with Hindustan Unilever Ltd, where he worked on a number of supply chain improvement projects. Mahad is an alumnus of Indian Institute Technology (IIT), Madras and Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Lucknow.

Dr. Gopakumar Nair
Non Executive, Independent Director

Dr. Gopakumar Nair
Non Executive, Independent Director
Dr. Nair is a Ph.D from National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune and has Diploma in Management
& Patent Law. Dr. Nair is also a Law (LL.B) graduate from Mumbai University and LL.M from Jindal
Global Law School. He is IPR Committee Chairman of Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA).
40 years in Pharma Industry as Director, Managing Director & Chairman of various public limited pharma companies, Dr.
Nair has also served Industry Associations for more than 35 years in various capacities, latest as President of Indian Drug
Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA), during 1999-2000. Dr. Nair is also Editor and Editorial Board Member of various
publications and journals, relating to pharma, biotech and chemicals, including IDMA Bulletin and INDIAN DRUGS.
In the field of Intellectual Properties, Dr. Nair was the Dean of Institute of Intellectual Property Studies (IIPS) at Hyderabad,
India. Presently he heads his own IP boutique firm, Gopakumar Nair Associates and is also CEO of Patent Gurukul, reputed
and well-known training centre for Patents. Dr. Nair is a registered Patent & Trademark Agent and also Scientific Adviser
to the Patent Office under Rule 103 of the Patents Rules, 2003.
He is also associated with various Educational Institutions such as President, Bharat Education Society, with schools &
colleges under its ambit. Dr. Nair is a founder of CIPROM (Centre for Intellectual Property Management) of which he is
presently the Hon. Chairman.

Ms. Rajashri Ojha
Non Executive, Independent Director

Ms. Rajashri Ojha
Non Executive, Independent Director
Ms. Rajashri Ojha is a Global RA GMP consultant and a Lead Auditor & Trainer with over 33+years
of very versatile experience in pharma industry. Starting her career from Scientist in R & D,
Analytical & Formulation, QA-QM, till handling GLOBAL regulatory Affairs and getting marketing
approvals across the globe.
She has over 3 decades of rich experience working for leading organizations like RAAJ GPRAC, SPECTRUM Pharmatech,
SYNERGY, UAE, COGNIZANT, FAMYCARE , NOVARTIS, GSK-TCS, GLENMARK, SANDOZ/ CIBA-Geigy, UNICHEM
Laboratories and LOCAL FDA, Bandra. She Offers various industrial training programs and has Trained more than 25,500
candidates till now on various aspects of GLOBAL Regulatory Affairs
Ms. Rajashri is also associated with many leading education institutes/colleges in India as a ‘Guest faculty’. She is a Visiting
faculty Adjunct Professor at JSS University, NIPER, IIHMR, KLE,BCP,JJTU, MET, IIPM, HKCP, VES, SIES, ICT, IICT, IIHMR,
HKCP, BNCP, NMIMS etc.
Also, a member of IPA, DIA, IDMA, RAPS, TOPRA, OMICS, FIP, UBM, Global Compliance Panel, IMS, IBC, Alliance India and
Chaired many scientific sessions organized for National and International Conferences.

Ms. Yogita Hatangadi
Nominee Director

Ms. Yogita Hatangadi
Nominee Director
Ms. Hatangadi, a proud daughter of an ex-serviceman; is a post graduate in Business
Management and started her career in 2004 in equity research. She joined Export-Import
Bank of India (India EXIM Bank) in 2005 and has a rich business experience in corporate
banking and industrial finance, treasury and fund raising, debt recovery, marketing, client
relationship management and marketing advisory services. Ms. Hatangadi, is currently
serving as the Regional Head of the Bank’s Bengaluru Representative Office, which caters
to the entire state of Karnataka. Prior to joining the Bengaluru office, Ms. Hatangadi has
served as the Resident Representative of the Bank’s office in Dubai which caters to the
entire MENA region and parts of the CIS region. During her stint in Dubai, Ms Hatangadi has
also served as project coordinator for a consultancy assignment related to setting up of the
Export-Import Bank of Saudi Arabia. She is also actively involved in the Heartfulness way of
Meditation practices and regularly delivers lectures (on gratis) in government schools/
colleges on communication skills, time management, personality development etc., under
the Heartfulness banner.
Policies
EHS
Composition of Board and Committees
AK Viswanathan- Chairperson
Aditya Puri - Member
Vineeta Rai - Member
Ankur Nand Thadani - Chairperson
Vineeta Rai - Member
AK Viswanathan - Member
Aditya Puri – Member
Arun Kumar – Chairperson
Mahadevan Narayanamoni - Member
P R Kannan – Member
Arun Kumar – Chairperson
Vineeta Rai – Member
AK Viswanathan – Member
PR Kannan – Member