Founding Member – Zuventus Healthcare
The humble and unassuming Shriram Balasubramanian is the quiet strength behind the rapid growth of Zuventus Healthcare Ltd. Founding Member of the pharma giant established in 2002, he is the Director – Commercial and Business Development at Zuventus, which has since emerged as India’s fastest growing pharma company.
Today, Zuventus is a global leader in providing high-quality healthcare solutions. Founded in 2002, in a short span of just over 2 decades, it has captured over Rs 2000 crores of Pharma Market with a vision ‘To bring joy and jubilation in people’s lives through Health and Wellness solutions’.
In addition to leading all commercial operations, Shriram also played a key role in spearheading new product/business launches and was responsible for multiple in-licensing projects and 1st time launches. Zuventus now boasts of over 170 healthcare products covering acute, semi-chronic, and chronic therapies.
“The journey of building our business was a record of sorts in the pharma industry. Thanks to stellar leadership, the company broke even in 18 months; we have never looked back,” says Shriram.
Shriram stumbled upon health sciences quite by chance; it soon grew into a passion and mission. Based in Mumbai, he was born in an underprivileged but hardworking, righteous, and principled Tamil Brahmin family. Supporting the family while earning and studying armed him with a multitude of life skills and vocational capabilities. He became a voracious reader to fill up the academic gaps, and developed a keen interest in science and technology, humanities, occult, business management, communication, and leadership. An Alumni from the 1997 batch of ‘Masters in Marketing Management’ (MMM) from Welingkar Institute, he also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science and a Diploma in Software Engineering.
Health sciences became an offshoot of Shriram’s selling and marketing career. Starting from a grassroot role in sales, he grew at a rapid pace on the strength of his passion, knowledge acquisition, creativity, innovation, and credible results. Promotions came in fast with higher responsibilities, and Shriram scripted marketing success stories which have become a lore in the pharma industry.
In a journey spanning 3 decades, he is credited with Brand and Market creation of significant value. Currently, he heads Commercial Excellence, Manufacturing and R&D Operations, New Business Development, Digital Initiatives, and Export & ECom Initiative. His aim is to shape and drive the Healthcare industry’s global trends for a disruptive growth, and change Healthcare Management to a Customer and Patient Centric Model, driven by an evidence based approach.
“My passion is to make a significant difference in my space of work. Born a tiger in the rat race, I have taken risks many would not have dared to dream. My 1st company (‘Brain Child’, an advertising firm) started when I was in 12th grade; its first assignment was incidentally a pharma company. Being young in business I could not sustain it then, but knew my vantage for a kill when opportunity and fate took me the pharma way,” he says.
A respected industry leader, Shriram has been a Speaker, Influencer, Panelist, and Chairperson, who has been in the spotlight for industry guidance in areas of marketing & sales, policy making, global developments, ethics & compliance, IPR, brand valuation, nutraceuticals, etc. He’s also an Executive Member at IDMA and a Life Member of IPA. He has represented India as an international delegate at the International Medical Innovation & Cooperation Forum (China Shanghai cooperation operation), and was a Keynote Speaker at Zhuhai United Convention on the ‘Future of Amoxyclav market’.
“However, my most prized accolade is the ‘Letter of appreciation’ from my HOD of Physics. I have also received many professional awards/ honors, like the prestigious ‘Manufacturing Champion’ award from TOI.”
Shriram has meticulously developed strengths for success:
- Deep research before active decision making
- Tenacity to follow one’s vision
- Meticulous planning
- Process over sporadic success
- Working for a bigger canvas
- Putting together the right team for right deliverables
- Being there for team members when they reach roadblocks.
A holistic leader, Shriram is also an avid music enthusiast, artist, traveler, techie, adventurer, athlete, and a family man with strong integrity and faith in the almighty. On his days off, he likes to spend time by motivating the musical pursuits of his children, reaching out to family and friends for rebonding, being with his pets, and reading.
Striking a balance in his work-life helps Shriram think, strategize, and innovate better. His sole desire is to be a path-breaking leader in the space of Health & Wellness, and bring about awareness for an integrated approach towards preventive health in every Indian.
