Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) Wednesday announced the appointment of Pankaj R Patel as the new chairperson of its Board of Governors.
Chairman of Zydus Lifesciences Ltd, Patel succeeds Kumar Mangalam Birla, who completed his four-year term Tuesday, November 15. Patel is the fourteenth chairperson of the IIMA since its inception in 1961. Patel has been a member of the IIMA Board of Governors for eight years.
Sharing his views on taking on this all-important role, Patel said in a statement issued by the institute, “My appointment as a chairperson comes at an important juncture for the Institute when it is at the cusp of the next phase of its growth. I am excited to be a part of this esteemed institute and look forward to working with the Board of Governors, faculty members, students, staff members, the alumni group, and all other relevant stakeholders. The Board envisages a robust growth for the IIMA and has outlined plans to lead the Institute in this direction. I will be happy to support and share my expertise to help the Board in bringing alive our collective vision for the Institute.”
Patel’s Zydus Lifesciences Ltd is a discovery-driven, global life sciences company with operations in 55 countries. He combines both research and techno-commercial expertise and has published over 100 research papers in peer-reviewed journals and is a co-inventor in more than 64 patents.
Patel was recently also appointed as the part-time non-official director in the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India. He is on the Governing Board of IIM Udaipur; Invest India and India Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. He is also a member of the CEO Advisory Committee of International Generics and Biosimilars Association (IGBA).
Also a former president of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Patel officiates on the board of several not-for-profit and charitable institutions. Patel is the executive chairman, vice president and trustee of the Gujarat Cancer Society and chairman of the Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, one of the largest cancer centres in India.
Patel also officiates as the chairman of the Deaf and Mute School, Ahmedabad. He is also a director and chairman of the Board of Zydus Foundation, which set up Zydus Hospital and Medical College, Dahod.
In recognition of his contributions to the healthcare industry in India, Patel is a recipient of several awards, including the Acharya PC Ray Memorial Gold Medal Award and the Eminent Pharmacist Award.
Courtesy : The Indian Express