Cipla promotes CFO Vohra as COO

Chairman's niece to head strategy, buyouts

Cipla has set up a six-member management council under the leadership of chief executive Subhanu Saxena to drive growth. The drug maker has recast its top management after the  resignation of chief operating officer (COO) Sudhanshu Priyardarshi and has expanded roles of two key executives.

Cipla said the management changes will simplify its leadership structure, helping it grow faster. Chief financial officer (CFO) Umang Vohra has been given additional responsibility of global COO.

Cipla said the role of its global COO has been expanded to integrate end-to-end operations from manufacturing to supply and distribution of products. Vohra will also lead the generics and active pharmaceutical ingredient business.

Executive director Samina Vazirali is now global head of strategy, mergers and acquisitions. Vazirali, niece of Cipla Chairman Yusuf Hamied, was inducted on the company board last July.

The three members of the management council are Geena Malhotra, global head of integrated product development, Ranjana Pathak, global head of quality, and Prabir Jha, global chief people officer.

“We are simplifying our leadership structure to prepare Cipla for the next phase of growth. This is a natural evolution at this stage of our plans,” Saxena said.

This is the second reshuffle at Cipla in recent times. Last month, it moved head of European and global head of respiratory business Frank Pieters to an advisory role. Tim Crew, who headed the North American business, was given additional charge of Pieter’s responsibilities.