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One of my biggest aspirations is for us
to become the number one pharma

company in India. It will take tough
decisions and major investments, but

we are on the right path.

ARJUN JUNEJA
Chief Operating Officer, Mankind Pharma

Building India’s Innovation Muscle At 22 you faced a fork between cricket and joining the family
business. What was the precise moment or conversation that
Arjun Juneja is the Chief Operating Officer of Mankind made you choose Mankind and how did that choice shape
Pharma Limited, one of India’s leading pharmaceutical your sense of purpose?
companies. A graduate of the University of
Strathclyde, Glasgow, he joined the family-run The decision actually happened much earlier, when I was
about 20 years old and in Australia for cricket training.
business early in his career and has played a key My performance made me realize I wasn’t someone who
role in scaling operations across functions, including could make it big and I saw friends struggling in their late
finance, supply chain, sales and technology. twenties without direction. I didn’t want that for myself, so

Known for his focus on operational excellence, cross- I quit cricket and pursued an MBA from the University of
functional ownership and building a performance- Strathclyde in Glasgow. After finishing, I wanted to work
abroad, but my father insisted I join Mankind Pharma and
driven culture, Arjun has been instrumental in driving learn by being part of the family business. My purpose
growth, strategic initiatives and integration efforts wasn’t just to join Mankind, but to make something
such as the acquisition of Bharat Serums & Vaccines. meaningful out of my life.
He is a strong advocate for innovation, negotiation
rigour and building India-led pharmaceutical
capabilities that address unmet healthcare needs.

72 | Uth Series 2025 • U40 Business Leaders