Pharma scions take the reins

Vidhi Shanghvi has been named director at Sun Pharma, while Aman Mehta will become MD at Torrent Pharma

- Jessica Jani

Some of India's largest pharmaceutical firms, including Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd and Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd, are priming the next generation of their promoter families to take the reins.

On 20 May, Torrent Pharma announced the appointment of Aman Mehta (33), son of chairman Samir Mehta and a third-generation member of the Torrent Group's founder family, as managing director effective 1 August. The company said in a press statement that the appointment was part of "our long-term strategic vision and succession planning".

The same week, Sun Pharma announced the appointment of Vidhi Shanghvi, daughter of founder and managing director Dilip Shanghvi, as a whole-time director. A few months ago, Sun Pharma elevated Aalok Shanghvi (40), Dilip Shanghvi's son, as chief operating officer.

Other pharma companies like Lupin Ltd too have seen the next generation of their promoter families take charge in recent years. With the Indian pharmaceutical industry growing at a significant rate, the top companies in the sector are being closely watched for the evolution they are undertaking.

Experts believe such successions must be planned with foresight, factoring in ideal transition times, grooming, and the role of other veteran executives in shaping up the incoming leaders.

"If one has to think about a template, I think a good template is one where there is a fair bit of overlap between the senior generation and the next generation. And the next generation gets a good chance to actually experience different parts of the business," said Amit Misra, managing director with consultancy firm Alvarez and Marsal's healthcare and life sciences practice in Mumbai.

Aman Mehta, the newly appointed managing director of Torrent Pharma, is a whole-time director at Torrent Pharma. He was appointed as a director in 2022 and has been primarily involved with Torrent Pharma's India business, the company's largest revenue contributor.