BOSTON–Reshma Kewalramani, who heads the world’s 21st largest biotech company with a market cap of nearly $80 billion, is a leader par-excellence. A firm believer in resilience, self-reliance, gratitude and learning how to adopt and make a world for oneself, came to US at the age of 11 with her parents and has become true trailblazer in the life sciences industry.
Prior to assuming the position of CEO Vertex Pharmaceuticals early this year, Dr. Kewalramani served as the company’s Executive Vice President, Global Medicines Development and Medical Affairs, and Chief Medical Officer. In this role, she oversaw clinical development, medical affairs, drug safety and other related functions, and was responsible for developing, advising and driving execution of Vertex’s clinical development programs.
Now, she leads the company’s entire 3,000-person workforce with a focus on diversity, inclusion, STEM and cutting-edge medicine discovery and research. In an exclusive interview with Chai with Manju’s trailblazer series, Dr. Kewalramani talks about her journey from Bombay to Chicago to New York to Boston to California and back again to Boston.
To watch the full interview, please click here, or on the image below.
Dr. Kewalramani joined Vertex in February 2017. Prior to Vertex, she spent more than 12 years at Amgen where she held a variety of roles across Research and Development, including as Vice President, Global Clinical Development, Nephrology & Metabolic Therapeutic Area and Vice President, U.S. Medical Organization, a group she established and grew to assume responsibility for the full portfolio of molecules across six therapeutic areas.
Dr. Kewalramani completed her internship and residency in Internal Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital and her fellowship in Nephrology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital combined program. She received her medical degree, with honors, from the Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. Kewalramani also completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School and is an alumnus of the school. She is the industry representative to the FDA’s Endocrine and Metabolic Drug Advisory Committee.
