Redefining Pharma Procurement Strategy

Q1. Could you start by giving us a brief overview of your professional background, particularly focusing on your expertise in the industry?

I have spent 30 years in procurement and supply chain functions. Worked for multinational companies like DuPont, GSK, Mars & Wrigley, and Teva Pharmaceuticals. The role involved the procurement of Direct materials, Indirect materials, and services, leading a team of experienced procurement professionals at the Regional and Global levels. In my recent role as Sr Director APAC, I managed direct materials—especially active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and key starting materials—as well as excipients and packaging, and indirect categories such as capital equipment and external services. My expertise sits at the intersection of sourcing strategy and quality/regulatory requirements: building qualification pathways for suppliers and contract manufacturers, defining quality agreements and change-control expectations, and structuring dual-source or regionalized supply for critical inputs.

More recently, I’ve focused on resilience and transparency—risk-based supplier segmentation, improved supply continuity planning, and digital sourcing tools that reduce cycle time while improving traceability and audit readiness.

More recently, I have started helping organizations via my procurement consulting firm "Niyaan source" in unlocking measurable value through cost optimization, strengthening supplier strategy, building a high-performance procurement function, and developing…