Киран Мазумдар-Шоу: История успеха индийского миллиардера

Indian entrepreneur (Biocon), billionaire

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (born 23 March 1953) is an Indian billionaire entrepreneur. She is the executive chairperson and founder of Biocon Limited and Biocon Biologics Limited, a biotechnology company based in Bangalore, India and the former chairperson of Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. In 2014, she was awarded the Othmer Gold Medal for outstanding contributions to the progress of science and chemistry. She was on the Financial Times 2011 top 50 women in business list. In 2019, she was listed as the 68th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes. She was named EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2020. She was married to John Shaw.

Kiran Mazumdar was born on 23 March 1953 in Bangalore, Karnataka state, to Gujarati parents. She was educated at Bangalore's Bishop Cotton Girl's High School, graduating in 1968. She then attended Mount Carmel College, Bangalore, a women's college offering pre university courses as an affiliate of Bangalore University. She studied biology and zoology, graduating from Bangalore University with a bachelor's degree in zoology in 1973. Mazumdar hoped to go to medical school, but was not able to obtain a scholarship. Her father, Rasendra Mazumdar, was the head brewmaster at United Breweries. He suggested that she study fermentation science, and train to be a brewmaster, a very non traditional field for women. She earned the degree as master brewer in 1975. However, when she investigated the possibility of advancing her career in Bangalore or Delhi, she was told that she could not be hired as a master brewer in India because "It's a man's work." She began to look abroad for opportunities and was offered a position in Scotland.

After a brief period as a trainee manager at Biocon Biochemicals Limited, of Cork, Ireland, to learn more about the business, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw returned to India. Although it was a joint venture, Indian laws restricted foreign ownership to only 30% of the company, which meant that 70% of the company belonged to Kiran Mazumdar Shaw. Initially, she faced credibility challenges because of her youth, gender and her untested business model. She was unable to secure funding for her company in the early stages of her business. A chance meeting with a banker at a social event finally enabled her to get her first financial backing. Moreover, she faced the technological challenges associated with trying to build a biotech business in a country with poor infrastructure. The company's initial projects were the extraction of papain (an enzyme from papaya used to tenderize meat) and isinglass (obtained from tropical catfish and used to clarify beer). She also established two subsidiaries: Syngene (1994) which provides early research and development support services on a contract basis and Clinigene (2000) which focuses on clinical research trials and the development of both generic and new medicines. Clinigene was later merged with Syngene. Syngene was listed on BSE/NSE in 2015 and has a current market cap of ₹23,000 crores. In 1984, Kiran began to develop a research and development team at Biocon, focusing on the discovery of novel enzymes and on development of novel techniques for solid substrate fermentation technology. The company's first major expansion came in 1987, when Narayanan Vaghul of ICICI Ventures supported creation of a venture capital fund of US$250,000. The partnership with Unilever helped Biocon to establish global best practices and quality systems. The couple married in 1998, whereupon she became known as Kiran Mazumdar Shaw. John Shaw left his position as chairman at Madura Coats to join Biocon. He became Biocon's vice chairman in 2001.

Mazumdar Shaw's belief in "affordable innovation" has always been a driving philosophy behind Biocon's expansion. Inspired by the need for affordable drugs in less wealthy countries, she has looked for opportunities to develop cost effective techniques and low cost alternatives. She has also proposed that drug companies be cost sensitive in marketing to developing countries, so that people can afford the drugs they need, particularly chronic therapies. Biocon's major areas of research now include cancer, diabetes, and other auto immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. Because of the high percentage of people in India who chew betel or tobacco, India accounts for eighty six per cent of oral cancer in the world, known locally as "cancer cheek". and has the largest perfusion based antibody production facilities. As of 2014, Biocon directed about 10% of its revenue into research and development, a much higher proportion than most Indian pharmacological companies. She prefers the term "compassionate capitalist", believing that properly applied business models can provide an ongoing foundation for sustainable social progress. Mazumdar once said, "Innovation and commerce are as powerful tools for creating social progress as they are for driving technological advancement. When they are put to use for social progress, the implementation is a lot cheaper, a lot more people benefit, and the effect is more lasting."

Rural areas in India are estimated to have only one doctor for every two thousand people, it is estimated that 70 million people do not have the money to pay for a doctor's visit or for medicine. The Biocon Foundation is involved in numerous health and education outreach programs to benefit the economically weaker sections of Indian society. As of 2010, seven clinics each served a population of 50,000 patients living within a radius of 10 km, treating in total more than 3,00,000 people per year. Public health campaigns such as "Queen of Heart" educate people about specific health issues and promote early detection of problems such as cardiovascular diseases. The clinics operate based on a model of micro financed health insurance. In 2011, she added a center for advanced therapeutics with a bone marrow transplant unit and a research center. Her goal is to create a world class cancer center. Mazumdar Shaw Medical Foundation is a non profit organization and has two arms to support its cause, which are Mazumdar Shaw Center for Translational Research and Mazumdar Shaw Cancer outreach program.

In collaboration with McMillan India Limited and teacher Prathima Rao, Mazumdar Shaw has supported development and use of a basic mathematics textbook, introduced in Kannada schools in 2006. She funded a multi year research program by creating the Biocon Cell for Innovation Management with Prasad kaipa at the Indian School of Business in 2009.

Mazumdar Shaw speaks about the importance of improving India's infrastructure, emphasizing the need to address issues such as efficient governance, job creation, and food, water, and health insecurity. Biocon, Infosys and other companies have had a significant impact on Bengaluru. These companies attract many scientists who would otherwise go overseas. Once a "pensioner's paradise", Bangalore is now called "the best urban working environment in India". Biocon Park, built in 2005, is a ninety acre campus with five thousand employees. Outside the developed city, however, infrastructure is still poor. She is also involved in the Bangalore Political Action Committee (B. PAC), which reviews and recommends candidates running in elections. After the 2009 flood, Biocon, Infosys and Wipro all committed to rebuilding homes for flood victims in north Karnataka. Biocon committed to building 3,000 houses at a cost of Rs 30 crore.

Mazumdar Shaw is a member of the board of governors of the Indian School of Business, a term member on the board of MIT, USA till 2023, and a past member of the board of governors of the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad. As of February 2014, Mazumdar Shaw became the first woman to head the board of governors of the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB). She is an independent director on the board of Infosys. She is also a member of the General Body of Maharashtra State Innovation Society. She is also a member of the advisory board of the MIT Jameel Clinic. Dr Kiran currently serves as an expert on the Brand Bengaluru Task Force committee, alongside notable members including politician and Bridge India Advisory Board Member, Rajeev Gowda. The committee comprises several officials and stakeholders who deliberate on issues including traffic, water supply and waste management that concern Bengaluru's development. The committee met on 17 June 2023 to chalk out a roadmap for the city development project, under the guidance of Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D. K. Shivakumar. The committee most recently met on 25 August 2023 to discuss Bengaluru's urban development blueprint.

As of 2010, Mazumdar Shaw was named among TIME magazine's 100 most influential people in the world. She is on the 2011 Financial Times’ top 50 women in business list. In 2015, she had risen to 85th in the Forbes ranking. She was placed #14th in the Hurun India Philanthropy List 2019 for a donation of and was ranked #2 in the list of Women Philanthropist of 2019, by the Hurun Report India Philanthropy List 2019.

Mazumdar Shaw is the recipient of several international awards including the Othmer Gold Medal (2014) for outstanding contributions to the progress of science and chemistry, the ‘Veuve Clicquot Initiative For Economic Development For Asia' Award (2007), Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Life Sciences & Healthcare (2002), and 'Technology Pioneer' recognition by World Economic Forum (2002). In May 2015 Federation University Australia (formerly the University of Ballarat) named a road in its Mt Helen campus as Mazumdar Drive. Kiran and Shaw attended the opening ceremony. She was the 2015 winner of Academy of International Business (AIB)The International Executive of the Year Award. She was elected as a member of the United States National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in 2019 for the development of affordable biopharmaceuticals and the biotechnology industry in India. She is the first Indian woman to get this honor. In January 2020, Kiran became the fourth Indian citizen to be honoured with Australia's highest civilian honour.

Her work in the biotechnology sector has earned her numerous national awards, including the Padma Shri (1989) and the Padma Bhushan (2005) from the government of India. At the Pharmaleaders Pharmaceutical Leadership Summit she was named "Global Indian Woman of the Year" (2012); she also received the Express Pharmaceutical Leadership Summit Award for "Dynamic Entrepreneur" in 2009. The Indian Merchants' Chamber Diamond Jubilee Endowment Trust's Eminent Businessperson of the Year Award was presented to Kiran Mazumdar Shaw in 2006 by the Governor of Maharashtra, S. M. Krishna. She has also received the Indian Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award (2005), the 'Corporate Leadership Award' by the American India Foundation (2005). and the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award (2002). She was honoured with the H. K. Firodia Lifetime Achievement Award 2022 for her contributions to science and technology (2022).

Mazumdar Shaw received an honorary doctorate from her alma mater, Ballarat University in 2004, in recognition of her contributions to biotechnology. the University of Glasgow, UK (2008), Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, UK (2008) and University College Cork, Ireland (2012). She received an honorary doctorate from Davangere University, India, at its first convocation, July 2013, in recognition of her contribution in the field of biotechnology.

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw was married to John Shaw who passed away on 24 October 2022.