Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

Ms. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is an independent non-executive director at PureTech. She is a pioneering biotech entrepreneur, a healthcare visionary, a global influencer and a passionate philanthropist. She is a pioneer of India’s biotech industry and founder of Biocon.

Ms. Mazumdar-Shaw holds key positions in various industry, educational, government and professional bodies globally. She has been elected as a full-term member of the board of trustees of The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA. She has been elected as a member of the prestigious USA based National Academy of Engineering (NAE).

She also serves as the lead independent member of the board of Infosys Ltd and non-executive director on the board of Narayana Health.

Ms. Mazumdar-Shaw is the proud recipient of two of India's highest civilian honors, the Padma Shri (1989) and the Padma Bhushan (2005). She was also honored with the Order of Australia, Australia’s highest civilian honor in January 2020. In 2016, she was conferred with the highest French distinction - Knight of the Legion of Honour.

She has recently been named as the winner of EY World Entrepreneur of the Year™ 2020 Award, which is a testimony to her entrepreneurial journey of over four decades. She has been ranked as one of the world’s top 20 inspirational leaders in the field of biopharmaceuticals by The Medicine Maker Power List 2020. She is the proud recipient Othmer Gold Medal 2014 from the U.S.-based Chemical Heritage Foundation for her pioneering efforts in biotechnology.

Ms. Mazumdar-Shaw holds a bachelor’s degree in science (Zoology Hons.) from Bangalore University and has earned a master’s degree in malting and brewing from Ballarat College, Melbourne University. She has been awarded with several honorary degrees from the Universities of repute globally.

Ms. Mazumdar-Shaw believes in compassionate capitalism and is the first woman business leader from India to sign the Giving Pledge, an initiative of the Gates Foundation, committing to give the majority of her wealth to philanthropic causes.

She is very passionate about innovation and mentors many science-based start-ups.