Ep #7 | Who is Kiran Mazumdar Shaw Really? And WTF is Biotech?

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

July 23, 2023

Duration

1h 59m

Channel

Nikhil Kamath

Watch on YouTube

▶ Open ↗

📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, the brilliant founder of Biocon and a true trailblazer in the biotech industry. We talked for two hours straight, diving into her 40-year journey in biotech and her life beyond business. In my eyes she is testament to woman entrepreneur in India, no one else comes close. Kiran is not just an inspiration to me professionally, but also a dear friend and neighbour. Our bond has grown over the years and I can't help but look up to her in so many ways. Her passion for transforming healthcare and giving back to society is incredible. It's a story that can't be missed, told in a more candid manner than ever before. Follow #NikhilKamath here: Twitter https://twitter.com/nikhilkamathcio/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcio/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio/ Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcio/ Koo https://www.kooapp.com/profile/Nikhilkamath Follow #KiranMazumdarShaw here: Twitter https://twitter.com/kiranshaw Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kiranmazumdar_shaw/?hl=en Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmazumdarshaw/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KiranShaw1/ #nikhilkamath #WTFiswithNikhilKamath #biocon #kiranmazumdarshaw #biotechnology #biopharmaceutics #pharma #medicine #women #dna #technology #enzymes #biology #brewing #beer #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #startup TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro 00:54 Did you know Kiran was a football fan? 02:20 Humble beginnings and the way of life 04:35 How Kiran became a brewmaster 7:24 Kiran's favourite beers as a pro taster 08:30 Kiran's take on friend Vijay Mallya 11:40 Lessons to learn from Vijay Mally’s story 14:15 Kiran’s challenges as a female brewmaster 16:40 Irish encounter: Serendipity in Kiran's entrepreneurial tale 20:20 The untold story: What held Kiran back from entrepreneurship 23:40 Enzyme technology - A deep dive 25:35 Ways to make enzymes 27:00 Greening effluents: A revolutionary treatment approach 30:14 Biocon: Garage days and a brave banker who bet on Kiran 34:29 Building a dream team: How Kiran attracted top talent 38:38 Empowering over 100 entrepreneurs 40:45 Golden entrepreneurial insight 42:40 What Kiran might have done differently 44:40 1998: IP, Unilever, global benchmarks - The turning point 48:10 How John charmed Kiran 50:50 AIG's incredible bet: How they got the best ROI! 53:12 Conquering global markets: How Biocon became the largest producer of statins 57:20 Pioneering anti-cancer and immunosuppressants 58:18 Transforming the insulin market: Biocon's groundbreaking role 1:00:40 Entrepreneurial pivots: Valuable insights for success 1:02:10 IPO: The launchpad to Kiran's billionaire status 1:05:20 How money defines Kiran 1:09:15 Nikhil & Kiran's personal journey: Kids & family 1:11:06 Demographic dynamics: India vs China fertility rates 1:12:00 The power of giving back: Nikhil’s & Kiran's philanthropy; the Giving Pledge 1:14:43 The purpose behind this podcast 1:19:15 India's policies and pharma climate 1:22:10 Empowering India to lead, not follow! 1:23:15 Kiran's view on retirement at 70 1:24:42 Virtue signalling unmasked: A candid look at today's world 1:28:51 3 changes India needs 1:31:37 Empowering women in the workforce: Challenges and ESG perspectives 1:36:03 Women's roles across sectors at Biocon 1:38:05 IP ownership: The key to long-term profitability 1:40:45 How Biocon became the world's No. 1 biosimilar company 1:44:47 Unraveling Biocon: Is it a holding company? 1:45:43 Biotech startup guide: How to venture into the field 1:47:30 Bio-revolution: From cloning to designer babies 1:49:16 Biotech startups to watch out for 1:51:07 Hottest biotech sectors right now 1:53:31 An emotional tribute, Nikhil thanks Kiran 1:54:37 Kiran's secret to overcoming challenges 1:57:54 Pick the charity of your choice and be part of something incredible! 1:59:04 Outro

🎤 SPEAKERS

• Nikhil Kamath

  host

• Kiran Mazumdar Shaw

  guest

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Nikhil Kamath, featuring Nikhil Kamath and Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Ep #7 | Who is Kiran Mazumdar Shaw Really? And WTF is Biotech? explores kiran Mazumdar-Shaw on Biocon’s origin, biotech basics, and purpose-driven growth Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw recounts her Bangalore upbringing, early aspiration for medicine, and unexpected pivot into brewing—framed as “the oldest biotechnology”—before confronting gender bias in India’s brewery industry.

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