GV Prasad
Encyclopedia
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. is an integrated pharmaceutical company focused on providing medicines through its three business segments: Global Generics segment, Pharmaceutical Services and Active Ingredients segment and Proprietary Products segment. The company was founded by Dr...
.
Early life and education
Prasad, the second child of Syamala and Harischandra Reddy, did his initial schooling at the Vidyaranya High School in Hyderabad, Andhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He later moved to his hometown, Nellore
Nellore
Nellore , is a city and headquarters of Potti Sri Ramulu Nellore District, formerly Nellore district.And in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Ancient name of Nellore was "Vikrama Simhapuri"....
, where he finished his schooling at VR High School. Prasad moved to Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
to study Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
at the Alagappa College of Technology
Alagappa College of Technology
Alagappa College of Technology is an educational institution that offers higher education in Engineering, Technology and allied Sciences. This college was established in the year 1978 by combining three technological departments of University of Madras as a constituent part of Anna...
. After completing five semesters, he went on to the Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology, commonly called Illinois Tech or IIT, is a private Ph.D.-granting university located in Chicago, Illinois, with programs in engineering, science, psychology, architecture, business, communications, industrial technology, information technology, design, and law...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to complete the three remaining semesters. Prasad followed up the engineering degree with a one year MBA at Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
.While there, he was nominated to the Dean’s List for high academic achievement and received the Tao Beta Pi membership for high scholastic achievement. He also won the ‘Outstanding Senior Student’ Award from the American Institute of Chemists, Chicago chapter in 1982. He earned his Masters in Industrial Administration from Purdue University a year later, in 1983.
In 1983, he returned to India and joined his father’s construction business.
After completing his Masters, Prasad returned to India and joined his father’s construction business, immersing himself in various projects in Karnataka. In 1985, he co-founded Benzex Labs, an API manufacturing company, which was later acquired by Dr Reddy’s.
He briefly returned to the construction business before reappearing on the pharma landscape in 1990 as Managing Director of Cheminor Drugs Ltd. Fuelled by a spirit of entrepreneurship, Prasad transformed Cheminor into a world class API and Generics manufacturer, largely through his focus on professionalism, good governance and transparency.
In 2001, Cheminor Drugs merged with Dr.Reddy’s Laboratories and Prasad took over as the Vice-Chairman and CEO of the merged entity. Prasad is widely credited as the architect of Dr. Reddy’s successful global generics strategy. He envisioned newer business platforms like the Custom Pharmaceutical business and Specialty pharmaceuticals and is dedicated to building the innovation side of the business.
Career
Prasad spent the next two years managing various construction projects in the Indian state of Karnataka. His first exposure to the world of pharmaceuticals was in 1985 with Benzex Labs, a pharmaceutical enterprise that he co-founded. Benzex was later acquired by Dr. Reddys and Prasad returned to the construction business, only to come back to pharmaceuticals in 1990 – this time as the CEO and MD of Cheminor Drugs Ltd.In 2001, Cheminor Drugs merged with Dr.Reddy’s Laboratories and Prasad took over as the Vice-Chairman and CEO of the merged entity.
Prasad leads a team that is driven by Dr Reddy’s purpose of helping people lead healthier lives. This commitment is demonstrated through two parallel objectives: To bring affordable medicines as early as possible to the market so that they are readily accessible to people around the world; and to use innovation to develop new solutions to medical problems that are unmet or unsatisfactorily addressed.
Prasad has played a key role in the evolution of Dr. Reddy’s from a mid-sized pharmaceutical company into a globally respected pharma major. He nurtured new lines of business, helped to build a high-talent organization, and worked with management to bring in greater transparency and high standards of corporate governance. He is also a champion of sustainability thinking and has spearheaded efforts to reduce the company’s ecological footprint by embracing green technologies and processes.
Prasad’s personal mission is to create high performing organizations which can sustain and thrive through changing generations of people, products and technologies. He firmly believes that a strong human resource base is crucial for seamlessly integrating diverse businesses and cultures to perform as a cohesive business force. He has focused on transformation through people processes and has helped launch several initiatives which won the company recognition in the areas of human resources and corporate governance, including the Best Employers in India Award.
Interests
Prasad is an avid reader and student of inspirational leadership. He enjoys helping social and business organizations achieve success by applying professional management and strategic thinking. He is also interested in mathematics, history, and cultural anthropology and reads up on these subjects when he has the time.
Prasad is passionate about nature, wildlife, bird watching, and sustainable development. When possible, he travels with fellow bird watchers to study birds in their natural habitat. It should come as no surprise that this wildlife buff’s favorite TV channel is Animal Planet.
Aside from helping transform Dr. Reddy’s, his biggest interest is spending quality time with his family.
Professional Affiliations
AP State Committee, WWF-India
Member of the Advisory Board, Acumen Fund
Member of the Board, Infotech Enterprises Ltd.
Member of the Board, Diana Hotels, India
Member of the Board, Ocimum Bio Solutions
Member, American Chemical Society
Member, American Institute of Chemical Engineers
Served as Chairman of the CII National Committee on Environment and the Intellectual Property Committee (2006-2007)