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Kiran Mazumdar Shaw: Chairperson of Biocon Limited
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw: Chairperson of Biocon Limited
-Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, MD
Biocon
Life
Kiran was born on March 23, 1953 and brought up in Bangalore in the state
of Karnataka, India
She hailed from a family, which encouraged her to pursue higher education
Went to Ballarat College in Melbourne, Australia, to specialize in Malting
and Brewing Technology to become India's first woman brewmaster.
Though she possessed the required technical qualifications, her chosen
profession was completely male-dominated
Kiran went abroad and found a job in the UK.
There she met Leslie Auchincloss, owner of an Ireland-based company.
Auchincloss was planning to start a business in India. The Irish company
wanted to establish its operations in India to produce simple bio-products
from indigenous raw materials.
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw started her professional career as trainee brewer in
Carlton & United Beverages in 1974.
Challenges
In 1978, she joined as Trainee Manager with Biocon
Biochemicals Limited in Ireland.
In the funds for her business. Banks were hesitant to give loan
to her as biotechnology was a totally new field at that point of
time and she was a woman entrepreneur, which was a rare
phenomenon.
In the same year, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw founded Biocon
India in collaboration with Biocon Biochemicals Limited, with
a capital of Rs.10,000.
She initially faced many problems regarding funds for her
business.
SUCCESS MANTRA –Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
Determination
Willingness to take risk
Talented team
Spirit of Adventure
Portrait of an Entrepreneur
Kiran has chosen a virgin field, leading the Biotech industry
from the fore front
Kiran has the ability to spot an opportunity a mile away, a kind
of telescopic vision
Has given the country a new field to develop in.
History of Biocon
Founded as an brewing enzyme extraction company 1978
Exports to Ireland grew. Next, in 1984 tried to get an
alternative to ‘Koji enzymes’
In 1989, acquired by Unilever
By 1990’s Koji enzymes were a success, and got an added
advantage in fermentation drugs
In 1995 foray into bio pharmas
Now produces everything from insulin to antibodies
Has been leading the biotech industry for 20+ years.
In 2004, Biocon came up with an IPO and the issue was over-
subscribed by over 30 times
Biocon
Biocon's initial operation was to extract an enzyme from papaya.
Under Kiran Mazumdar Shaw's stewardship Biocon transformed from an
industrial enzymes company to an integrated biopharmaceutical company
with strategic research initiatives.
Today, Biocon is recognised as India's pioneering biotech enterprise.
BIOCON INDIA:
Biocon was founded on November 29, 1978 as a joint venture between
Biocon Biochemicals Ltd. of Ireland and an Indian entrepreneur, Kiran
Mazumdar Shaw.
In 1979, Biocon became the first Indian company to manufacture and
export enzymes to USA and Europe. Unilever plc. acquired Biocon
Biochemicals Ltd.
In Ireland in 1979 and merged it with its subsidiary, Quest International. In
1989, Biocon became the first Indian biotech company to receive US
funding for proprietary technologies.
Problems
Solutions
faced