We definitely need more women representation in leadership positions: Namita Thapar

Namita Thapar is an inspiring woman leader and an influential voice in the Indian pharmaceutical industry, who has made significant strides as the Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals. Her journey has been marked by an impressive blend of financial acumen, strategic leadership, and a passionate commitment to women’s health and entrepreneurship. She also run a YouTube channel called ‘Uncondition Yourself’, as well as a women’s program called ‘Prerna Inspiration’.

In an exclusive conversation with Adgully, Namita Thapar, Executive Director, Emcure Pharmaceuticals, speaks about her journey at Emcure Pharma, the company’s IPO in July, the India’s startup ecosystem, empowering women leaders in India, her experience as a ‘Shark Tank’ judge, and much more.

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Could you take us through your journey at the helm of Emcure Pharma?

It has been a very exciting journey. I initially started as a Chief Financial Officer, was a CFO for quite a few years, and I started doing balance sheets in my head. I needed something a little different, more exciting, which is when I took over the India business, the domestic business. And that’s an area I’m very passionate and excited about, especially working around women’s health. So, that has been the journey so far. And now with the IPO, even more exciting times ahead.

Emcure is set for its IPO in July. How much are you expecting to raise from the market? What would the funds raised be primarily spent on?

We’re getting about Rs 800 crore primarily for paying our debt and for corporate purposes. The remaining is a secondary offering. This is something that is slated between July 3rd and 5th. For investors, it is starting on July 3rd. I am looking forward to that.

How has Emcure’s performance been in FY2024? What are your growth targets as well as focus areas in FY2025?

For all the data in the DRHP in terms of sales, Rs 6,658 crore, and an EBITDA of 19%. We are very diversified in terms of geography, being present in 70-plus countries. Obviously, we can’t give any forward-looking numbers at this point, but this is a company that’s one to watch out for and is poised for very good growth, both in the domestic and global markets.

What are your views on the current state of the overall pharma industry in India?

Unfortunately, people have bad lifestyles and, especially the NCDs, non-communicable diseases, the chronic sector is really getting worse by the day. Our goal is to address the three A’s that I always talk about, which are Awareness, Access, and Affordability. If Emcure can really help in these areas in providing top-notch drugs at affordable prices, it is an exciting sector to be in and we hope to do justice in terms of what we provide to the end consumer.

You have been a judge on ‘Shark Tank’, where you have met several budding entrepreneurs. Do you believe the show has been able to empower entrepreneurial ventures?

Absolutely! When I go to airports, all the way from an eight-year-old child to an 80-year-old grandma come to me and they’re talking EBITDA and cost of acquisition and equity. It is wonderful to see that because I always say that what I learned in business school, the show is teaching through storytelling to the masses. And we’re celebrating the startup ecosystem, which is so fabulous.

How do you view India’s startup ecosystem? Has it been able to keep up with the growth momentum?

India is a very vibrant startup ecosystem. In fact, Emcure is a shining example of entrepreneurship. That’s the reason why I joined ‘Shark Tank’, because at some point, when you get so much, you have this desire to give back. But I must say that I thought I would teach a few things to the founders, but I’ve learned a lot more than I’ve taught. It’s just been inspiring. It’s been fantastic to see the quality of founders and ideas that are presented in the show.

What are your experiences as a woman business leader in today’s market ecosystem?

I think we definitely need more women representation in the workforce and definitely more on boards, for sure, more in leadership positions. But I’m an optimist. I see things a lot better than where they were ten years back. Definitely a lot of work is needed, but we’re headed in the right direction.

Do you think women leaders in India still need to go the extra mile to prove their mettle vis-a-vis their male counterparts?

I think there are stereotypes, but instead of sitting and talking about those stereotypes, if we just divert that amount of time and energy to produce our numbers, we’ll shut everybody up. We should just not talk about it. We should talk about certain things to highlight and break certain taboos. For example, in women’s health, I run this YouTube channel called ‘Uncondition Yourself’, where I speak on a lot of health issues. It’s important to speak about those women’s health issues because there are still women suffering in silence because of the taboos. So, of course, speaking up is important, but when it comes to my work and my business, I think my numbers should say whatever there is to say.

What can organizations do to nurture the next generation of women business leadership? What is Emcure’s policy in this regard?

My mentors have played a very big role in shaping who I am. If more companies have mentors, and not just women, male mentors and champions as well, that will help women, especially in their periods when they need that help. If there’s elder care or child care, which are usually the two reasons why women leave the workforce, during those very stressful times, if they have mentors who handhold them, help them survive that phase through flexible working arrangements, through kind of just being there for them, we’ll have a lot fewer women dropping out of the workforce. So, that is something that we do at Emcure. We have a women’s program called ‘Prerna Inspiration’, where all the women get together and we have only women speakers. We have a lot of mentoring opportunities. These programs definitely help in building a community of sisterhood, where women feel good about supporting and celebrating each other.

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