2024 Global Summit - Speaker Bios
Summit Sponsors
Speaker Biographies
Dhruba Adhikary
Senior Data Scientist, AstraZeneca
Currently working with AstraZeneca on Oncology-based use cases with a focus on Generative AI. Have an industry experience of 10 years with diverse domain knowledge of Manufacturing and Healthcare Business problems and solution landscaping for varied problem statement using computer vision and deep learning technologies.
Neha Agarwal
Global Head, Data and Products, Novartis Healthcare Pvt Ltd
Neha Agarwal, Global Head Data and Products at Novartis, has 20 year record in pharmaceutical domain, excelling in commercial data, analytics, and high-quality operations at scale. Neha is known for building and growing high performing teams with objective to optimize and innovate. Adept at creating user-centric enterprise solutions, she is passionate about transforming business ecosystems utilizing productization to deliver efficiency, productivity and incorporation of latest technology trends. A firm believer in inclusive organizational culture, Neha enjoys coaching future leaders to perform in complex matrix environments.
In her current role, Neha works with her global team to support definition and efficient operations of interconnected product ecosystem across Novartis domains.
Subhankar Biswas
Associate Director - Data Visualization and Analytics, Merck
Subhankar is a Healthcare Business Analytics leader with 15 years of experience in shaping data-driven strategies that drive business growth. With a proven track record, Subhankar has led cross-functional teams in developing integrated solutions, incorporating analytics, data science, visualization leveraging advanced technologies and digital solutions. His proficiency in transforming complex data into actionable insights has been instrumental in optimizing decision-making processes and delivering tangible results.
Recognized as a thought leader in the analytics field, Subhankar has garnered several accolades for his contributions. His passion for fostering a culture of innovation and continuous learning has not only driven organizational success but has also inspired teams to excel in the ever-evolving analytics landscape. Subhankar is poised to bring his strategic vision, analytical expertise, and leadership experience to an organization ready for transformative growth. His hands-on management style, emphasizing open communication, addressing specific business needs to drive business and operational excellence, positions Subhankar as an invaluable asset for analytics organizations.
Shantanu Bose
Group Head, Data Science, Novartis Healthcare Pvt Ltd
A data science leader shaping the digital landscape of the organization by identifying greenfield opportunities and building the product strategy around that. Highly skilled in all the phases of data-first digital transformation – from hands-on development of PoC, demonstrate value, to a self-sustained product structure. Led the design of multiple hackathons to evangelize data science in highest levels of the organization (CXOs) and cross-functional BU teams. High level of growth skills and strategic thinking, thrives in the face of ambiguity. Proficient in end-to-end product development & delivery in a volatile environment. Fluent communicator with proven ability to present to and persuade diverse audience.
Recognized as top 10 Data Scientist in India 2017 by Analytics India Magazine.
Jaswinder Chadha
President & CEO, Axtria
A successful serial entrepreneur who founded Axtria – Ingenious Insights. In less than 15 years has led its global growth as President and CEO to a 3,500+ person enterprise serving dozens of clients in more than 50 countries, including a majority of the world’s top global life-sciences enterprises and several in the Fortune 50. A proven expert in delivering data analytics and artificial intelligence successes to life-sciences companies through the skilled work of employees in North America, Europe, and India.
A member of the Second District Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Jassi has earned numerous awards and recognition, including as one of the 100 most influential life-sciences professionals (PharmaVOICE) and one of the “Top Forty Under Forty” leaders (NJBiz magazine).
A graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi before earning his MS and Ph.D. (ABD) in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, Jassi was a founding member of the institute’s IIT Delhi Endowment Fund, established by school alumni. He also has endowed the Chair of Operations Research and Chair of Data Science at the school.
Sudhanshu Chaturvedi
Client Partner, Head of Pharma Capability & Global Delivery, Fractal AI
Sudhanshu is a Pharma Commercial Analytics Leader with two decades of dynamic experience of setting up and leading analytics practices, capability building and global delivery leadership for successful implementation of the Commercial Strategy across global pharma organizations.
As client partner in Fractal, he leads the Pharma capability that develops and delivers advanced analytics solutions and accelerators across Pharma value chain such as Omni Channel orchestration, Patient Analytics, Sales & Marketing Transformation, Gen AI incubation, and Digital Transformation. In the past he has worked with global pharma organizations such as Novartis Healthcare, Axtria, EY, MarketRx (CTS), GE, IBM.
Amardeep Chauhan
Senior Data Scientist, AstraZeneca
Around 9 years of Experience in Analytics and Development. Extensive experience in employing a wide range of AI-ML methodologies for solving D&A problems in multiple domains including Healthcare. Currently working on GenerativeAI, as well as classical Machine Learning for Patient eligibility, Precision Medicine, and other related problems.
Karthikeyan Chidambaram
Global Head - Data Assets Management, Roche
Karthikeyan Chidambaram, based in San Francisco, CA, US is the Global Head of Data Assets management for Roche Pharma, setting up the foundation and backbone for advanced analytics and digital transformation across the world. He was the past President of PMSA, serving on the board from 2010 to 2019.
He has over 25 years of experience with several therapeutic areas and major pharma companies including Amgen, Novartis, Astrazeneca and Gilead Sciences. Karthikeyan holds an MBA from Colorado State University, MS from BITS Pilani and Mechanical Engineering degree from Kumaraguru, Coimbatore.
Shalvi Chitkara
COO, Data & AI, Genpact
Shalvi is COO for Genpact Analytics business and manages a $1B portfolio. Her key focus areas are creating client value, building scalable practices, strengthening employee experience and talent strategy. Prior to this she was leading the corporate growth strategy design & execution, along with leading M&A integration.
She has been with Genpact for last 23 years and has extensive experience around client relationships, scaling business & building talent depth. She is certified six sigma belt and is based out of Delhi. She holds an Engg degree from Delhi College of Engg and an MBA in Finance from the Institute of IIT Delhi.
Matt Cuddihy
Executive Director, Global Oncology Digital, Data, and Analytics, Merck
Matt Cuddihy leads Digital, Data and Analytics for Global Oncology Marketing at Merck. In this role, he serves as the interface between Merck’s commercial analytics capabilities, including market research, forecasting, data science, and digital solutions, and the Global Oncology team, addressing the specific needs of the Oncology portfolio.
Matt previously held Global Franchise Lead, New Product Planning, and Strategy & Operations roles in Oncology at Takeda. Before that, Matt was an Associate Partner with McKinsey & Company where he was a leader in the Digital and Analytics practice and served a range of pharmaceutical companies on commercial strategy and digital transformation. Matt has an MBA from IESE Business School in Spain, and undergraduate degrees in Engineering and Economics from Rice University.
Tirthankar Das
Data Scientist, Eli Lilly and Company
In Eli Lilly, I am playing the role of Techno-Functional manager of the Predictive Analytics Team within the Advanced Analytics and Data Science division at LCCI. In this capacity, my role encompasses active participation in a multitude of projects spanning various areas such as Digital Analytics, Supply Chain Management, Consumer Analytics, Manufacturing and Quality, Ethics and compliance, and more.
Previously, I worked as a Senior Data scientist in Boeing Research and Technology. Flight analytics on Airplane Health Assessment and Airport Operation Efficiency Enhancement got prime focus in my job. I mostly worked on Computer Vision and Audio signal processing-related projects. I have also worked in HSBC Analytics. Customer valuation and wealth management of different segmented customers was the core responsibility. Enhancing the marketing opportunity of relevant products to the right set of customers through a proper channel was my prime focus. Trigger and Model Development gave leverage to my project work.
Omkar Guru
VP - Healthcare & Life Science Analytics, Genpact
Omkar Guru is a seasoned professional with 17 years of expertise in the Lifesciences and Healthcare sector. Throughout his career, he has specialized in crafting analytical solutions tailored to omnichannel marketing, dynamic sales planning and patient care. His contributions extend to establishing numerous offshore centers of excellence for analytics, aiding in global operations.
Omkar, now serving as the Vice President of Solutioning for Healthcare and Lifesciences analytics, spearheads the creation of bespoke solutions leveraging data, cutting-edge technology, and AI to drive value for clients.
Raghavendran J
Associate Director - Data Science, Novartis
Raghavendran is a distinguished leader in Pharma Analytics and consulting, amassing over 13 years of expertise in the field. Armed with a robust analytics and technology foundation and outstanding leadership and team management skills, he is renowned for his ability to conceive and execute intricate analytical initiatives seamlessly.
As a visionary leader, Raghavendran excels in creating, developing, and retaining high-performing data science teams and capabilities. His emphasis on strategic roadmap development underscores his commitment to fostering innovation and excellence at a global level. Raghavendran's leadership extends beyond conventional boundaries as he pioneers initiatives, consistently driving efficiency and excellence throughout his illustrious career.
Manikandan Jeeva
Asst Vice President - Analytics, Genpact
With over 19 years of experience in pharmaceutical and healthcare analytical services, my expertise lies in the nuanced field of Sales and Marketing Analytics for leading US Pharma commercial entities. My career has been dedicated to unraveling the complexities inherent in this domain, striving for excellence and innovation at every step. This commitment to my craft was recognized when I was honored with the MLDS 2021 - 40 under 40 Data Scientists Award by Analytics India Magazine, a testament to my contributions and impact in the field of data science.
My core competencies are broad and deep, ranging from Generative AI, where I am proficient in leveraging LLM-based Agents and the Llama2-70B model for intricate data interactions, to Omnichannel Strategy, orchestrating decision engines across multiple therapy areas to engage a vast 80K customer base effectively. I specialize in Advanced Analytics, including Market Mix Modeling and Physician Influence Networks, and excel in Machine Learning, Business Intelligence, and Patient Analytics. My technical acumen is well-established, with proficiency in a variety of tools and systems including Python, TensorFlow, SAS, and visualization tools like D3.js and Tableau, underscoring my ability to lead significant business intelligence and analytics projects successfully.
Pratap Khedkar
CEO, ZS
Pratap was elected CEO of ZS as of July 2021. Prior to this, he led the firm’s global Pharmaceuticals practice for 9 years, as well as a practice focused on the dynamics of Healthcare Ecosystems. He founded and led its Advanced Data Science capability track which focuses on AI. He has also served on ZS’s board since 2012. Pratap has advised numerous leading companies in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries on a wide range of sales and marketing issues, including market access & managed care, using AI for multi-channel marketing, marketing mix, sales force strategy and incentive compensation. More recently, his work has focused on developing effective strategies and analytics for changing customers in the new healthcare ecosystem.
A recognized healthcare industry expert, Pratap regularly contributes his insights to publications including The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Businessweek, Business Insider, Fortune, Medical Marketing & Media, NPR, Pharmaceutical Executive and others. Currently, his thought leadership work focuses on topics as diverse as healthcare policy; life sciences companies’ new commercial and organizational models; the impact of AI on Healthcare, and the evolving relationships between patients, providers and payers, and the life sciences organizations that serve them.
Mamata Kulkarni
Global Head - Insights & Analytics, Novartis Healthcare Pvt. Ltd
Mamata has 20+ years of functional expertise in the business consulting, sales & marketing, strategy & market research realm. She started her career in Sales- giving her a distinct advantage of being able to understand the impact of “last mile” execution. She has been in leadership roles in IQVIA and Bayer where she was instrumental in steering complex enterprise initiatives like innovative new launches, M&A, co-marketing projects while leading cross-cultural project teams.
In her current role as Global Head- Insights & Analytics at Novartis,, she leads a multi-disciplinary team of data scientists, business analysts & forecasting, competitive & social media intelligence to provide strategic support in shaping services & integrated solutions across the product life cycle. Mamata has led Diversity & Inclusion programs & is keenly interested in implementing initiatives that help create a competitive business edge in the market while fostering a psychologically safe & inclusive culture within the organization.
Pratyush Kumar
Senior Director - Analytics Consulting, Tiger Analytics
Pratyush is Senior Director at Tiger Analytics Consulting Practice. Currently he is leading delivery for key Pharma accounts as the Delivery Partner. The teams are supporting multiple analytics programs and solutions development for commercial teams across Therapeutic areas: Gen AI solutions, MMX, Forecasting, Omnichannel, NBX, HCP analytics, Patient products and Patient supports analytics. He also contributes to Pharma capability development at Tiger.
Before joining Tiger, Pratyush was leading the Data science consulting practice at Think360.ai. His team was supporting major Pharma companies in the US across HCP, Patient & Payer analytics and primary market research. He started his career at Aon as an actuarial consultant where he consulted client on benefit plan designs and pension valuation for North American markets.
He is an MBA from IIM Calcutta and Business Economics graduate from Delhi University. He lives with his wife and 1 kid at Bangalore and enjoys reading and traveling.
Sourabh Kumar
Principal Architect- MLOPS|AI, Fractal AI
Sourabh brings over 17+ of experience in Analytics and AI. In his current role he is heading MLOps and AI Engineering capability at fractal. He has led various large-scale end-to-end MLOps AI implementations, managed service MLOPS projects and numerous data science & data engineering implementations for fortune 500 clients. He is a trusted adviser and assisted 8+ US-based global pharma in successful advanced analytics adoption.
Sudarshan Lakshminarayana
Senior Vice President, Quantzig
Sudarshan has more than 15 years of experience in the field of business analytics and helped organizations scale their analytics capability centres and helped implement cutting edge analytics solutions. From Pharmaceutical supply chain solutions such as 'system dynamics based supply chain simulation' to simplifying precision medicine analytics, he has shaped some of the prominent names in the field of Pharmaceutical industry.
Manish Mittal
Managing Principal and Global Delivery Leader, Axtria
With over 20 years of cross-functional experience in analytics and consulting services, Manish leads the Global Delivery for Axtria in India. He advises global pharma and life sciences organizations on tech transformation strategy and generates business value through data analytics and process re-engineering. At Axtria, he focuses on optimizing service delivery operations, product innovation, and structuring CoEs for emerging technologies in data science.
Manish is known for his people leadership and passion for building customer-focused, performance-driven organizations. A believer in creating a positive workplace that encourages innovation, Manish has passionately led several people initiatives at Axtria, some of which, like the Axtria Institute, are amongst the industry hallmarks in workplace training. A seasoned business leader, he believes in emerging tech talent from our country and how STEM talent can use data analytics and generate insights that uncover medical mysteries and pioneer personalized care. A graduate of IIT Delhi and a postgraduate from the FMS, Delhi University, Manish was recognized as One Of India's Best Leaders for his exemplary leadership during the challenging year of pandemic by Great Place To Work® India.
Today, under Manish's leadership and alongside a powerhouse of 3500+ members in global locations, Axtria provides cutting-edge technology and innovative products to life sciences companies in over 75 countries by seamlessly blending information, analytics, and technology on the cloud.
Panini Mohan Mokrala
Data Scientist, Novartis
Panini Mohan Mokrala is a highly experienced Data Science Leader with over a decade of expertise in consulting. His focus lies in developing foundational predictive models centered around patients and prescribers. Currently, at Novartis, Panini has successfully implemented brand-agnostic predictive frameworks. These frameworks empower marketing teams by providing AI-based solutions to address strategic imperatives. Panini leads a dynamic team of Data Scientists who specialize in predictive sciences solutioning.
Prior to his role at Novartis, Panini served as an Apprentice Leader at Mu Sigma. There, he assisted various CPMG clients in their customer-centric data sciences initiatives. Panini holds a Masters in Applied Data Sciences from University of Michigan.
Richa Pandey
Data Scientist, Analytics and Data Sciences, Eli Lilly and Company
Richa brings over a decade of diverse industry experience spanning Pharma, Auto Finance, and Insurance sectors. With a keen focus on generating actionable data insights, she possesses hands-on expertise in developing end-to-end statistical and machine learning models.
Throughout her career, Richa has spearheaded numerous Marketing initiatives across international affiliates, demonstrating her ability to drive strategic decision-making.
She holds a Masters in Statistics from Banaras Hindu University and has previously held roles at Genpact and EXL before joining Lilly.
Sunder Prabhu
Partner, Tiger Analytics
Sunder Prabhu is a Partner at Tiger Analytics Consulting Practice. He has over two decades of industry experience working across end to end spectrum of data/analytics solutions to deliver significant business value to fortune 500 firms. He has worked with multiple industries including Pharma over his career. He has Masters in Supply Chain from MIT and BE from PES University.
Kaveri Pradeep
Senior Manager, Axtria
Kaveri is a Senior Manager, Data Science at Axtria. She has 10+ years of experience working across the globe with multiple clients across multiple business domains. Having honed her skills at prestigious organizations such as BCG and UHG, she brought her expertise to the cutting-edge environment of Axtria where she currently serves as Senior Manager. Her tenure at these powerhouses has not only broadened her horizons but also equipped her with a unique blend of strategic vision and hands-on experience. At the heart of Kaveri's prowess lies her deep expertise in Machine Learning Engineering and MlOps. As a thought leader, Kaveri has become a driving force behind the seamless integration of machine learning models into the operational fabric of organizations.
Igor Rudychev
President, PMSA
Igor Rudychev Ph.D., MBA (Booth) has 30 years of analytics and data science experience, and almost 25 years in pharma. Igor is the current President of PMSA and most recently was a Vice President of Enterprise Analytics with Horizon Therapeutics/Amgen. In the past, Igor was also leading analytics organizations at Novartis, AstraZeneca, and Pfizer.
Igor has a Ph.D. in applied math/theoretical physics from Texas A&M university and MBA from University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Vrishty Rustagi
Associate Director - Data Science, Novartis
Vrishty, a seasoned professional with 14 years of expertise in analytics and consulting, boasts a rich background in pharma commercial analytics. Currently, she holds a leadership position within the omnichannel decision engine team, where she plays a pivotal role in scaling and productizing this crucial system. Within Novartis, Vrishty achieved remarkable success by building and leading a team of Data Scientists. This cross-functional team worked on various engagements such as promo-mix modeling, predictive analytics, network mapping, and time-series forecasting, among others. Her ability to drive collaboration and deliver valuable insights has made a significant impact within the organization.
With her extensive experience, Vrishty possesses a profound understanding of leveraging data in the realm of data science. Vrishty's educational background includes a postgraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering from IIT Bombay, and she has held roles at reputable organizations like Cognizant and Barclays.
Vikas Sarangal
Associate Principal, ZS
Vikas Sarangal serves as the Associate Principal in the AI & Analytics division of ZS, leading the India Pharma Commercial AI practice. His extensive twelve-year tenure in pharmaceutical consulting has endowed him with deep expertise in diverse commercial pharmaceutical areas such as forecasting, market research and implementing AI-driven solutions for commercial pharma. Vikas's professional acumen is enhanced by his substantial technical skills. His academic credentials include a Bachelor's degree from IIT Delhi and an MBA from IIM Indore.
Vaneet Sethi
Principal, ZS
Vaneet is the global lead of ZS’s insights and analytics service line, where he is focused on advancing ZS’s capabilities to harness the power of all forms of data, technology, analytics and AI. Vaneet has over 25 years of experience and deep expertise in shaping pharma commercial strategy and execution through quantitative insights and advanced analytics. Throughout his career, he has served as a trusted advisor to his clients by enabling them to make data-driven decisions. More recently, he is focused on leveraging technology to deliver analytics at scale and enabling democratization of analytics. Vaneet holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in transportation, with a focus on econometric modeling and consumer choice behavior, from Northwestern University.
Shikha Singhal
Principal - Data Science CoE, Axtria
Shikha leads the Data Science practice at Axtria. She is the force behind productionizing AI/ML at many of the top global life sciences companies. She is one of the few leaders with extensive experience across life sciences domain, business operations, data analytics, and building new capabilities and solutions. Her ability to build, train, and scale teams effectively is commendable. Shikha is a champion in developing and solidifying culture, enabling the teams to reach their potential. This “superpower” sets her apart from the other data science leaders. Shikha has spent over two decades in the Life Sciences industry, and her impact can be seen not only at Axtria but at all the global life sciences companies she has helped throughout her career.
Mohit Sood
Managing Principal, ZS
With more than 20 years of experience in life sciences consulting across commercial and clinical development functions, Mohit brings along extensive knowledge in advanced analytics and AI-based solutions enabling business decisions across the drug lifecycle. Mohit leads ZS India region and helps many global organizations expedite time to value from their GCCs.
Sanjay Suthraye
Data Scientist, AstraZeneca
With a solid background spanning five years in analytics and modeling, I specialize in identifying, formulating, and resolving challenges for Fortune 100 Companies across diverse domains. My expertise includes Market Mix Modeling, A/B Testing, Customer Segmentation, and Trigger Modeling.
Presently contributing my skills at AstraZeneca, I am primarily focused on building LLM Models and addressing challenges within various drug areas.
Nadia Tantsyura
Data Domain & Analytics Global Capability Owner, Boehringer Ingelheim
Nadia has 18+ years of experience in analytics, data science, IT, and data governance within the pharma industry, and currently holds the position of Data Domain & Analytics Global Capability Owner at Boehringer Ingelheim. She has been leading the design and implementation of a comprehensive Marketing & Sales data domain for Human Pharma, driving data science, advanced analytics, and reporting efforts across various regions. She contributed to efforts to enhance self-service capabilities, foster an omnichannel customer experience, enable patient analytics, and initiate the GenAI pilots within the organization, among many other initiatives.
Before her current role, Nadia led the Payor Marketing and Patient Affordability team at Boehringer Ingelheim. She built new capabilities and solutions to evaluate the impact and profitability of various market access solutions, resulting in multi-million dollar incremental profits annually. Nadia holds a Master's degree in Data Science from UC Berkeley and an MBA from the University of Connecticut.
Charlie Thompson
Principal, Axtria
Charlie has 40 years’ experience in life sciences, management consulting, and financial services. He is a founding Principal of Axtria, a cloud software and data-analytics innovator that helps global life-sciences companies improve patient outcomes and drive business growth. Charlie is known for his creativity, storytelling, energy and passion to actualize organizational transformations.
Previously, Charlie was Principal with marketRx (acquired by Cognizant in 2007), where he led major client organization transformations, launched the sales territory alignment practice, and created innovative ‘process as service’ solutions. Prior to marketRx, he was a management consultant with ZS Associates, TowersPerrin and NDCHealth / Symphony, and began his professional career on Wall Street.
Charlie attended Princeton University earning a degree in History. Further, he graduated from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University with majors in Finance and Marketing, and was selected Top Marketing Student by faculty. He is holder of patent # 7,050,566, for the application of predictive models in customer call centers. His interests include cycling and woodworking.
Nuray Yurt, Ph.D.
Head of Integrated Research and Forecasting, Merck
Nuray currently is leading Integrated Research and Forecasting group in Merck where the team is responsible for forecasting, market research and payer insights & analytics globally for all Merck portfolio across oncology, vaccines, pharma and rare disease.
Prior to joining Merck, Nuray served as Head of the Global Artificial Intelligence Solutions for Novartis Oncology, which served commercial and medical affairs functions and was responsible for strategic partnerships in AI. Nuray built a sizeable worldwide organization leading to many advancements including a next generation customer engagement approach that leveraged AI to combine patient and HCP data for use by field sales and medical teams.
Previously, as a data science expert, she led several teams in the areas of data science, business analysis and market research within the Novartis Oncology US Organization. She also worked in smaller biotechs in the areas of commercial and medical planning. Since 2013, Nuray has served as vice president of the board for the Pharmaceutical Management Science Association where she has worked within our industry to organize conferences, symposia and publications as well as create training and networking opportunities for business analysts and data scientists.
Nuray is also a board member for Peace Islands Institute where she partners with interfaith organizations to improve local peace within NJ communities. She has a Ph.D. in econometrics, lives with her husband and 3 kids in New Jersey and enjoys traveling and learning new languages.