Serum Life Sciences Ltd.
As a result of the ongoing Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the Leadership Team of Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd has decided to setup Serum Life Sciences Ltd in the UK. Serum Life Sciences Ltd is a subsidiary company of Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd with its global sales office in London that will market Coronavirus Disease vaccines manufactured by Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd.
Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd is developing several SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in partnership as well as their own in-house candidates.
COVISHIELDTM - ChAdOx1 nCoV- 19 Corona Virus Vaccine (Recombinant) developed in partnership with University of Oxford's Jenner Institute and AstraZeneca has been granted emergency use authorization in India by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) as well as granted Emergency Use Listing (EUL) by the World Health Organization (WHO). The MHRA, UK has also granted conditional marketing authorization for the vaccine in preventing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in individuals over 18 years of age.
Other SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates being developed are in various stages of pre-clinical and human trials to be launched in 2021 and 2022.
Leadership Team
Mrs. Natasha Poonawalla
Chairperson
Natasha Poonawalla is the Executive Director of Serum Institute of India, one of the world’s largest vaccine manufacturers by volume. She also serves as Chairperson of Serum Life Sciences, a newly-established business focused on developing, producing and supplying pandemic vaccines, and works on creative and business strategy for Cyrus Poonawalla Group companies.
Additionally, Natasha is Chairperson of the Villoo Poonawalla Foundation, her family’s foundation, which was launched in 2012 to improve lives through a focus on increasing education, healthcare, safe water and environmental sanitation. The Foundation invests in a wide range of social projects to help advance the life outcomes of underprivileged communities in India, including establishing its own schools to provide much-needed education, and investing in clean drinking water and a large-scale sanitation program in the city of Pune.
Natasha serves as the Director of the Poonawalla Science Park, Netherlands, is Chair of the British Asian Children’s Protection Fund for India, and is a member of the British Asian Trust’s India Advisory Council.
Passionate about business, philanthropy, fashion and design, Natasha holds an M.Sc. in Organisational Behaviour from the London School of Economics.
Mr. Parag Deshmukh
Director
A Mechanical Engineer with an Masters in Business Administration from the University of Pune (India), Parag leads the Global Business Team at the Serum Institute of India (SII).
Through his 14-year tenure at SII, Parag has overseen direct exports to more than 90 countries and is responsible for engaging on business matters with international goverment bodies and global partners like UNICEF, PAHO, MSF, Gavi, etc. His experience in managing strategic public-private partnerships has helped SII establish strong long term business contracts worldwide.
Being part of the Strategic Corporate Core Group in the company, Parag helms the Logistic and Supply Chain Team at SII, which supplies vaccines to over 145 countries. As Lead Coordinator for global supply chain activities including supply of COVID-19 vaccines he is actively involved in negotiations and liaisons with governments and licensing partners.
Mr. Oorvahsk Dastoor
Director
Oorvahsk, based in Singapore, has amassed a formidable wealth of cross-functional expertise in industries such as logistics, international trade, capital markets and wealth management. With over 20 years of career experience, he has demonstrated a keen ability to identify business opportunities and excel in private equity dealings, trade, and finance, leading to high-return investments.
Having majored in operations during his Master of Business Administration at the S P Jain School of Global Management, Singapore, and earned a Master’s in Taxation from the Singapore University of Social Sciences, where he deepened his knowledge of domestic and international tax law, Oorvahsk is now eager to pursue a Doctorate in Business Administration specialising in Emerging Technologies (Generative AI) at Golden Gate University in San Francisco. This move highlights his commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements.
Professionally, Oorvahsk continues to serve as the Director at Grit Overseas Pte. Ltd. in Singapore, focusing on expanding the company’s healthcare initiativesinto markets in the developing world. He is also the Managing Director of his single-family office, Nest Egg Asset Management Pte. Ltd., overseeing the investment management of his family’s diversified fund.
His blend of academic knowledge and practical business acumen positions him to excel at the intersection of traditional and emerging industries in the evolving business world.
Mr. Praveen Challa
Director
Praveen Challa is an accomplished corporate finance and investment professional with over 30 years of experience across family office management, corporate finance, M&A, and investment strategy. As the founder and Director of Sagax Consulting, Praveen has led various strategic projects, including restructuring investment holdings, managing global portfolios, and driving tax-efficient strategies for high-net-worth clients. He has held senior roles at leading international firms, including Growval International and Warden Baker, where he managed European real estate and private equity portfolios.
Praveen’s extensive background spans multiple sectors, including real estate, telecom, and financial services. He has successfully overseen multi-million-dollar transactions, and has expertise in setting up international holding companies, conducting due diligence, and leading equity and debt fundraisings. Praveen holds a Chartered Accountant qualification from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and is a Chartered Member of CISI UK.
Mr. Andrew Coll
Chief Financial Officer
Andrew Coll brings over 30 years of business and finance experience to his role as CFO of Serum Life Sciences Ltd, leading the company’s financial operations and responsible for accounting, audit, treasury, tax, risk management, corporate finance and investor relations. He also oversees and manages all human resources and facilities activities.
Andrew’s business experience spans industry sectors, and includes international high-tech, project-based and retail businesses. He also brings with him many years of experience working with Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals and Family Offices. He has served in leadership roles for diverse organisations ranging from large US and UK corporates, an AIM listed plc and PE/VC backed businesses.
A UK Chartered Accountant by training, Andrew served as CFO at Impulse Dynamics, a Hobart Group company until 2020, where he professionalised the Finance function, supported 3 rounds of fundraising and structured international expansion. His previous roles have encompassed the gamut of financial management including business strategy, tax planning, fundraising, mergers & acquisitions and investor relations.
Mr. Chand Mehta
Head of Business Development
Chand is responsible for negotiating manufacturing and licensing deals as well as forging partnerships with new organisations and institutional stakeholders. Having worked closely with key global health players such as Gavi, BMGF & CEPI, he complements the team with his deep knowledge and understanding of vaccine markets.
Prior to joining Serum Life Sciences, Chand led a team at the Clinton Health Access Initiative focusing on vaccine market access in low- and middle-income countries. During early stages of the pandemic, he helped map global vaccine manufacturing capacity and establish a network of Drug Product manufacturers.
Chand’s career started in Finance at Novartis, driving a $1.3bn portfolio spanning 50+ brands in the Ophthalmological Medical Device division. He graduated from Oxford University with a BA Hons in Economics & Management and an MSc in Social Sciences. Chand is a passionate skier and rock climber, as well as an avid Liverpool FC supporter.