What are some critical milestones that played an influential role in your career today?
I’ve always been curious and ambitious by nature, and those two qualities have largely influenced my career path. One critical milestone in my career was when I left Pfizer to pursue an entrepreneurial venture in India. It was in the midst of the financial crisis and I knew coming back to the UK would be difficult. But I was driven to build something of my own. I launched a brand of textiles on a pan-India level and I learned more than a lifetime’s worth through that experience. Another critical milestone was moving into investing post MBA (post another start-up experience at school). Investing opened up a world of knowledge on different businesses in different industries and I absolutely love what I do.
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Your current role has you focused back where you began—biotech. What opportunities excite you the most within this space?
Biotech is definitely one of the sectors that I focus on and am excited about, especially age longevity; ways to improve health span and life span and the underlying technologies aiming to impact it. This will not only be a positive for the human race (in terms of quality of life and happiness index) but it will also significantly reduce the burden on healthcare budgets that most countries face today and I’m excited to have court-side tickets to this transformation in human history.
We invest for the long-term and understand that the biggest successes take time.
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What can founders anticipate when working with you and the SoftBank Investment Advisers?
We (at SBIA) are focused on helping entrepreneurs achieve the big vision that they set out for. Whether it’s capital, connections, resources, or operational know-how, we work closely with our founders to make this vision a reality. Our aim is to give them the freedom to pursue this potential without having to focus on short-term pressures. We invest for the long-term and understand that the biggest successes take time. Founders certainly appreciate that, as it gives them the runway to bring their highest ambitions to life. Additionally, our growing ecosystem gives us the ability to connect one company to another to create synergies within our portfolio. I’ve witnessed the exponential growth effect these synergies can have on our companies firsthand and I think it’s one of the most powerful aspects of our offering.
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How have you seen the investment space change during your time within it?
We have seen more support and funds going into technology start-ups, especially since the Vision Fund 1 has been set up. More funds have been raised to support companies and as we offer a new alternative to IPO/pre-IPO rounds. It’s a huge positive for everyone!
Additionally, I think the industry is making an effort to help support women in workplaces. It wasn’t the same many years ago. What’s nice to see is that this generation of women in finance are working together to carve a better future for the next generation of women! It’s a delight to be working with some of these amazing women at SoftBank Investment Advisers and one of the reasons why I love coming to work every morning!
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What’s one surprising thing about you?
I played center for a professional-level basketball team representing India and Delhi for ten years. Being an athlete means you have to learn the value of hustle, hard work, discipline, and sportsmanship which translates quite well in one’s career.
