An Incredible Journey

Suresh Gupta was born and brought up in Jammu & Kashmir. He began his long journey in the Indian pharmaceutical industry in 1979 as a Medical Representative and joined Cadila in December 1998 as a Zonal Manager. He later became AGM in the New Gen division successfully growing it to a large division. Today, he heads the entire domestic SBU as President, Branded.

Tell us about the domestic business of our pharmaceutical products.

We have 17 divisions that are dedicated to selling drugs in the domestic market, each division a part of five verticals that make up the whole business unit called ‘Branded’. Our major therapeutic areas are gastro, antibiotics, anti-infective, nutraceuticals, cardio, diabetics and pain management.

Are there any initiatives to motivate the field force?

Every month our top leaders connect through webcast with the entire nation’s sales force and share performance highlights and motivate them thus increasing their confidence. In addition, through thei-meet program, we organize get-togethers with the local teams in major cities allowing for interactions with the senior leadership.Another key initiative is the Foundation Learning Program in which new recruits are provided learning on the subject matter and trained to improve their communication skills.

What your thoughts on leadership?

As a leader one needs to motivate one’s team and create conviction in them. It is essential to nurture teamwork and ensure collective work towards one goal. Leadership is not about doing things yourself. It is about empowering your people to go beyond their limits. Another key aspect of leadership is being honest and truthful to your team. A leader needs to constantly encourage, involve and empower the team. A leader must build harmony in the team and make sure that people work willingly.

Are there any special memories that you’d like to share on your tenure at Cadila?

My fondest memories are with our Founder Chairman. I recall how he was impressed with my sales performance in Herbal and New Gen divisions and would encourage me by taking me around to other divisions so as to teach me as well as share my insights with others. He also encouraged to make my success story into a case study for Nirma and IIM-A.