39 CHEMICALS KNOWLEDGE HUB Issue 1 / July 2025 WOMEN IN SCIENCE In the latest interview for the ‘Women in Science’ series, we spoke to Jayashree Aiyar, following her appointment to the executive team of Syngene as Chief Scientific Officer. Your career spans over 30 years with leadership roles in global organisations and now at Syngene. How has your approach to leadership evolved and what key principles guide your role as Chief Scientific Officer? I started my career in industry as a team leader, leading target discovery and drug discovery projects. I had a fabulous team and we did a lot of great science together, and published papers and patents. This was my first managerial role and I learnt to give people their space to grow and realised that it was OK to fail as long we evolve from it. As my leadership roles increased, I continued to strive to be a better version of myself every day. It is a tight balance between keeping the team motivated while managing to deliver high-quality science in a timely manner. It is important not to lose one’s objectivity when making tough decisions. Effective communication is key to tackling the sensitive issues. Syngene has become a leader in providing cuttingedge R&D solutions. What are the key initiatives you’ve championed that have strengthened Syngene’s position as a global innovator in drug discovery? As the field evolves, it is essential to build new technology platforms and bring in scientific expertise. To that end, we have established expertise in target validation, targeted protein degradation, CRISPR-based screens, antibody engineering, immuno-oncology and stem cell assays, as well as built AI and automation platforms in chemistry and DMPK for expediting the drug discovery process. Having built an illustrious career in a maledominated industry, what were the defining moments that helped you break the glass ceiling and what advice would you give to other women aspiring to leadership in pharma and biotech? Competency and hard work are the main attributes to getting ahead in your career, whether male or female. There were times when my career stalled, but I never played the victim card of “it’s a male-dominated world and that’s why my career is not taking off”. That attitude could be death to a woman’s career. Instead, focus on the skills you need to acquire to be a more effective leader. Do not quit when you see obstacles, find ways to overcome them. Have women role models. I have been fortunate to have mentors (both male and female), who guided me at key points in my career, helping me navigate challenges and build confidence. Their support reinforced an important lesson: talent needs the right environment to thrive. This is why structured mentorship and leadership development programs matter. They provide aspiring women leaders in STEM with the skills, networks and guidance needed to progress. As a woman leader in pharma, how do you ensure that the next generation of women scientists and executives are equipped to rise to the top in the sector? We have many smart and talented women at Syngene and in other organisations. Women are others-oriented and empathetic by nature, which makes them great people-managers. We have several leadership training programs as well as motivational lectures by women leaders, who share their success stories to inspire budding women scientists to balance home and career. Syngene leads India’s pharma sector with 28% women in its workforce, well ahead of peers. What strategies or cultural shifts have played a pivotal role in achieving this milestone? We ensure that there are an equal number of CVs from both genders when we interview new candidates. All other things being equal, if the female workforce is low in any department, we err on the side of picking the woman candidate.
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