Cipla names Achin Gupta as next global CEO

Cipla Ltd., one of India’s largest pharmaceutical companies, said on Thursday that it has appointed Achin Gupta, its global chief operating officer, as the next managing director and global chief executive officer, effective April 1, 2026. Gupta will succeed Umang Vohra, who has led the 89-year-old company since 2016.

The Mumbai-based drugmaker said in a regulatory filing that the move is part of a planned succession process designed to ensure continuity and stability while steering the company through its next phase of growth.

“The company’s legacy of purpose-driven innovation and patient-centric care is deeply inspiring,” Gupta said in a statement. “My focus will be on driving sustainable growth, deepening our impact across markets, and continuing to innovate with purpose.”

Vohra, who has spent a decade at Cipla, is credited with guiding the company through a period of strategic transformation — strengthening its global position in respiratory therapies, bolstering its digital and manufacturing capabilities, and sharpening its focus on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and sustainability.

“My 10 years at Cipla have been filled with immense pride,” Vohra said. “As I hand over the reins, I’m confident that Achin will lead Cipla forward with vision and purpose.”

Gupta, who became global COO in February 2025, oversees Cipla’s commercial markets, manufacturing, active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) business, and supply chain operations. He joined Cipla in 2021 as chief executive of its One India business, where he drove growth in chronic therapies and expanded the company’s reach in underserved markets. Under his leadership, the India unit modernized its retail operations and introduced several consumer-focused innovations.

An alumnus of IIT Delhi and IIM Ahmedabad, Gupta has more than two decades of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and is known for his focus on innovation and building purpose-driven teams.

The leadership announcement came alongside Cipla’s quarterly results. The company reported a 3.7 percent increase in consolidated net profit to ₹1,353.37 crore for the second quarter, compared with ₹1,305.01 crore a year earlier. Revenue from operations rose 7.6 percent to ₹7,589.44 crore from ₹7,051.02 crore in the same quarter last year.

The leadership transition, set to take effect in April 2026, signals a generational shift at one of India’s most storied drugmakers — and positions Gupta to shape Cipla’s future in a global pharmaceutical market increasingly defined by innovation, affordability, and access.