Vas Narasimhan

Vas Narasimhan
Narasimhan in 2022 (or earlier)
Vas Narasimhan
Born	Vasant Kalathur Narasimhan 26 8, 1976
Birthplace	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Physician, business executive
Title	Chief Executive Officer of Novartis
Education	University of Chicago (BA) Harvard Medical School (MD) John F. Kennedy School of Government (MPP)
Children	2
Awards	Fortune 40 Under 40 (2015) TIME100 Health (2025)
Website	[https://www.novartis.com/about/executive-committee/vasant-narasimhan Official site]

Vasant Kalathur "Vas" Narasimhan (born August 26, 1976) is an American physician and business executive who serves as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Novartis, the Swiss multinational pharmaceutical corporation. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to parents of Indian origin, Narasimhan trained as a physician at Harvard Medical School and worked briefly at McKinsey & Company before joining Novartis in 2005. Over the following decade, he rose through a series of leadership positions encompassing vaccine development, drug development, and the role of chief medical officer, before being named CEO in September 2017 and formally assuming the position on February 1, 2018, succeeding Joseph Jimenez. Narasimhan's tenure has been defined by a strategic refocusing of Novartis on its core pharmaceuticals business, significant investments in research and development, and large-scale acquisitions. As of 2025, his leadership oversaw record-breaking financial performance for the company, and in early 2026 he met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House regarding Novartis's expanding manufacturing footprint in the United States.

Early Life

Vasant Kalathur Narasimhan was born on August 26, 1976, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His parents were of Indian origin, and his upbringing in the United States shaped his dual cultural identity. Narasimhan has spoken publicly about his early interest in science and medicine, and his career trajectory reflects a longstanding engagement with global public health. During the early stages of his career as a physician-scientist, he worked on programs for treating HIV/AIDS in Africa, an experience that exposed him to the real-world impact of pharmaceutical interventions in resource-limited settings.

In addition to his clinical training, Narasimhan developed an interest in health policy and the intersection of medicine with public administration. This combination of medical expertise and policy interest would become a defining characteristic of his professional career, distinguishing him from peers who followed more conventional corporate or purely clinical paths. His background in both medicine and public policy informed his later approach to pharmaceutical leadership, where he frequently emphasized the importance of data analytics, evidence-based decision-making, and equitable access to medicines.

Narasimhan has also contributed to academic research, including published work in The Lancet, one of the world's leading medical journals.

Education

Narasimhan earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago. He subsequently attended Harvard Medical School, where he obtained his Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. Concurrently or subsequently, he earned a Master of Public Policy (MPP) from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. This dual training in medicine and public policy provided Narasimhan with a distinctive skill set that combined clinical knowledge with an understanding of governance, regulation, and health systems. His Harvard education also connected him to a broad network of professionals in medicine, policy, and business. In September 2025, Narasimhan returned to Harvard Business School as a guest speaker for the school's MS/MBA program, where he discussed topics including the role of data analytics and artificial intelligence in pharmaceutical development.

Career

Early Career and McKinsey

After completing his medical and public policy training at Harvard, Narasimhan worked briefly as a consultant at McKinsey & Company, the global management consulting firm. During this period, he gained experience advising organizations on strategy and operations, skills that would prove relevant in his later corporate leadership roles. His time at McKinsey was relatively short before he transitioned to the pharmaceutical industry.

Novartis: Early Leadership Roles (2005–2017)

Narasimhan joined Novartis in 2005 and held a succession of leadership positions within the company over the following twelve years. Among his significant roles, he served as Global Head of Development for Novartis Vaccines, overseeing the company's vaccine pipeline and development programs. He later became Global Head of Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Novartis, a position that gave him oversight of the company's entire clinical development portfolio.

In his capacity as CMO, Narasimhan was responsible for directing the development of new medicines across multiple therapeutic areas, managing large-scale clinical trials, and navigating the regulatory landscape. His medical training and public health background informed his approach to drug development, and he was recognized for his focus on using data and analytics to improve the efficiency of the development process.

In 2015, Fortune magazine named Narasimhan to its annual "40 Under 40" list, ranking him seventh among young leaders in business. The recognition reflected his growing profile within the pharmaceutical industry and the broader business world.

Appointment as CEO (2017–2018)

On September 4, 2017, Novartis announced that Narasimhan had been selected as the company's next CEO, succeeding Joseph Jimenez, who announced his retirement. At age 41 at the time of the announcement, Narasimhan was among the younger CEOs in the global pharmaceutical industry. The appointment was reported internationally and drew particular attention in India, given Narasimhan's Indian heritage.

Narasimhan formally assumed the role of CEO on February 1, 2018. In early interviews following his appointment, he outlined his vision for the company, emphasizing a return to a focus on research and development, the use of advanced data analytics and digital technologies in drug development, and a commitment to addressing major unmet medical needs.

Strategic Direction and R&D Focus

Under Narasimhan's leadership, Novartis underwent a significant strategic transformation. He steered the company back toward a stronger emphasis on its core pharmaceuticals and research-driven business model. In February 2018, The Wall Street Journal reported on Narasimhan's efforts to refocus Novartis on R&D, noting his ambition to leverage the company's scientific capabilities more aggressively.

This strategic shift included several major corporate actions. Novartis divested its consumer healthcare joint venture with GlaxoSmithKline and spun off its eye care division, Alcon, as an independent company. These moves were designed to simplify the Novartis portfolio and concentrate resources on its innovative medicines division. Narasimhan also oversaw significant acquisitions to strengthen the company's pipeline and therapeutic capabilities.

In November 2025, Novartis completed the acquisition of Avidity Biosciences, which was reported as the second-largest pharmaceutical acquisition of 2025. Narasimhan stated that the acquisition was intended to position Novartis as a "leader in neuromuscular diseases," reflecting the company's strategy of investing in emerging therapeutic platforms.

Narasimhan has also been vocal about the role of data science and artificial intelligence in pharmaceutical development. Speaking at Harvard Business School in September 2025, he discussed his longstanding interest in analytics while expressing measured expectations about the near-term impact of AI on drug discovery and development.

Financial Performance and Compensation

Novartis reported record-breaking financial performance in 2025 under Narasimhan's leadership. His realized compensation for 2025 reached 24.9 million Swiss francs (approximately $32.4 million), representing a 30% increase over the prior year, according to reporting by Fierce Pharma.

Despite the strong results, Narasimhan faced the challenge of navigating the company through what he described as the "largest patent expiry" in Novartis's history. In early 2026, he projected continued growth for the company despite the anticipated revenue impact of key drugs losing patent protection, signaling confidence in the strength of the company's newer product portfolio and pipeline.

Drug Pricing and U.S. Government Relations

Drug pricing has been a recurring theme during Narasimhan's tenure as CEO. In October 2025, he confirmed that Novartis was engaged in weekly discussions with the Trump administration regarding drug pricing, though he noted that no deal had been reached. Narasimhan stated publicly that the administration's approach to drug pricing deals did not address what he considered the root problem in the U.S. pharmaceutical pricing system.

In January 2026, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Narasimhan discussed Novartis's approach to trade tensions and stated that the company had "future-proofed" against potential disruptions through a $23 billion investment in the United States.

On February 20, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he had met with Narasimhan at the White House and announced that Novartis was building 11 plants in the United States, reflecting the company's significant expansion of its domestic manufacturing operations.

COVID-19 Pandemic Response

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Narasimhan led Novartis's response to the global health crisis. In March 2020, the BBC reported on the company's actions under his leadership as the pandemic disrupted the pharmaceutical industry and global healthcare systems.

Digital Health and India

Narasimhan has expressed views on the potential for digital technologies to transform healthcare in emerging markets. In an interview with the Economic Times, he discussed the growth of data and digital opportunities in Indian healthcare, reflecting both his professional interest in digitalization and his personal connection to India.

Personal Life

Narasimhan married Srishti Gupta, and their wedding was reported in The New York Times in March 2003. The couple has two children.

In a 2019 interview with The New York Times for its "Corner Office" series, Narasimhan discussed his management philosophy and personal approach to leadership at Novartis. He has also been involved with the World Economic Forum, contributing to its agenda on health and healthcare topics.

Narasimhan has spoken about his early experiences working on HIV/AIDS treatment programs in Africa as formative in shaping his understanding of the importance of access to medicine in underserved communities.

Recognition

Narasimhan has received multiple forms of recognition over the course of his career. In 2015, Fortune magazine named him number seven on its annual "40 Under 40" list, identifying him as one of the most influential young leaders in business at a time when he was serving as Novartis's Global Head of Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer.

In May 2025, TIME magazine included Narasimhan on its TIME100 Health list, recognizing his influence in the health and healthcare sector. The selection cited his work as a physician-scientist, including his earlier involvement in HIV/AIDS treatment programs in Africa, as well as his leadership of Novartis.

Narasimhan has been featured in numerous business and pharmaceutical industry publications, including Pharmaceutical Executive, and has appeared on major financial news outlets such as CNBC, Bloomberg Television, and the BBC. He has been a regular participant at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he has spoken on topics including drug pricing, trade policy, and the future of the pharmaceutical industry.

His leadership of Novartis during a period of significant strategic transformation and strong financial performance has drawn attention from investors, policymakers, and industry observers alike.

Legacy

As CEO of one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, Narasimhan's impact on the industry has been shaped by several key strategic decisions. His refocusing of Novartis on its core pharmaceuticals business, including the divestiture of non-core assets and the spinoff of Alcon, represented a significant reshaping of the company's portfolio. His emphasis on data analytics and digital technologies as tools for improving drug development has been a consistent theme throughout his tenure and has influenced broader industry conversations about the application of technology in pharmaceutical research.

Narasimhan's approach to drug pricing and his engagement with U.S. policymakers has placed him at the center of ongoing debates about the cost of prescription medicines. His public statements on the limitations of proposed pricing deals reflected a willingness to engage critically with government policy while advocating for structural reforms to the pharmaceutical pricing system.

His acquisition strategy, including the purchase of Avidity Biosciences in 2025, signaled Novartis's commitment to building capabilities in emerging therapeutic modalities such as treatments for neuromuscular diseases. The $23 billion investment in U.S. operations that Narasimhan announced represented one of the largest commitments by a foreign pharmaceutical company to American manufacturing infrastructure.

As one of the few CEOs of Indian descent leading a major global pharmaceutical company, Narasimhan's career has also been noted for its significance in terms of representation in corporate leadership. His background as a trained physician distinguishes him from many pharmaceutical industry CEOs who come from business or finance backgrounds, and his dual training in medicine and public policy has been cited as an asset in navigating the complex intersection of science, commerce, and regulation that defines the modern pharmaceutical industry.

Narasimhan has contributed to academic discourse on health policy, including participation in a Harvard project on life sciences and public health.