Leaders

The pharmaceutical industry stands at the intersection of science, innovation, and patient care, where delivering a positive experience is paramount. However, to navigate the ever-evolving regulatory landscape successfully, strong leadership is essential to drive transformation, optimize operations, and uphold the highest standards. Success in this dynamic environment requires a strategic vision that balances innovation with regulatory rigor.

Bringing over three decades of expertise in pharmaceutical quality and regulatory strategy, Meera Khullar specializes in quality transformation in leadership and operational success. A BITS Pilani alumna, for Meera, working in the field of pharmaceuticals is deeply meaningful as it truly impacts millions of lives.

Meera’s strategic vision centres on innovative problem-solving, optimizing processes, strengthening talent capabilities and driving efficiency to achieve quality outcomes. As the Senior VP (Quality & Regulatory) at Curia, Meera shoulders the profound responsibility to uphold the highest standards, ensure compliance, and always prioritize patient’s well-being. Her leadership is rooted in adaptability and continuous improvement with an unwavering dedication to excellence.

Give us a glimpse of your educational journey. How did your Alma Mater BITS Pilani impact your growth as an individual and as a professional?

My father has always been a source encouragement to me and his words of wisdom that says ‘Learning never goes to waste’ has stayed with me. Despite gaining admission to private engineering and pharmacy colleges, I was determined to join BITS Pilani.

Serendipity brought me closer to the college. While filling in my application, I prioritized Computer Science, then Instrumentation and finally Pharmacy. As anticipated, I made it into Pharmacy which became my gateway to an incredible career.

BITS Pilani was a whole new experience for me, which was far from home, had unfamiliar surroundings, and an education system that required learning beyond textbooks. Understanding pharmacy from a perspective of how medicines work in the body, exploring natural remedies, and diving into pharmaceutical regulations fascinated me.

With great professors guiding me, I finally found my passion and excelled in pharmacy, everything else became secondary.

Take us through your extensive experience in the pharmaceuticals industry and the most crucial junctures throughout the three-decade long journey?

My career began at Micro Labs in Bangalore which was meant to be a stepping stone for my master’s in the U.S. I cleared GRE and TOEFL and got admissions. However, family meant everything to me, and I wanted to be close to them. That is when I decided to stay in India, took the GATE and BITS Pilani entrance exams, and retuned to my Alma Mater for my M.Pharm in 1990.

By 1999, I moved to Australia and worked as a contractor, then I sought stability and joined Faulding Pharmaceuticals as a permanent employee in new product development. This role set the foundation for my long-term career growth. In 2005, I returned to India due to a family emergency and took a role in regulatory affairs at Fresenius Kabi while awaiting a decision from Mayne Pharma. I re-joined as a Technical Project Manager, which was a role that exposed me to business leadership, R&D, contract manufacturing and regulatory affairs.

Professional growth required calculated risk taking and willingness to embrace challenges. In 2008, I took on the Head of Quality role, which was an unexpected but transformative move. I immersed myself in learning, driving a greenfield project to secure approvals from major regulators, including the US FDA and European agencies.

Transitioning across continents once again was challenging, but it marked another significant milestone in my career.

What roles and responsibilities do you shoulder as the Senior VP Quality and Regulatory at Curia?

As SVP of Quality, I lead global Quality Operations & Compliance across multiple continents, driving Quality excellence.

My top priority is maintaining a strong quality system to safeguard our right to operate to serve the patients. It is also essential to keep leadership informed about emerging regulations, potential regulatory risks in the industry and regulatory complexities so we can make the right decisions in a highly regulated space.

My core responsibility is protecting our license to operate while also thinking like a business leader by finding smart creative ways to improve processes, give opportunities for high potential talent, boost efficiency for high-quality outcomes.

A strong team is essential to maintain quality systems and driving Quality decisions in daily operations. In contract manufacturing, customer service and quality excellence go hand in hand. I focus on continuous improvement-finding smarter ways to reduce mistakes, drive efficiencies in cycle times in pursuit of excellence.

What is your guiding leadership philosophy?

Family shapes the kind of leader you become. My parent’s advice, simple yet powerful, has stayed with me, which is to always do the right thing, no matter how hard it is. This principle has guided my decisions throughout my career, reminding me that leadership is about integrity and not convenience.

After 35 years in the industry, I have learned that leadership is about adaptability. I can present to the board or work hands-on at the manufacturing facility where the situation demands. Situational leadership allows me to lead both tactically and strategically, depending on the situation. Situational leadership requires adaptability & resilience, and my core belief remains success is about people. No system or technology replaces the power of a strong team.

I believe in continuous learning and have no hesitation in admitting when I do not know something and will seek insight and inputs from the experts to help me make a decision.

How do you foresee the global pharma landscape evolving in the near future?

Regulatory agencies worldwide are increasingly working together to harmonize their processes. In Europe for instance, one agency’s approval is recognized by others, reducing redundancy. US FDA also has mutually recognized European Regulatory inspections in place of FDA’s general GMP inspections. This trend is shaping the future of global compliance.

The focus on biologics is accelerating, fuelled by biotechnology breakthroughs. With gene and cell therapies advancing rapidly, medicine is evolving toward personalized treatments, offering hope for more precise and effective care.

Manufacturing is evolving rapidly with AI and robotics streamlining operations. The pharmaceutical industry has already seen automation in various processing areas, and this trend is expanding across sectors, making production more precise and efficient.

Meera Khullar, Senior Vice President (Quality & Regulatory), Curia

As Senior Vice President of Quality & Regulatory at Curia Global, Meera Khullar is driven by her 30 years of acquired acumen in the pharmaceutical industry leading quality transformative initiatives. From significant roles in Quality Operations at Pfizer and leadership positions across multiple continents, her robust background enhances operational success to maintain rigorous compliance standards.