Varun Nanda

With a background in engineering and business administration, Varun Nanda got his first experience in 1989 with a software company, CompuDrug USA, Inc., in Austin Texas, servicing biotechnology and pharmaceutical. As an Assistant Product Manager, Nanda marketed research systems to other firms in the industry and developed a university program that ultimately grew to be the company’s main revenue generator.

The following year, Varun Nanda relocated to Piscataway Township, New Jersey, to join Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., as a Product Manager. He helped Enzon more than double its value for 3 years, earning the company a spot on Inc. Magazine’s list of the 100 fastest-growing small public companies. The company’s smaller size enabled Varun Nanda to gain hands-on experience in nearly every aspect of the organization, from clinical development to legal issues to investor relations.

This experience would serve Varun Nanda well in his later position at Novo Nordisk A/S, where he would earn four consecutive President’s Awards for company leadership and eventually climb his way to the position of Senior Vice President and Global Head of Oncology for Genentech. Managing over $1 billion in expenses to develop the lifecycle plans, Nanda oversaw 95 employees across 4 franchises and crafted brand strategies for oncology molecules. He ultimately held full profit and loss responsibility for products that were bringing in roughly $20 billion.

In the second quarter of 2010, Varun Nanda joined Dendreon Corporation as the Senior Vice President of Global Commercial Operations. He actively strategized to help them launch Provenge, a prostate cancer treatment, in North America, and to prepare for the product’s debut in Europe before leaving the company at the end of the year.

To relax, Varun Nanda likes to frequent golf courses and travel all over the globe. Honoring the strong relationships he and his family share, Nanda also believes in making the world a better place for children, working with Children International and helping to provide an education for youth in India.