As Lupin’s first Chief Technical Operations Officer, what are your key priorities in integrating manufacturing, supply chain, and procurement? How do you see this role evolving amid the rapidly changing dynamics of global pharmaceutical operations?

We’ve strategically integrated manufacturing, supply chain, and procurement under Global Technical Operations (GTO) to enhance agility, efficiency, and resilience across the value chain. Our top priorities include maintaining world-class quality and regulatory compliance, optimizing processes and costs through lean manufacturing and strategic procurement, and leveraging digitalization, automation, and AI for smarter decision-making. Sustainability and ESG principles are deeply embedded in our operations, ensuring responsible and resilient supply chain practices. Additionally, we’re investing in talent development to build a future-ready workforce.

Our approach balances short-term performance with long-term capability building, fostering agility through a leadership model that empowers teams with delegated decision-making. As the pharmaceutical landscape evolves, we are building a robust, technology-driven operations ecosystem that can adapt to geopolitical shifts, regulatory changes, and rapid digital transformation.

What key strategies are you implementing to seamlessly integrate manufacturing, supply chain, and procurement? How will these efforts drive operational efficiency and innovation?

We have defined a three-year roadmap with clear priorities across six key performance areas, ensuring all functions operate in unison toward measurable impact. A customer-first approach drives our supply chain and manufacturing decisions, aligning operations with market demand. Time-to-market acceleration is a major focus, optimising product launches and reducing throughput time from material conversion to market availability. Our investments in technology are outcome-driven, prioritising automation, AI-powered predictive analytics, and smart manufacturing to enhance efficiency. Financial optimization remains critical, with integration efforts expected to deliver significant bottom-line improvements over the next three years.

These strategies will reduce operational throughput times, enhance network efficiency, and drive cost-effectiveness while maintaining world-class manufacturing standards.

Does India need more comprehensive regulations to enhance drug traceability and combat counterfeiting?

Pharmaceutical counterfeiting is a global challenge, but technologies like serialization, track-and-trace systems, and blockchain-based authentication already exist to address it. Implementation, however, requires alignment between regulatory bodies, industry players, and consumers. Countries like the U.S. mandate end-to-end traceability through GTIN-based serialisation, enabling precise tracking.

Emerging markets could benefit from stronger regulatory frameworks that mandate serialization and digital traceability while ensuring that wholesalers, pharmacies, and consumers have the capability to verify product authenticity. The challenge isn’t the availability of technology—it’s the cost implications and industry-wide adoption. Achieving foolproof traceability requires a collective effort from regulators, pharmaceutical companies, and distributors to standardize and invest in these capabilities. The technology is already here; what’s needed is the commitment to implement it.

How are AI, blockchain, and data analytics optimising inventory management and improving supply chain efficiency at Lupin?

AI, blockchain, and data analytics play a crucial role in enhancing supply chain efficiency, improving forecasting accuracy, and minimizing waste. AI-driven predictive and prescriptive analytics optimize inventory levels, reduce stockouts, and cut excess holding costs. Gen-AI takes this further, offering prescriptive solutions that proactively prevent inefficiencies.

Real-time data integration provides instant insights into supplier performance, logistics bottlenecks, and demand fluctuations, enabling data-driven decision-making. By shifting from simply collecting data to actively leveraging it for predictive insights, we unlock new opportunities for cost optimization, supply reliability, and operational resilience.

With supply chain disruptions becoming more frequent, how can technology help build resilience?

Supply chain volatility is the new normal, and we have built resilience into our systems to mitigate disruptions from geopolitical tensions, raw material shortages, transportation delays, and regulatory shifts. AI-powered risk modeling enables us to predict supply chain disruptions and implement contingency plans. A diversified supplier base, achieved through multi-sourcing and nearshoring strategies, reduces dependency on specific geographies.

Smart procurement strategies, including long-term supplier partnerships, ensure supply reliability even in uncertain times. This proactive approach has strengthened supply stability and quality consistency, allowing us to adapt to uncertainties and better serve customers.

Does generative AI have the potential to transform the pharmaceutical industry?

Absolutely. We are moving from an era where generating data was the challenge to one where making predictive use of that data is the real opportunity. The pharmaceutical industry generates vast amounts of data, much of which remains underutilized. Generative AI is a game-changer, enabling us to accelerate drug discovery, optimize processes, enhance supply chain planning, and automate regulatory documentation.

Investing in generative AI is no longer optional—it’s essential. However, true transformation requires collaboration. The greatest breakthroughs will come from partnerships between pharmaceutical companies, AI developers, academic institutions, and tech providers working together to push the boundaries of innovation.

How should leaders in the pharmaceutical industry drive digital transformation?

Leaders must champion a digital-first mindset—not as an isolated initiative but as an integrated strategy across the value chain. A strong digital foundation enhances product quality, streamlines processes, and drives operational excellence. When leadership embraces this mindset, it permeates the organization, unlocking new capabilities that improve product consistency, cost-effectiveness, and patient outcomes.

This approach requires embedding digitalization across R&D, manufacturing, and distribution, upskilling the workforce to operate alongside AI and automation, and implementing decentralized decision-making for greater agility. By embracing cutting-edge technologies, the industry can achieve unprecedented levels of patient-centricity and care. The companies that lead this digital revolution will set new benchmarks for innovation and operational efficiency.

With digital transformation and automation becoming central to pharmaceutical operations, how will these advancements enhance efficiency and product quality at Lupin?

Digital transformation and automation aren’t just enablers—they are the foundation of world-class operations. Industries like automotive, which have long operated under cost pressures, offer valuable lessons in leveraging cutting-edge technologies for continuous improvement. We apply a similar approach, adopting best-in-class automation and digital innovations to enhance efficiency and maintain our competitive edge.

For us, digital transformation is not about adopting technology for the sake of it—it’s about impact. Every digital solution we implement must deliver tangible results, whether it’s improving batch cycle times, reducing waste, enhancing regulatory compliance, or strengthening supply chain resilience. By aligning technology with strategic objectives, we are not just digitising processes; we are creating a more agile, efficient, and future-ready organisation.

This exclusive interview of Christoph Funke, Chief Technical Operations Officer, Lupin was first published in ET Pharma on 25th February 2025