Reshma Kewalramani, the Mumbai-born CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, has been named among Fortune’s 100 Most Powerful People in Business, along with global industry icons like Mark Zuckerberg, Mukesh Ambani, and Sundar Pichai.
Who is Reshma Kewalramani?
Currently leading Vertex, a biotech giant valued at $110 billion, Kewalramani’s journey began in Mumbai, where she was born, before moving to the United States at the age of 11. She initially pursued a career in medicine, working as a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, as per a report by Hindustan Times.
After several years in clinical practice, she pivoted to the biopharma industry, taking on various leadership roles in research and development. In 2017, she joined Vertex Pharmaceuticals, quickly rising to the role of Chief Medical Officer the following year.
By April 2020, she had been appointed as the company’s Chief Executive Officer, becoming the first female CEO of a major US biotech company. She also serves on the firm’s board.
Kewalramani at rank 62
Reshma Kewalramani enters the list at Rank 62, making her one of the highest-ranking Indian-origin women featured.
“Reshma Kewalramani, who brings her experience as a licensed doctor to her leadership, took the helm as CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in 2020, having previously served as the biopharma company’s chief medical officer,” Fortune highlighted.
Other Indians on the list
The 2025 list is topped by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, followed by Satya Nadella (Rank 2), whose early artificial intelligence (AI) bets with OpenAI have put Microsoft in a strong position. Other Indian or Indian-origin leaders on the list include:
Sundar Pichai (Google CEO): Rank 6
Mukesh Ambani (Reliance Industries): Rank 56
Neal Mohan (YouTube CEO): Rank 83
Gautam Adani: Rank 96
