Vani Manja has been appointed as the new country managing director and head of human pharma at Boehringer Ingelheim UK & Ireland, according to a statement.
She brings extensive experience of strategy, marketing, sales, business development, people management, and cultural transformation and is passionate about tackling healthcare inequalities and advancing sustainable healthcare, the statement added.
Manja has been with the Germany-based biopharmaceutical company for over 11 years, in successful leadership roles in Germany, the US and most recently as general manager in India.
“It is with great heart that I bring the spirit of conscious leadership to my new role. I look forward to being fully present and partnering with key stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem in our collective quest to improve health for humans and animals in the UK and Ireland. Our customers, from healthcare professionals and patients, to veterinarians, farmers, pet and horse owners, count on us for continued delivery of innovation and for reliable access to our products and services. Our people are what make our business special, and my top priority is to ensure we maintain the values that Boehringer Ingelheim is known for throughout the world, including furthering conversations around equality, diversity, and inclusion," she said.
“My focus will also be to deliver on our purpose of transforming lives for generations. Like many health systems around the world, the UK and Ireland are experiencing challenging times. I believe we must continue to do all we can to drive innovation in a way that better supports patients and brings more value to health care systems locally and nationally.”
Manja started her career as a commissioned officer in the Indian Army Ordnance Corps and later served in leadership roles at Becton Dickinson and McKinsey.
She holds an MBA and MA in International Studies from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and a bachelor’s degree with Honors in Chemistry from Delhi University.
As a research-driven firm, Boehringer Ingelheim creates value through innovation in areas of high unmet medical need, the company said. It has more than 52,000 employees and serves over 130 markets in human pharma, animal health, and biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing.
Community members pay their respects outside the home of the sole survivor of the crash
Air India’s Catherine West with Indian high commissioner Vikram Doraiswami at India House
Family members pray beside the bodies of Dilip Patel and his wife Meena Patel, who died in the crash
A police officer stands before the wreckage of the Air India aircraft 
