Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, August 2026 — Cipla has promoted Runa Akhtar to Head of Marketing, marking a significant leadership progression for the pharmaceutical marketing professional with over 15 years of industry experience across brand management, product marketing and field sales.
Akhtar has been with Cipla since April 2023, most recently serving as Group Brand Manager in Mumbai. During her more than three years in the role, she strengthened her experience in pharmaceutical brand management before moving into the broader marketing leadership mandate. Her career has developed with a strong focus on therapeutic areas including urology and respiratory care.
Before joining Cipla, Akhtar spent nearly six years with Ipca Laboratories Limited, progressing through multiple product and brand leadership positions. She joined Ipca as Senior Product Manager in 2017, advanced to Group Product Manager in 2020 and subsequently became Senior Group Product Manager in 2022. This progression provided her with extensive experience in pharmaceutical product strategy and portfolio management.
Earlier in her career, Akhtar served as Senior Product Manager at Koye Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd and Centaur Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd. She also spent more than six years with Intas Pharmaceuticals, where she transitioned from frontline commercial responsibilities as a Field Sales Officer to a corporate marketing role as Senior Product Executive. Her experience across both field sales and product management has given her exposure to different stages of pharmaceutical commercialization and brand development.
With her elevation to Head of Marketing, Akhtar brings together experience spanning sales, product management, brand strategy and therapy-focused pharmaceutical marketing. Her appointment represents the latest step in a career built predominantly within the Indian pharmaceutical sector.
About Cipla
Cipla is a global pharmaceutical company that has served healthcare professionals and patients since 1935. Guided by its purpose of “Caring for Life,” the company has a presence in more than 80 countries and provides over 1,500 products across therapeutic categories in more than 50 dosage forms.
Cipla has built a significant presence in respiratory care and other therapeutic areas, with a focus on improving access to high-quality medicines. Its history includes initiatives aimed at improving the accessibility and affordability of treatments, including its landmark effort to expand access to antiretroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS in Africa in 2001.
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