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Countries are as diverse as they are unique which is why, in the world of business, a cookie cutter approach rarely hits the mark. This is certainly true within the sphere of healthcare, where some markets are more advanced than others, but each holds its own opportunities.
Adapting to this global reality is something that has occupied Thanapathy Kumaraiah since he was promoted in 2023 from his role overseeing Asia and Oceania to also include the Middle East, South Africa and other English speaking African countries, as Global Director ASOC-MEZA at medical device manufacturer Vygon Asia-Oceanic. When he took the position, he already understood the regions’ potential, but he’s sharpened his positive perspective as he has come to better understand each market’s quirks.
“Leading across an even wider geography, from established Asian healthcare systems to emerging markets in the Middle East and Africa, has reinforced that there is no single template,” he tells The CEO Magazine.
“You have to be agile, fast and accountable in each country and resist the temptation to chase quick wins because in this business, quick wins simply aren’t realistic. The milestones that mattered were the ones built on patience and local trust.”
“You have to be agile, fast and accountable in each country and resist the temptation to chase quick wins.”
A measured approach is also required because each market has its own regulatory requirements. For example, the timelines for registration of a product before it can be sold range from six months to as much as six years.
“So you need to think strategically and plan well ahead,” he adds.
But while a local touch must be used as it enters new markets, the global standard is essential, Kumaraiah explains.
“At group level, we are constantly innovating to deliver better products for better clinical outcomes and that bar isn’t moved by geography,” he says.
“What changes is how we bring that standard to life locally. Every market is unique, so we need a tactical plan and trusted advisors specific to each country, rather than a single regional strategy applied uniformly.”
The other major lesson learned by Kumaraiah during his 17-year tenure helping Vygon expand beyond its traditional European stronghold, is that sustainable growth is built on people and key opinion leaders rather than shortcuts. Partnerships with well-regarded organizations such as P&F Cares are also key to this.
“We’ve focused on building strong, locally rooted training centers and knowledge-based teams in each of our priority countries, teams who understand their distributor networks and hospital groups deeply and can support them as true clinical partners,” Kumaraiah explains.
“That takes continuous investment in education and training and in clinicians who trust us enough to want to share their expertise peer-to-peer across markets, so knowledge keeps compounding across the region rather than staying siloed.”
This commitment to excellence has cemented Vygon’s reputation as a true expert in its field, with this hard-earned reputation making its impressive growth trajectory about more than just sales.
“That approach gave distributors and hospital groups a partner they could trust, not just a supplier,” Kumaraiah says. “We want to be seen as a trusted advisor by clinicians and that remains our goal.”
“Over the next five years, I’m confident we’ll make a bigger impact and save more lives. Our ambition is to be a top player in vascular access and we’re moving firmly in that direction, while also remaining very committed to ESG governance.”
Saving lives is one of the major motivators for Vygon, as reflected in its motto ‘Value Life’. Neonatal healthcare is a particular focus, with Kumaraiah highlighting the thousands of babies who are born too soon.
“In many countries, access to the right products is limited,” he points out. “If a country has the products, it often doesn’t have the right people trained to use them. If it has the right people, the healthcare system and socio-economic realities often make it too complex to obtain the products in the first place.”
“We want to be seen by clinicians as a solution provider.”
Regulatory complexity comes into play here too, meaning that Vygon has to be agile to meet the evolving demands of local authorities in order to improve outcomes for patients – not only in the area of neonatal but also vascular and critical care. To make this happen, innovation is crucial, according to Kumaraiah.
“We continually invest in R&D, listening to clinicians to find out what better clinical and patient outcomes actually require,” he says.
“It comes back to a group-level commitment to continuously innovating better products for better clinical outcomes. Every technology or data investment is judged first by its impact on the patient and clinician, not by the technology itself. Data alone can’t provide what strategic innovation can.”
“Leadership is about being able to lead and adapt across different situations, cultures and people.”
This sense of purpose is also instilled in Vygon’s offer of solutions rather than mere products, Kumaraiah continues – although he stressed that having a good product is naturally central to everything the company does.
“We want to be seen by clinicians as a solution provider,” he stresses. “That comes from continuous innovation for better clinical and patient outcomes and from local knowledge-based teams who turn a product into a solution by supporting distributors and hospitals with training and clinical education, not just distribution.”
On a more personal level, Kumaraiah has been given the prestigious Malay honorific title of Datuk, which comes with real standing within the community and among government bodies.
“Receiving this kind of recognition at 47 years old is not something that comes easily and I’m proud that Vygon has been part of that journey,” he reflects. “I can’t say it has changed how I think, exactly, but it has reminded me that I need to continue giving back to people in need. Our CSR efforts should grow and personally, I want to do more for society.”
For Kumaraiah, both this accolade and his shift into a more global role come at the right time.
“It’s allowed me to do more and learn more,” he notes. “Leadership is about being able to lead and adapt across different situations, cultures and people and that’s what has stood by me throughout.”
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