Novartis India Limited announced that the board of directors meeting held on January 29, 2018, approved the appointment of Jawed Zia as Vice Chairman & Managing Director effective March 01, 2018. Jawed Zia is currently Head Pharmaceuticals, Novartis India Limited. Having joined Ciba-Geigy in 1987, he has had a successful career history working across Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Health and Devices in positions of increasing responsibility in various functions of Market Research, Brand Management, Marketing Management, Division Management and Area Management in Ireland, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Singapore, Canada, Switzerland and now in India.

He set up and led the Alcon business in India from 2004 to 2012; he moved to a regional role in Alcon in 2012 following which he joined Novartis India Limited in June 2014 as Head Pharmaceuticals.