Princeton-based Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited said it appointed Richard Ascroft as its new North America chief executive officer (CEO). Ascroft brings over three decades of experience in the pharmaceutical industry.
Ascroft is succeeding Abhay Gandhi who played a pivotal role in the growth of the Sun Pharma North America business and will report into Aalok Shanghvi, Sun Pharma’s whole-time Director and Chief Operating Officer.
As North America CEO, Ascroft will be tasked with advancing Sun Pharma’s diverse portfolio of innovative medicines, generics and over-the-counter products in both the U.S. and Canada.
With a background spanning commercial, market access, clinical development and corporate affairs across the U.S. and global markets, Ascroft will be instrumental in guiding the continued growth of the Sun Pharma North America business, including the innovative medicines portfolio which has upcoming commercial launches of new treatments for alopecia areata and squamous cell carcinoma.
“I am honored to join Sun Pharma as the North America CEO,” Ascroft said. “This is an exciting opportunity to lead a dynamic team committed to advancing Sun’s portfolio of generic and innovative medicines. As Sun Pharma continues its growth trajectory, the North America region is poised to bring new treatments to the market and drive significant growth for the business. I look forward to building on our strong foundation, supporting patients throughout their journey and delivering the highest quality generic and innovative medicines to the people we serve.”
Ascroft joins Sun Pharma from Takeda Pharmaceuticals where he most recently served as Senior Vice President and Business Unit Head of U.S. Plasma-Derived Therapies and was a member of both the U.S. and global executive leadership teams.
