The Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) hosted its third India Leadership Summit (ILS) 2026 in Hyderabad on September 11–12, bringing together hundreds of senior and emerging professionals from healthcare, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, CROs, and Global Capability Centres (GCCs). The summit was anchored in the theme “Command the Shift: Influential Leadership in the Age of AI & Global Capability,” focusing on equipping professionals to shape the future of healthcare and life sciences.
Hands-on training replaces theory
The summit’s first day included four masterclasses at Amgen India, emphasizing practical leadership skills over theoretical discussions. Topics covered influencing across matrixed organizations, building commercial acumen, career reinvention, and leading in areas AI cannot replace. These sessions encouraged participants to develop confidence and influence to handle complex environments and create impact.
Attendees gained actionable skills for immediate application, meaningful relationships for long-term growth, and the confidence to lead through disruption rather than react to it.
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Executives discuss frontline leadership challenges
The second day featured conversations with leaders from Novartis, Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, ZS Associates, and other organizations. Amitabh Dube, country president and managing director of Novartis India, opened the program with a keynote on turning change and uncertainty into leadership opportunities. Discussions explored leading under pressure, reinvention, and transitioning from functional expertise to enterprise leadership.
The summit reinforced that leadership requires influence, conviction, and capability—not just formal positions, to shape decisions and drive outcomes.
India’s leadership development accelerates
The HBA’s India chapter has grown from a small community into one of the fastest-growing professional networks globally, now counting thousands of members. This expansion aligns with India’s rapid hiring growth in healthcare and life sciences: Amgen scaled from zero to 4,000 employees in two years, while MSD Pharmaceuticals plans to hire 9,000 employees soon. The summit’s focus on mentorship, peer networks, and access to experienced practitioners aims to build professionals capable of influencing global decisions.
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Mary Stutts, CEO of HBA, highlighted the summit’s role in connecting experience with emerging talent. She noted, “India has become an increasingly important part of HBA’s global growth story. What stands out is not just the scale of the community, but its ambition to lead, influence, and contribute globally. India Leadership Summit plays an important role in that journey, connecting experience with emerging talent and turning leadership development into real impact.”
The closing session, “The Ripple Effect,” explored how individual leadership decisions create broader impact, extending influence from teams to organizations and the healthcare ecosystem. This reflects HBA’s mission to develop leaders whose contributions extend far beyond their immediate roles.
Dr. Deepa Desai, global board director of HBA and founder of D Cube Consultancy, observed, “HBA’s role is to give [professionals] the community, capability, and confidence to step into that opportunity and make an impact.” The summit’s expansion mirrors the sector’s evolution, where local leadership is essential to global advancement.