Adar Poonawalla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adar Poonawalla
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Adar (on left) and Cyrus Poonawalla in 2014
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| Born | 14 January 1981 |
| Citizenship | Indian |
| Education | The Bishop's School (Pune) St Edmund's School Canterbury |
| Alma mater | University of Westminster |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Title | CEO, Serum Institute of India Chairman, Poonawalla Fincorp |
| Term | 2011–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Natasha Poonawalla
(m. 2006) |
| Children | 2 |
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Adar Poonawalla (born 14 January 1981) is an Indian businessman. He is best known for leading the Serum Institute of India, one of the world's largest vaccine makers. He is the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Serum Institute of India and also the Chairman of Poonawalla Fincorp. His father, Cyrus Poonawalla, started the Serum Institute of India.
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About Adar Poonawalla
Adar Poonawalla is the son of Cyrus Poonawala. His family follows the Zoroastrian religion. He is married to Natasha Poonawalla, and they have two children.
His Education
Adar Poonawalla went to school at The Bishop's School (Pune) in India. Later, he studied at the St Edmund's School Canterbury in the UK. He then went on to get his degree from the University of Westminster.
His Career in Vaccines
Poonawalla joined the Serum Institute of India in 2001. This was right after he finished university. At that time, the company sold its vaccines to 35 countries. Adar focused on growing the company's reach around the world.
He worked to get the company's products approved by the World Health Organization (WHO). This approval allowed them to supply vaccines to important groups. These groups included UNICEF and PAHO, which help children globally. By 2015, he had helped the company send its products to over 140 countries. A large part of their income, about 85 percent, came from sales outside India.
In 2011, Adar Poonawalla became the CEO of the Serum Institute. In 2012, he helped the company buy Bilthoven Biologicals. This was a government vaccine company based in the Netherlands. He is also a board member of the GAVI Alliance. GAVI is a global group that works to make vaccines available to everyone.
In 2014, he launched the Serum Institute's oral polio vaccine. This vaccine became very popular for the company. He also planned to make new vaccines for diseases like dengue, flu, and cervical cancer. Today, he continues to be the CEO of the Serum Institute of India.
In 2021, he became the chairman of Poonawalla Fincorp. This happened after he bought a large share in the financial services company.
Ensuring Vaccine Supply
During the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, Adar Poonawalla faced challenges. There were many demands for COVID-19 vaccines. To make sure vaccine production continued safely, he moved to London for a short time. He also said that vaccine production would continue in India. The Indian government gave him special security because of these concerns.
Giving Back to the Community
In 2020, the Serum Institute of India made a big donation. They gave $66 million to the University of Oxford. This money helped create the Poonawalla Vaccines Research Building. This building helps scientists develop new vaccines.
Awards and Recognition
Adar Poonawalla has received many awards for his work:
- In 2016, GQ Magazine named him Philanthropist of the Year. A philanthropist is someone who helps others, often by donating money.
- In 2017, he received the Humanitarian Endeavour Award. He was also named Indian of the Year in the CSR Business Category by CNN-News18.
- In 2018, he received the Business Leader of the Year award. He also got an award for Corporate Social Responsibility from CNBC Asia.
- In 2020, Fortune magazine included him in their '40 Under 40' list. This list highlights successful young people.
- In 2021, he was named Entrepreneur of the Year by Economic Times. This was for his important work in fighting COVID-19. He helped supply many doses of Covishield.
- Also in 2021, Adar was included in the Time 100 list. This is Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
