Dr Nermeen Varawalla

Catch Nermeen Varawakka on Do Radio: It’s Not About Trees with John Lunn 21st - 27th September 2026.

Dr Nermeen Varawalla is a physician, biotechnology executive and business leader whose career spans clinical medicine, academic research, strategy consulting and pharmaceutical innovation. Originally trained in obstetrics and gynaecology in Mumbai, she moved to the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Research Fellow, where her work in molecular medicine laid the foundations for an international career in biomedical research and healthcare leadership.

Following an MBA at INSEAD, Nermeen transitioned into business, working in strategy consulting before founding and leading companies focused on accelerating clinical trials and drug development. Today she serves as Chief Medical Officer of a UK-listed biotechnology company, helping bring innovative new therapies from scientific discovery to patients around the world.

Alongside her executive career, Nermeen is President of the INSEAD Alumni Association UK and serves on the Board of Governors at the University of Hertfordshire, where she has helped oversee the launch of its new medical school. Throughout her career, she has championed collaboration, lifelong learning and the belief that leadership is ultimately about creating opportunities for others while advancing science for the benefit of society.

Show Notes

In this episode, John Lunn speaks with Dr Nermeen Varawalla, physician, business leader and biotechnology executive, about a career that has bridged medicine, scientific research, strategy and leadership. From training as a doctor in Mumbai to studying at Oxford as a Rhodes Research Fellow, completing an MBA at INSEAD and leading innovation in the pharmaceutical industry, Nermeen reflects on the experiences that have shaped her remarkable journey.

The conversation explores the extraordinary advances taking place in medicine and biotechnology, from breakthroughs in cancer treatment to the growing role of artificial intelligence in drug development. While innovation has transformed healthcare over recent decades, Nermeen also highlights the challenge of ensuring these advances reach everyone, arguing that reducing disparities in access to healthcare remains one of the defining issues of our time.

John and Nermeen also discuss the future of education and leadership. As AI reshapes the workplace, she believes institutions must rethink how they prepare people for lifelong learning, focusing less on memorisation and more on curiosity, critical thinking and the uniquely human qualities that technology cannot replace.

A central theme throughout the discussion is community. Whether through her leadership of the INSEAD Alumni Association UK, her work with the University of Hertfordshire or her commitment to mentoring future leaders, Nermeen reflects on the importance of creating opportunities for others and giving back to the communities that have shaped her own career.

Despite the complexity of today's world, Nermeen remains optimistic. She believes that scientific progress, technological innovation and thoughtful leadership can create a healthier and more equitable future, provided we continue to ask difficult questions, embrace lifelong learning and never lose sight of the people these advances are intended to serve.