With the life sciences sector in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region booming, traditional hiring methods are no longer sufficient. Shivani Nadarajah, Cytiva’s Senior Director of Human Resources for APAC, highlights the importance of internal mobility, AI readiness, and ongoing learning in shaping the workforce of tomorrow.
Early Career Shaped Leadership Style
Shivani Nadarajah spent a decade discovering her true professional calling. Before becoming Cytiva’s Senior Director of Human Resources for APAC, she worked in supply chain, sourcing steel for wind turbines. Although HR wasn’t initially in her plans, she adopted the opportunity when it arose. Reflecting on her journey, she describes it as finally finding her professional home.
Her decade outside HR continues to influence her leadership approach today. Instead of relying solely on policies and procedures, Shivani emphasizes the need for HR leaders to understand the businesses they support. “You need to understand the context before you can really manage and support HR strategies, and that even goes for here at Cytiva,” she explains.
This business-centric perspective is invaluable in her current role, where she oversees HR across APAC for Cytiva, a global life sciences company with over 15,000 employees in more than 40 countries. Leading in one of the world’s most diverse regions requires balancing global consistency with local needs, which Shivani believes cannot be achieved through a uniform approach.
Balancing Global Strategy with Local Insights
A guiding philosophy, inspired by her general manager, shapes her leadership. It influences everything from talent strategies to regional business partnerships. In her conversation with Umairah Nasir, Shivani reflects on her unique career path, her role leading HR in APAC, and why meaningful experiences, not just hiring, are essential for building the future workforce.
For Shivani, leading HR in APAC means more than being a regional leader—it means acting as a bridge. She collaborates with Cytiva’s global HR team to adapt company-wide priorities into regional strategies, while relying on local HR teams to ensure these strategies align with market conditions. “I have a fantastic team that really understands the nuances of the countries and regions that they support,” she says. “What we want to execute at a global level sometimes doesn’t align with the market forces of the region,” she notes.
Rather than seeing this as a challenge, Shivani views it as a key part of her role. She frequently travels across APAC, meeting employees, business leaders, and customers to understand local realities, which she then shares with global headquarters. When travel isn’t possible, she conducts virtual conversations to ensure regional perspectives are included in strategic discussions.
Equally important is developing the next generation of leaders within her team. “My goal is to [ensure they do] not need me in the future and really build that expertise and that capability here,” she says with a smile. For Shivani, effective leadership is measured by how well leaders prepare others to take on greater responsibilities.
She recognizes the region’s immense technical expertise and market knowledge but sees an opportunity to help professionals build confidence in communicating their strengths. “How do you raise yourself and advocate for yourself?” she asks. These skills are increasingly vital as organizations expand globally and employees collaborate with diverse stakeholders.
APAC’s role in biopharma is evolving, as are its talent needs. Shivani notes that APAC is one of the industry’s fastest-growing regions, driven by increased investment, expansion, and demand for healthcare innovation. Countries like Singapore, India, and South Korea are playing larger roles, fueled by efforts to improve therapy access and accelerate drug development.
It’s an exciting time for biotech. Rather than just supporting external innovation, many Asian markets are now driving growth independently, with the East emerging as a major player. India’s expanding biosimilars industry is a prime example. By increasing access to affordable therapies, the country is helping patients who previously struggled to obtain treatment.
This momentum creates opportunities for organizations in the region, but also raises a critical question: Can the workforce keep up? Hiring alone is no longer sufficient.
Preparing for an AI-Driven Future
To prepare employees, Shivani promotes learning programs focused on uniquely human skills—critical thinking, creativity, and interpersonal communication. These abilities, she argues, cannot be easily replicated by machines. At Cytiva, AI readiness is not just a technical upgrade but a cultural shift requiring ongoing coaching and psychological safety for experimentation.
