Cohance Lifesciences Appoints Ex-Cipla CEO Umang Vohra as Group CEO

Cohance Lifesciences has appointed Umang Vohra as its Executive Chairman and Group CEO, marking a strategic leadership transition aimed at accelerating growth and strengthening execution. As per an exchange filing, Vohra will take over as Executive Chairman from May 1, 2026, and assume the role of Group CEO from May 20, as the company advances its broader transformation agenda. Backed by Advent International, the Mumbai-listed contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) is positioning this leadership change as a key step toward long-term value creation.

The transition follows the exit of the current CEO, Sharma, who is stepping down due to personal reasons. To ensure continuity, he will remain in an advisory role for the next nine months. The company has emphasized that this move is intended to strengthen execution capabilities and better align the business with its long-term growth strategy. Vohra, in his statement, highlighted confidence in the organisation’s strong R&D capabilities, technology platform, and leadership team as a solid foundation for future growth.

Bringing over three decades of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Vohra joins from Cipla, where he served as CEO and Managing Director since 2016. During his tenure, he led strategic initiatives across growth, digital transformation, and manufacturing expansion. His departure is part of a planned succession, with Achin Gupta stepping into a leadership role at the company. Prior to Cipla, Vohra spent nearly 14 years at Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, where he held multiple senior leadership roles, including Executive Vice President for North America Generics and Chief Financial Officer, contributing significantly to business strategy and development.

Cohance’s decision to bring in an experienced industry leader reflects its focus on scaling its CDMO platform at a time when global demand for pharmaceutical development and manufacturing services is rising. With increasing innovation in therapies and ongoing shifts in global supply chains, the sector is witnessing strong momentum. The company aims to leverage Vohra’s expertise to navigate scale, complexity, and competitive pressures while strengthening execution and deepening client partnerships. His appointment signals a clear intent to combine strong leadership with existing platform capabilities to drive sustained growth in an evolving pharmaceutical landscape.