Forbes China Unveils 2021 List of Outstanding Businesswomen, Featuring 19 Female Leaders from the Pharmaceutical Industry

　　【Pharmaceutical Network | Industry Trends“Female Power” has long been a major theme, with women today demonstrating their strength and wisdom in families, businesses, and society at large. On February 22, Forbes China released its 2021 “China’s Most Powerful Businesswomen” list. Reportedly, this year’s list newly incorporates an innovation dimension, focusing not only on the financial value created by the companies led by female executives but also on the roles these women play within their organizations and the impact they have on corporate growth.
 

Female executives in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sector are a major highlight of this year’s list. In 2021, as many as 19 female leaders from the pharmaceutical industry were included in the “China’s Most Powerful Business Women” list, representing an increase of 15 compared to the four in 2020. This demonstrates that female executives are playing an increasingly important role in China’s pharmaceutical and healthcare industry.
 

Among the 19 female executives on the list, 16 are contributing to the development of domestic Chinese pharmaceutical companies, accounting for more than 80%. Among them, Cao Xiaochun from Tigermed, Zhong Huijuan from Hansoh Pharma, and Zhao Ning from WuXi AppTec ranked in the top three positions on the list of women in the pharmaceutical industry.
 

Notably, Cao Xiaochun of Tigermed and Zhong Huijuan of Hansoh Pharma both ranked in the top ten of the 2021 “China’s Most Outstanding Businesswomen” list, placing seventh and ninth, respectively.
 

Public records indicate that Ms. Cao Xiaochun graduated with a major in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, and holds an in-service master’s degree in Pharmacy from the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University. She is also a licensed pharmacist and holds the title of Senior Engineer. In 2004, she co-founded Hangzhou Tigermed with Dr. Ye Xiaoping and served as Deputy General Manager. Tigermed was officially listed on the ChiNext board in 2012. Currently serving as a Director and President of Tigermed, she is responsible for the company’s daily operational management, major business operations, and external decision-making. Ms. Cao possesses over 25 years of experience in drug research and development, registration, and clinical research, along with extensive corporate management expertise. As a leading innovative clinical CRO, Tigermed has participated in clinical trials for more than 130 domestic innovative drugs. Tigermed is also the third CRO company to achieve dual “A+H” share listings, following WuXi AppTec and Pharmaron. Since its listing in 2012, Tigermed’s stock price has increased fifteen-fold over the past eight years.
 

Hansoh Pharma’s operating entity is Jiangsu Hansoh Pharmaceutical, which primarily focuses on six key therapeutic areas: central nervous system, oncology, anti-infectives, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. The company holds a leading position in the treatment of psychiatric disorders in China. Public information indicates that Zhong Huijuan transitioned from the teaching profession to the pharmaceutical industry, founding Hansoh Pharmaceutical and demonstrating increasing resolve along this path. On June 14, 2019, Zhong Huijuan led Hansoh Pharma to its listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. On the first day of trading, the stock price surged by as much as 49%, closing with a market capitalization of HK$113.3 billion. To date, Hansoh Pharma’s market capitalization has exceeded RMB 200 billion. As the founder, Chairwoman, and CEO of Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Company Limited, Zhong Huijuan’s net worth has risen in tandem with the rapid growth of the healthcare sector. In the 2020 Forbes Healthcare Rich List, Zhong Huijuan ranked first with a net worth of $19.5 billion.
 

Additionally, three other female executives on the list serve as heads of multinational pharmaceutical companies’ China operations: Zhou Xiaping, Senior Vice President of Novo Nordisk and President of Greater China; Zhou Hong, President of Roche Pharmaceuticals China; and Zhang Ying, President of Novartis China.