Alok Kanti

Bio

Alok Kanti served as President & CEO, Bayer Inc. Canada, from June 2015 to August 2023. He led the pharmaceuticals business and had oversight for all Bayer divisions. Bayer earns revenues of $2.2 billion annually and employs over 1,200 people across Canada.

Alok joined Bayer in 1994, and gained a diverse wealth of experience across geographies and in operational, strategy and product development roles. He held P&L responsibilities across Bayer’s Pharmaceutical, Animal Health, Diagnostic and Consumer Care divisions. He managed organizations in over 27 countries, including USA, China, Japan, Russia, Europe, India, Brazil and Australia and New Zealand. He also helped set up businesses in developing economies such as Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam. Prior to his appointment in Canada, Alok was Managing Director of Bayer Healthcare China, where he built the organization to a leading position in the world’s third largest healthcare market and grew annual revenues to $2.4 billion with over 5,000 employees. In China he was also on the Global Executive Committee of Bayer Pharmaceuticals.

During his tenure in Canada, Bayer Pharma more than doubled its revenue over six years and was awarded Best Employer and Canada’s most admired Corporate Culture by various organizations.

Alok serves as the Chair of the Board at Innovative Medicines Canada, the national association representing Canada’s innovative pharmaceutical industry. Alok is on the Board of Governors of Guelph University, an Advisory Board member of Krembil Centre for Health Management and Leadership at Schulich School of Business, a Board Member of the Canadian German Chamber of Commerce and a Board member of Biotech Canada.

In October 2019, Alok was inducted into the Canadian Healthcare Marketing Hall of Fame, by the National Pharmaceutical Congress for his passion and commitment to patients, stakeholders and the Canadian healthcare industry.

Alok obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from University of Delhi in 1989 and his Master’s in Business Management from the Asian Institute of Management in Manila in 1994, where he was an Asian Development Bank Scholar. He also went on an exchange program at the Marshal School of Business, University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He completed the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program at the University of Toronto. He is married and has two children. He is fluent in Hindi, English and German. He enjoys yoga, cycling and travelling with this family.