From navigating the implications of patent cliffs to unlocking AI’s potential in drug development, Priya Chandran blends scientific fluency and commercial acumen to guide the world’s leading health care companies through high-stakes challenges. Priya is BCG’s global leader for biopharmaceuticals. Her 25-year journey at BCG is defined by purpose, pragmatism, and people-first leadership.
I grew up in a small apartment in Mumbai where the door was always open, sometimes to a houseguest staying for the night—or one staying for ten months. That constant flow of people shaped my sense of community early on. You take care of people, and they go on to take care of other people.
My mother was a schoolteacher, and she, along with my father, taught me to be generous and resilient and to work hard. With their guidance, I internalized a simple mindset that remains a big influence on how I lead today: Be useful. Stay grounded. Lead with care.
When I came to the US for graduate school at the University of Michigan, I arrived to find an immediate community of like-minded individuals. I gravitated toward science, because it’s always evolving, it’s intellectually thrilling, and it has the potential to improve lives. What started as a fascination with molecular biology evolved into a passion for translating science into impact. That throughline continues to guide my work.
Finding a Home at the Intersection of Science and Strategy
I didn’t set out to become a consultant. Coming from science, I entered business school still unsure what the “business” part really meant. But the idea of solving complex problems across industries drew me in, and I found myself interviewing with consulting firms.
What stood out about BCG was the people. I remember interviewing with Rich Lesser, who went on to become our CEO and is now BCG’s chairman. He showed up casually dressed and was curious, thoughtful, and humble. Not what I expected from a high-powered consultant. That moment crystallized something bigger: this was a place where smart didn’t mean sharp edges. It felt like a culture where I could belong.
I joined BCG 25 years ago and stayed because that culture endured. BCG provided a home at the intersection of science and strategy, one that aligns my intellectual interests and my personal values and allows me to help biopharma companies navigate transformation with clarity and compassion. I care about our clients and about the patients who will benefit from scientific advances.
Reinventing Biopharma’s Business Model in the Age of AI
Over the last few years, the business model of biopharma has been under significant pressure. Patent cliffs, policy shocks, and rising expectations from patients and payers are all hitting at once.
I spend much of my time with organizations rethinking how they create and sustain value in this environment: how they refill pipelines to manage loss of exclusivity, where they lean in to external innovation and partnerships, and how they rebuild R&D and commercial engines to be both more productive and more resilient. The challenge is designing a model in which scientific breakthroughs rapidly translate into products that can generate sufficient growth and profitability to sustain the innovation engine.
Two big parts of the solution are AI and advances in technology. We’re now well past the phase of pilots and hype. In our recent work on GenAI in health care, we saw companies report tangible impact—25% of biopharma companies reported that AI accounted for cost reductions and revenue increases of at least 5%, along with significant improvements in speed and agility. In areas like molecular invention, AI is helping teams understand complex biology, design better molecules with fewer safety issues, and move more quickly toward viable drugs. Downstream, it’s transforming how trials are designed and managed, from predicting which sites will enroll to making protocols more patient-friendly. Advances in technology are also allowing patients and providers to consume more information in real time and allowing companies to meet their customers’ needs in a more targeted way. These are not abstract use cases; they are already changing how biopharma companies compete.
What excites me most is connecting these advances end to end to sustain the promise of better, more affordable, and more accessible medicines. My role is to bring an outside-in perspective that is grounded in science but anchored in commercial reality: which capabilities truly differentiate you, where AI will genuinely move the needle, and how to build a portfolio and a business model that can withstand both the next breakthrough and the next shock.
Putting People Before Projects
People over projects is a principle I come back to again and again. I believe the most lasting impact comes from empowering great people.
I’ve always approached leadership with a bias toward teaming—finding the right people for the problem and empowering them to lead. I aim to bring a sense of calm, even in high-stakes moments, and a big part of that comes from knowing I have exceptional people around me. I’m intentional about building teams with complementary strengths and then getting out of their way. My role is to enable, not overshadow. Clients pay a premium for excellence, and I take that seriously. We owe them substance over optics, honesty over bravado, and clarity about where we can truly create value.
Mentorship is also core to how I lead. I’ve been fortunate to have incredible women mentors, and I try to pay that forward. Many of my clients and team members are women—not by design, but because of relationships that have grown over time. It’s a reminder that representation matters. People need to see themselves reflected in leadership to believe they can get there.
Looking Ahead: Purpose, Patients, and Possibility
There’s still so much to solve in health care. Mental health, for instance, remains a frontier of unmet need. If I had a magic wand, I’d fast-track our understanding of the brain to bring meaningful advances to people struggling in silence.
I’m also energized by the opportunity to transform how care is delivered. More efficient systems mean more resources for upstream innovation—and more impact for patients.
What keeps me motivated is the blend of purpose, people, and potential. BCG has always offered me the chance to stay ahead of the curve, to work with brilliant minds, and to lead with purpose. That’s a rare combination. I don’t take it for granted.
