Nilima Prasad Divi on where Divi’s spends, invests, and expands

Anticipating risks before they disrupt operations and ensuring commercial decisions support long-term growth are central to leadership in pharmaceutical manufacturing. At Divi’s Laboratories, Nilima Prasad Divi, Whole-time Director, Commercial, applies this approach across procurement, capital projects, corporate finance and investor relations, connecting decisions across functions rather than viewing them in isolation.

Divi’s approach centres on strengthening supply chain resilience, maintaining financial discipline, and ensuring that the company has the capabilities to meet customer requirements as its business grows.

“A decision that appears efficient in one area may have wider implications for operations, cash flow or future capacity,” she says.

The importance of this approach became apparent towards the end of FY26, when geopolitical tensions in West Asia disrupted shipping routes, affected freight costs and container availability, and complicated the movement of certain critical raw materials. For a pharmaceutical manufacturer with an extensive international customer base, such disruptions can affect production schedules and delivery commitments.

Divi says the company’s preparations included diversifying its supplier base, deepening domestic sourcing relationships, and improving coordination among procurement, production, and planning teams. During the disruptions, it reviewed material availability more frequently and worked closely with suppliers and logistics partners to minimise the impact on operations.

“Resilience is not built in response to a crisis; it is built through consistent planning, strong supplier relationships and disciplined execution,” Divi says.

For her, this reflects a broader principle of commercial management: risk preparedness must be built into routine decision-making rather than treated as a response to an immediate problem. Procurement planning, supplier relationships, and coordination with manufacturing teams all play a role in ensuring continuity.

The company’s financial performance in FY26 provides the business context for these responsibilities. Divi’s Laboratories reported consolidated revenue from operations of `10,560 crore, an increase of 12.8% from `9,360 crore in FY25. Consolidated profit after tax rose 17.2% to `2,568 crore from `2,191 crore. Exports accounted for nearly 89% of sales revenue, while custom synthesis contributed approximately 55% of the product mix and generics the remaining 45%.

Nilima’s role involves ensuring that such investments are supported by the right sourcing arrangements, infrastructure, and financial planning. Capital allocation, she says, must take account of both current operating requirements and the company’s future needs. A manufacturing investment has implications for procurement, cash flow, and operational readiness, making coordination across commercial functions essential.

Growing up in a family where sons and daughters were treated equally shaped her perspective on professional opportunity. She believes the same principle should apply at work.

She has also come to place greater emphasis on the wider consequences of business decisions as her responsibilities have expanded. “I have become more conscious of the need to look at the bigger picture, anticipate risks and bring different perspectives together before arriving at a decision,” she says.

This approach will be relevant as Divi’s Laboratories looks to capitalise on opportunities in custom synthesis, complex molecules, and peptides.

Her advice to young women entering business is to build strong fundamentals, remain curious, and understand how different functions contribute to an organisation’s performance. 

@neetu_csharma