Sai Life Sciences, a leading global Contract Research, Development & Manufacturing Organization (CRO-CDMO), announced the appointment of Sauri Gudlavalleti as its Chief Operating Officer. Gudlavalleti will report to the CEO and MD, Krishna Kanumuri and drive the company's growth as a new generation, science-driven organisation.

Gudlavalleti joins Sai Life Sciences from Dr Reddy's Laboratories where he was heading Global R&D and Portfolio Management for small molecule API & Formulations, encompassing portfolio & strategy, development, technology transfer, CRO/ CDMO partnerships, IP, regulatory affairs and clinical affairs. Over his seven-year tenure there, he spearheaded a multifold increase in the R&D pipeline, significantly globalised the R&D efforts with an impetus on fast-growing emerging markets and brought about a pioneering transformation in R&D through data and analytics. More recently, Gudlavalleti led the development, approval and launch of the company's covid portfolio, partnering with global large pharma innovators, in record time.

Before Dr Reddy's, Gudlavalleti was at McKinsey & Co for six years where he successfully delivered on several client engagements with a focus on operational transformation spanning product development, service delivery and manufacturing operations. Previously, he spent nine years in the US, working on advanced technologies at MIT, GE and Qualcomm. He holds nine US patents and has published in multiple peer-reviewed journals and conferences. Sauri is a B.Tech from IIT Madras, an MS from MIT and an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad.