June 18, 2015
Alumni Highlight: Raj Kannan (MBA '90)
Raj Kannan (MBA ’90) arrived at ECU in 1987 from India with $500 in his pocket
to begin his MBA studies and a new life in the U.S. Thanks to his hard work, savvy networking, and what he calls “a few lucky breaks,” he has made his mark internationally as a global pharmaceutical executive.
Raj Kannan
During his distinguished career, Kannan has worked in various roles of increasing responsibility from sales, marketing, and business development to business unit head roles in five different countries: India, U.S., Germany, Canada, and Switzerland. He developed a particular strength in leading and planning global product launches, including launching brands in the United States, the largest pharmaceutical market in the world. The brands he has helped launch currently gross more than $8 billion in worldwide annual sales. Since August 2014, Kannan has served as vice president, global commercial head for the Merck Group in Geneva, Switzerland. He strives to make innovative medicines accessible and affordable to patients around the world.
Choosing ECU for his MBA was easy, he says – mainly because of its proximity to pharmaceutical companies like Burroughs Wellcome (now part of GSK) and other pharma companies located in Greenville and in RTP. He wanted a school that might have connections, helping him tie in his undergraduate degree in chemistry from the University of Madras and his love of the industry to a career within Pharma.
At ECU, Kannan says he fell in love with North Carolina and the United States – in more ways than one.
“I became an American, thanks to East Carolina!” Kannan said. “The College of Business boosted my confidence, besides teaching me the fundamentals of running and managing a business. I am indebted to the U.S. and to ECU for believing in me. I found lifelong friends at ECU that I keep in touch with plus, I met my future wife, Anne, in Greenville – so it will always be home to me.”
As a student, Kannan says he loved the access and connectivity he had to his professors, plus the small town and community feel appealed to him, especially coming from a large city (Mumbai) in India. He also enjoyed the camaraderie with students and the tightly knit international student body.
Since his wife’s family lives in eastern North Carolina, Kannan enjoys visiting ECU’s campus when he visits his in-laws and takes the opportunity to walk down memory lane, strolling the streets near campus including S. Eastern Street where he lived in a house with other roommates.
Kannan says he strengthened his knowledge base, his critical thinking skills, and his passion at ECU, and he encourages other students to find their passion and what they are especially good at in their life.
“Develop an expertise and have an ‘anchor or entry point’ to grow from in your chosen industry,” Kannan said. “Network and keep abreast of the latest developments in your field. I know I have done well for someone who landed at ECU with not much in my pocket, but with the hope and promise of the American dream. Thankfully, a few enlightened individuals (especially my wife) gave me a chance and bet on me, and I have continued to repay this gratitude by helping others when and where I could. It would be a privilege to assist a promising ECU graduate who wishes to make his or her mark in the exciting and challenging health care industry with career counseling and/or with networking. It’s important to pay it forward.”