Read the Conversation
Meeting highlights:
- Growing Footprint in India: In just 5 years, Alcon has established R&D capabilities, high-quality standards, and regulatory procedures, building a strong reputation and credibility in specialized eye care.
- Home to AGS: India serves as the strategic global center for Alcon global service centers, underscoring the country’s strategic importance in adding value to the company’s global operations.
- Patient-Centric Innovation: Alcon is dedicated to enhancing the entire patient journey beyond just medicines and instruments, aiming to make the process smoother, faster, and more effective through comprehensive and integrated solutions.
- Talent Contribution to Global Leadership: India’s highly educated and skilled workforce offers significant potential across various capabilities, contributing to the country's role in global leadership.
EF: Could you elaborate on your role within the company and explain the significance of India’s operations in Alcon's global strategy?
VD: The division I manage for Alcon is Alcon Global Services (AGS). The company operates with a captive center model with four key locations. India serves as our global center, focusing on strategization and centralization, and is complemented by regional centers in Kuala Lumpur in Asia-Pacific, Warsaw in Poland, and Mexico City in Mexico.
Our journey began in April 2019 when Alcon separated from Novartis and became an independent company. I was the second employee hired for AGS India, and today, we have grown to a team of about 2,200 people across all four centers.
While our headcount is impressive, the range of capabilities we have built at AGS really stands out. Alongside typical shared services like Finance, IT, and HR, we have expanded into areas critical for a medical device and healthcare company, such as R&D operations, quality, and regulatory affairs.
Like any new setup, we started with a small pilot to prove our credibility and build a strong reputation within the company. This was the first time Alcon established its own shared services, creating a fantastic opportunity for those from outside the company. We built a lot of talent from the ground up, leveraging Alcon’s 78-year legacy in the medical device industry and its strong relationships with doctors and healthcare professionals to bring our vision to life.
In just five and a half years, Alcon has expanded its global footprint to include over 24,000 associates worldwide, with approximately 9% based in our AGS centers. This rapid growth is a testament to the value of our shared services model, which provides 24/5 support across multiple time zones. Navigating the challenges of COVID-19 was a significant milestone. Despite the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, we successfully hired 700-800 new associates and transitioned our operations to a fully virtual environment. This experience has equipped us with the flexibility and resilience to continue scaling our business.
EF: As a specialist in eyecare, how has Alcon helped address the challenges of eye diseases and improved patient outcomes through innovation?
VD: According to a WHO report, by 2050, nearly half of the world’s population is expected to be living with a vision impairment. (Link) This is concerning, especially as children today spend much more time on screens than previous generations. Experts recommend at least an hour of outdoor play daily to help prevent myopia, but screen time is increasing the risk of eye problems globally.
Do we have enough doctors to meet this growing demand? At Alcon, we see it as our responsibility to address this challenge.
We are focused on helping doctors increase surgical efficiency, allowing them to perform more surgeries without burnout. By optimizing tools and processes, we aim to improve patient access.
We also see inefficiencies in the patient journey, especially in emerging markets. From diagnosis to surgery and post-op care, there are many non-value-added steps. Our goal is to streamline this process, making eye care more efficient and accessible. We are focusing on the entire end-to-end journey of a patient, not just the medicines, instruments, or consumables we produce. The goal is to make that journey smoother, faster, and better.
Innovation is at the core of our strategy. Eye diseases evolve, and we are committed to staying ahead by addressing unmet needs. That is why we invest nearly $800 M annually into R&D, with a team of around 1800 dedicated professionals to develop new solutions.
While accessibility in developed regions is generally good, many underserved areas face limited access to eye care. Alcon is actively making a difference through partnerships with organizations like Orbis, Sight Savers, and Mercy Ships initiative (link) that provide critical ophthalmic care to underserved patients from remote regions and ophthalmic training to local eye care providers. These initiatives bring advanced eye care to areas where local infrastructure cannot support it. Alcon’s purpose is “helping people see brilliantly."
EF: How is Alcon using digital technology to enhance access to eyecare and improve operational efficiency?
VD: Alcon has been at the forefront of digital technologies for several years. We focus on the entire ecosystem—the end-to-end patient journey, the doctors, healthcare professionals, and even hospital administration.
Experienced surgeons perform up to 25 - 30 surgeries daily, highlighting the importance of efficiency in eye care. However, the demanding nature of these procedures can lead to surgeon burnout and fatigue.
Alcon's innovative technology allows surgeons to perform eye procedures using digital displays and 3D glasses, reducing physical strain. This approach enhances both the doctor's health and the patient's experience.
Another key aspect to focus on is enhancing the flow of information. By streamlining patient data sharing across healthcare systems, we can reduce redundancy and improve the overall patient experience. Alcon’s SMART Counselor application captures patient information once and makes it accessible throughout their eye care journey, eliminating the need for repeated data entry and ensuring a more efficient and patient-centered experience.
We are also developing digital platforms that provide real-time inventory updates and scheduling, simplifying the process for doctors to plan surgeries and ensure the necessary lenses are available.
One of our key digital innovations is the SMART Cataract application, the first application in Alcon’s comprehensive cloud-based platform, uniquely designed for surgical ophthalmic practices to enhance customer and patient experience.
Similarly, the MyAlcon Store enhances convenience by allowing eye care professionals to order Alcon products (IOLs and surgical consumables or contact lenses and vision care products) easier and faster, anytime, day or night. These digital solutions improve patient experiences and health outcomes by simplifying access and ensuring the timely delivery of necessary products.
EF: What are the key market opportunities for health tech in India, and how can Alcon leverage these to expand its presence and investments in the country?
VD: Based on my over two decades of experience in the industry, I see significant opportunities in India regarding the demand and supply of eye care. First, there is a critical need for awareness. Many individuals do not realize they are developing eye diseases until it is too late, especially in rural areas. Improving accessibility is not just about building more hospitals but empowering rural healthcare professionals to identify eye diseases and raise awareness. Once people recognize an issue, they are more likely to seek treatment. It is crucial to understand how we can bridge this gap in awareness and facilitate better, more efficient care for patients.
India is one of the leading countries in smartphone usage and internet connectivity, and this presents a unique opportunity. Leveraging this technology can significantly increase awareness and help individuals recognize the importance of eye health. Maybe in the future, applications can assist in self-assessments, encouraging people to seek professional check-ups for themselves and their families.
Furthermore, given the large market potential in India, there are great opportunities for companies like Alcon to enhance and expedite clinical trials and other initiatives, ultimately leading to improved access to eye care solutions.
India is now a vibrant hub for trials across sectors, including healthcare, and Alcon has a strong R&D presence here. Our teams, including biostatisticians, clinical data managers, software developers, and software verification engineers, collaborate globally to speed product development. Last year, we opened a 6,000 sq. ft. R&D lab in India, focusing on hardware-software integration to ensure compatibility with both Alcon and other manufacturers’ products, as doctors often use a mix of equipment.
Our AGS India teams play a crucial role in software verification and validation testing, reducing testing time and maximizing productivity by collaborating across time zones. This approach enhances efficiency and accelerates product launches, helping us maintain a competitive edge in the fast-evolving eye care market.
EF: As India transitions into a new era in healthcare, moving beyond its reputation as the "pharmacy of the world," what new nickname or concept would you propose to represent the country's future in this sector?
VD: India should move beyond being just the "pharmacy of the world" and position itself as a comprehensive “solution provider for global healthcare.” With its vast capabilities, the country has a unique opportunity to integrate services and technologies, driving innovative healthcare solutions.
Supported by government initiatives, this collaborative approach sets India up for transformation over the next decade. Much like Silicon Valley became synonymous with tech innovation, India could emerge as a hub for holistic healthcare solutions, leveraging its strengths in IT, clinical research, and product development to address global health needs. It is an exciting time for India's healthcare landscape.
EF: Do you have a final message for our readers?
VD: The future of talent in India is promising, with significant investment in upskilling, particularly with technologies like machine learning processes or generative AI. Companies that excel in this will gain a competitive edge.
It is crucial to invest in the existing workforce. As per market reports (link), India is poised to lead, with around 6,500 Indian executives in global roles within GCCs, projected to reach 30,000 by 2030. The challenge is sourcing and developing middle management for these roles. We need to provide exposure to global practices to help them thrive.
India has immense talent development potential. It should be viewed not just as a cost-effective resource pool but as a hub for leadership. Many successful global leaders have emerged from India, and this momentum will accelerate in the next 5 to 10 years, especially in healthcare.
Education is evolving, with universities adapting to prepare students for data science and tech roles, and the government is supporting these initiatives, positioning India well for the future.
