Reshma Kewalramani Among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People Of 2025
Photo: Dina Rudick via Time
India-West News Desk
NEW YORK, NY – Reshma Kewalramani, CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, has been named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2025, a recognition that underscores not only her historic achievements but also the power of visionary leadership in science and medicine.
In the Time profile written by Jason Kelly—co-founder and CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks—Kewalramani’s story is celebrated as the embodiment of the American dream: “Reshma Kewalramani’s journey to become the first female CEO of a large, public U.S. biotechnology company after immigrating from India at age 11 embodies what makes America great,” Kelly writes.
Kewalramani’s rise has been nothing short of groundbreaking. After moving to the U.S. from Mumbai, she completed Boston University’s prestigious seven-year liberal arts and medical education program in 1998, followed by a nephrology fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She later earned a credential from Harvard Business School’s General Management Program in 2015, rounding out her medical expertise with sharp business acumen.
Beginning her career as a physician, Kewalramani served at renowned institutions including Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and MIT, before transitioning into the biopharma industry. She spent more than 12 years at Amgen before joining Vertex in 2017. Within a year, she became the company’s Chief Medical Officer—and by 2020, President and CEO.
“She told us that when you are doing something innovative, if it sounds crazy or impossible, that’s OK—it’s only because no one has done it before,” Kelly recalled in his TIime essay.
Her leadership has indeed redefined what is possible. Under Kewalramani’s guidance, Vertex achieved a historic milestone: the first-ever FDA approval for a CRISPR-based therapy, a treatment that edits patients’ own DNA to combat sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia. This approval isn’t just a scientific breakthrough—it signals a new era in medicine, where genetic editing may soon become a standard route to curing inherited conditions.
“She knows how to effectively push the limits of science while navigating the drug-approval process,” Kelly added. “Reshma is the kind of leader who can deliver that extraordinary future—it only seems crazy because no one’s done it before.”
Beyond scientific achievement, Kewalramani’s impact has been felt in the broader business community. In 2021, Vertex ranked second on The Commonwealth Institute’s list of Top Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts. She also serves on the company’s Board of Directors and lends her expertise to the board of Ginkgo Bioworks.
Today, based in Boston and raising twin sons, Kewalramani stands as a symbol of perseverance, purpose, and pioneering spirit. Her presence on TIME’s list is more than a personal accolade—it’s a nod to the future of biotechnology, and to the leaders bold enough to shape it.
