Apollo Hospitals' chairman Pratap C Reddy says she is most likely to succeed him

New Delhi: Apollo Hospitals Founder Chairman Prathap C Reddy on Thursday said his daughter Preetha Reddy is likely to succeed him as the Chairman of the Group.

"As things stand today, Preetha is most likely to succeed me as Chairman," Apollo Hospitals Group Chairman Prathap C Reddy told CNBC-TV 18. He also said the ownership shares of the Apollo Hospitals is divided equally and there was no change in Preetha Reddy's shareholding.

Preetha Reddy was elevated as the Executive Vice- Chairperson of the group on Wednesday.

As part of her expanded profile, she will also directly lead portfolio of international business and drive Apollo's aspiration of becoming the global healthcare destination, it

had said.

Preetha will also work with industry bodies and states and the Centre to advance policy matters on important healthcare issues.

On Thursday, in a rejig at its top level, Apollo Hospitals had re-designated Preetha Reddy and Shobana Kamineni as Executive Vice-Chairpersons in a move aimed at reorganisation in line with their expanded roles.

The company had also re-designated Suneeta Reddy and Sangita Reddy, the other daughters of Prathap C Reddy as Managing Director and Joint Managing Director respectively.

Commenting on the development, Prathap C Reddy had said: "As the healthcare landscape in the country and the region changes and expands, this strategic realignment, we believe, will enable Apollo to focus on growth opportunities in hospitals, pharmacies, clinics and health insurance while furthering its clinical leadership and service excellence."

A key person behind Apollo’s growth

Hyderabad: Dr Preetha Reddy, who is set to take over the reins of Apollo Hospitals Group from her father Dr Pratap C Reddy, had joined the healthcare major as Joint Managing Director in 1989. The eldest of Dr Pratap Reddy’s four daughters, she played key role in the expansion of the group which began its journey with a single hospital in Chennai in 1983, and has now grown into a healthcare pioneer with over 50 hospitals with 8,600 beds, a pharmacy chain, 92 primary care and diagnostic clinics and 100 telemedicine units across 10 countries.

Inspired by her father who is considered as father of corporate healthcare by many in the country, Preetha Reddy also spearheaded the group’s growth in highly-specialised and tertiary care hospitals in urban and semi-urban India, primary care and diagnostic family clinics, pharmacies, health education and research endeavours. She also played active role in sharpening Apollo's focus in the areas of global clinical trials, wellness, healthcare consulting, business process operations and healthcare technology services.

She was elevated to the post of Managing Director just five years after she joined the organization. On July 2, 2014, she assumed an expanded role and was elevated to the position of Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited. Dr Pratap Reddy announced in a media interaction on Thursday that Dr Preetha Reddy would eventually succeed him as chairperson of the group.

A B Sc graduate from Chennai-based Stella Maris College, she also did a Masters in Public Administration. She was conferred with the degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) by the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University, Chennai, in recognition of her outstanding work in the field of healthcare. A recipient of Lifetime Achievement award from Loyola Forum for Historical Research, she was a founding member of the National Quality Council, an organisation that provides guidelines on quality standards in Indian Hospitals. Presently, she is President of All India Management Association (AIMA). Her vision is to make India global healthcare destination. Her three sisters - Shobana Kamineni, Suneeta Reddy and Sangita Reddy - also hold key positions in the group.