Novo Holdings is a world-leading life science investor with a focus on long-term, sustainable value creation with USD 62 billion in assets. Novo Holdings will enhance this position by expanding its geographical investment scope to include Asia, complementing its already extensive investment activities in Europe and the United States. For this purpose, Novo Holdings has appointed Amit Kakar as Head of Asia.

While Novo Holdings has been actively investing in Asia out of its Financial Investments portfolio, the region represents a new opportunity for the Life Science Investments teams. Novo Holdings expects to invest out of three of its life sciences investment areas in Asia: Principal Investments, making sizable investments in leading, well-established life sciences companies; Novo Growth, providing expansion capital to high-growth life sciences companies; and Novo Ventures, investing in venture stage biotech and medical technology companies.

“We have followed the life sciences markets in Asia closely, and the growth, the demographics and the increased focus on innovation and R&D make the region a compelling area for us to explore investment opportunities. The industry is young and dynamic, with an underlying investment ecosystem that is rapidly developing, and we believe that our long-term approach and partnering mindset is well suited to the region”, says Kasim Kutay, CEO at Novo Holdings.

Novo Holdings has hired Amit Kakar as Head of Asia to lead investments and partnerships across the region, focusing primarily on the markets in China, Japan, Singapore and Southeast Asia.

“We are delighted that Amit Kakar is joining Novo Holdings to lead our efforts in Asia. Amit is an experienced business leader and investor with an impressive track record. He brings more than 25 years of valuable leadership and investment expertise within life sciences as well as an in-depth knowledge of our focus Asia markets”, says Kasim Kutay.

Amit Kakar will be based in Singapore and was most recently Head of Business Development and M&A at Everlife Asia, a buy-and-build platform, providing solutions for the healthcare and research industries in South East Asia and India. Prior to this, he has held positions across life sciences investment organizations and corporates in China, India and the United States.

“I am very pleased to be joining Novo Holdings, which has an impressive track record and a long-term approach to investing. The prospect of bringing better healthcare through our investments is a big motivation for me, and I look forward to working with the rest of the senior management team to shape and lead the implementation of an ambitious life sciences investment strategy for Asia,” says Amit Kakar.

Amit Kakar will report to Kasim Kutay, CEO at Novo Holdings. He will start in his new role on 1 August 2020 and will be based in Singapore following a period working out of the Novo Holdings headquarters in Denmark.

About Amit Kakar

Career

2017–2020       Head of Business Development and M&A, Everlife Asia

2015–2016      Co-Founder and Managing Partner Aequus Capital Management

2007–2014      Head of Healthcare Asia at Avenue Capital Group

1993–2007      Various senior management roles at GE (General Electric) Healthcare

Education

M.D in Nuclear Medicine from the Radiation Medicine Centre & Tata Memorial Hospital Mumbai, India

M.B.B.S (Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery) at V.S.S Medical College, Orissa, India