Not many fast-track executives choose to move from a high-profile role with a major multinational to a family-run firm with a fraction of the turnover. But Raman Singh opted to do just that when he joined healthcare firm Mundipharma in 2011, and he has had no cause to regret the decision.

“They were already a big company, but not that big, and I could see the potential,” says Singh, who as president for Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East oversees activities in these regions. “It was a gamble, but the family gave me a white canvas to go and do what I wanted. It was up to me to guide them in emerging markets and increase turnover.”

A tenfold growth in annual sales to around US$600 million, with steady expansion for 18 consecutive quarters, makes the case. The secret, Singh says, lies in operating as a network of independent companies and focusing on products for six main therapeutic areas. These include pain and respiratory relief, oncology support care, and ophthalmology.

Research is done at facilities in China, Japan, Singapore, Germany and the US, with market economics determining the choice of production sites. “We often opt to help with rare diseases where the patient population is relatively small, or where nobody else is really focusing on it,” Singh says.

Having grown up in the US, where his father was an entrepreneur and marketing consultant in the FMCG sector, Singh’s initial ambition was to be part of the “gold rush” luring talented recruits to the Bay area. To that end, he studied mechanical engineering at Arizona State University, hoping to get into the tech field to design and build things.

However, by the time he graduated in 1992, the idea had lost its appeal, replaced by a much stronger interest – rare among his peers – in heading overseas, if possible to do something connected to healthcare.

An on-campus interview with Australian firm Ansell led to a job offer in Ayutthaya, the former Thai capital north of Bangkok. The role was as a production line engineer on the 7am shift in a start-up factory making items like surgical gloves and catheters. With minimal experience, Singh jumped in.

“When you are 21 or 22, you have an amazing belief that nothing can stop you,” he says. “Those two years defined me. I faced a number of obstacles, but learned to never give up. I wanted to show what I could accomplish, and that time set me up for the rest of my career.”

In parallel, he signed up for an MBA at the Assumption Business Administration College. This entailed regular six-hour round trips to Bangkok for classes, causing many people to question the advisability and his staying power. “Where necessary, I have always been prepared to go against the norms and do things a little differently,” Singh says.

The MBA opened the door to a head office commercial post in Bangkok, and three years travelling the world on sales missions. Then, seeing a need for a more substantial business education, Singh applied in 1998 for the EMBA at Thunderbird, back in Arizona, including a four-month internship with healthcare giant Bayer to manage a start-up in Cambodia.

“They had no clue about the country, so it was a tough assignment,” Singh says. “My name cards didn’t show the company name, so I wouldn’t become a kidnap target. But it was such an exciting opportunity to go in, do the assembly, set up operations, and start selling products.”

Success there led to a full-time business development position with Bayer in Germany and roles in Singapore and North Carolina handling sales, marketing and strategy. That was a springboard for further international moves – first with Abbott as global marketing director for HIV medication where he turned around their Korean business, and later running commercial operations in emerging markets for GlaxoSmithKline.

Now with Mundipharma, the challenges include continuing an aggressive acquisition strategy – which has seen 35 deals concluded in the past two years – driving innovation and research, and identifying new product areas where there is relatively less competition. While doing this, the aim is to replicate the success of own brands like Betadine, a line of microbicides used to combat the spread of infection in hospitals and homes.

“It has the potential to be a billion-dollar brand; it’s still got a lot of juice. But in terms of strategy, we are being opportunistic and very sensible,” Singh says.

Singh describes himself as restless and someone who doesn’t celebrate any success too long, preferring instead to move on to the next thing. He hints that this is a contributory factor in the firm’s exponential growth over the last five years, which has seen it expand from five markets to 120, from 500 staff to 6,000 or so, from one therapeutic area to six, and from three production companies to 38.

“There is a huge adrenaline kick from achieving what our team has in the last few years,” he says. “Everyone has benefited, including the shareholders, because we have had good strategies and been extremely good in execution. Being under pressure is a privilege and, overall, it is a beautiful thing to have that opportunity.”

When other commitments allow, Singh’s priority is family time at home in Singapore, but he has never been one for extended holidays or long breaks. “I’m a poor benchmark for work-life balance,” he says. “I believe more in work-life integration. For me, a long weekend with the kids works perfectly whenever I want to wind down.”