Bio-tech systems
thinker-builder
Dr Ipshita Mandal-Johnson builds bio sciences-startups-systems to think deeply on purpose-psychology-philosophy. She has over 15 years’ experience in academia, private and public sectors in bio sciences, technology and financial services. She is passionate about bio systems thinking-philosophy and nature poetry. Her core values are Introspection, Innovation and Impact.
She had completed a BTech in Biotechnology at the University of Auckland and a PhD in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the University of Cambridge. She co-founded the Global Biotech Revolution in 2012, led the first GapSummit and growth of GBR activities including events in Singapore and the US till 2017 and is currently still a Steering Committee member. She also worked in a synthetic biology and chemistry biotech Nanna Therapeutics as CBO, which was eventually acquired by Astellas Pharmaceuticals for its rare disease pre-clinical assets. She then worked at McKinsey and Company in the India and US offices primarily in the technology, public sector and pharma practice areas (including as Chief of Staff to a $60Bn merger between Takeda and Shire). She has been an advocate for gender lens impact investing and women’s health through Global Bio Fund (invested in Baymatob in 2022 a med tech in maternal health) and the Xcellerator community. She has provided advice to a portfolio of innovative and systemic investment projects in NZ through BioPacific Partners, Impact Lab, Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, MBIE funded RNA Development Platform and Advanced Technologies team.
She is one of the founders of WellyForge, Investment Committee Member in Momentum Wellington, current member of BiotechNZ and an alumni and mentor at First Foundation. She was a former member of Global Women and UNAIDS HIEx Investors Council.
She has given guest lectures at Victoria University of Wellington, Harvard School of Public Health and University of Cambridge CEB. She has been a speaker or been published in NZ Herald, CEICS Nobel Campus, Nature Careers, The Economist Intelligence Unit, SynBioBeta, Global BioEconomy Summit, Women in Bio, Foreign Policy, Nasdaq, and Profit Meets Impact.
She has also been listed an inaugural 40 under 40 for University of Auckland, thrice listed in the 50 Movers and Shakers in UK Bio Business, not accepted Fulbright Science and Technology Award, twice nominated as a Young Global Leader to the World Economic Forum, and invited in the 43rd St Gallen Symposium as a Leader of Tomorrow.