It’s been one month since we welcomed Sri Ramaswami as Global Head, Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations to Galapagos. From the moment he arrived, we’ve come to know him as a creative, kind soul with a passion for advancing science. His personal experiences, including the loss of close relatives to cancer, have further driven him to dedicate his career to helping communicate life-saving breakthroughs. We sat down with Sri to hear about his journey, his reflections on his first 30 days, and his commitment to revolutionizing patient care across oncology and immunology – areas where Galapagos is ambitious to make a profound impact.
Sri Ramaswami (Global Head, Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations) shares his experiences after working 1 month at Galapagos
Galapagos: Sri, you’ve just passed your one-month milestone at Galapagos. How has the experience been so far?
Sri: It’s been an incredible start. I’ve had the privilege of meeting brilliant scientists, talented colleagues and passionate leaders who are all deeply committed to transforming patient outcomes. What stands out most is the synergy between passion and precision. We’re pursuing science with both heart and head, constantly thinking about how to better serve patients. Whether it’s our work in hemato-oncology or our efforts in autoimmune diseases like lupus and dermatomyositis, we’re pushing boundaries, and that truly excites me.
Galapagos: In your career, you’ve worked in a variety of therapeutic areas. We know oncology is close to your heart, but Galapagos also has key initiatives in immunology. Can you talk about the importance of expanding research in both areas?
Sri: “Cancer took my beloved sister Brinda. So yes, of course, it’s very personal.”
Sri: Absolutely. Oncology has been a central part of my career, driven by my personal connection to cancer. It’s an unfair disease. It goes after children, it affects people in the prime of life, and it cheats us of moments that matter most. We’ve come incredibly far, but there is still a huge unmet need for people facing cancer. The evolution of weapons to fight cancer has been one of intrigue, victory and failure. The idea that the body’s own immune system has the power to kill cancer is indeed the story of our century. That’s what we’re trying to harness in cell therapy.
Look, cancer took my beloved sister Brinda. So yes, of course, the fight against cancer for me is deeply personal. It is for many of us, unfortunately. With planning, purpose, perseverance, and pioneering science, we have the toolkit to kill cancer, and we must.
And I’m learning more each day about the enormous unmet needs in autoimmune diseases too. Take lupus and myositis: both diseases which can severely impact quality of life, and they don’t receive the attention they deserve. What excites me about Galapagos is that we’re not just treating these diseases. We’re working to understand the mechanisms behind them to create better, more targeted, best-in-class therapies. Every patient—whether facing cancer or an autoimmune condition, deserves that hope.
Galapagos: You’ve spoken about your personal connection to cancer, particularly through the story of your sister Brinda. How does her story and those of patients like Benita, Annemarie, and Dr. Brian Koffman shape your approach at Galapagos?
Sri on his first month at Galapagos: “I’ve had the privilege of meeting brilliant scientists, talented colleagues and passionate leaders who are all deeply committed to transforming patient outcomes.”
Sri: Losing Brinda to cancer changed everything for me. It’s why I’ve become even more adamant about dedicating my career to this field, not just to contribute to finding solutions, but to communicate the importance of those solutions to the world.
Every day, I think of Brinda and wonder what she would say about the work we’re doing. At Galapagos, I’ve also had the chance to hear from people like Benita, who lives with dermatomyositis (DM, red.), and Annemarie, who has systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, red.). Their resilience is humbling. Dr. Brian Koffman’s journey with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL, red.) – a blood cancer – is another reminder of why our work is so critical.
Their stories inspire me to try and understand the challenges they face, and to help them voice their needs. We’re trying to empower patients as much as we can, as we aim to involve them in every step of drug development at Galapagos.
Galapagos: Looking forward, what are your goals for your role at Galapagos?
Sri: My goal is to amplify the incredible work we’re doing and ensure that we communicate not just the science, but also the people behind it. Whether it’s through advances in cell therapy or breakthroughs in small molecules, Galapagos is at the forefront of pioneering new therapies.
My role is to ensure that people – whether patients, investors, or healthcare providers – understand the profound impact of our work. I want to leave a legacy of having helped advance the conversation around patient care, in oncology, lupus, myositis, and beyond, and to show that Galapagos is making a real difference in people’s lives. Together, we can and must leave this world better than we found it. And I know, with conviction, that the people of this great company share the same vision.
Galapagos: Thank you for the conversation, Sri. All the best!
If you’d like to follow Sri’s journey and insights, you can connect with him on LinkedIn here.
Read Sri’s latest post about his first 30 days at Galapagos on his LinkedIn profile.
About Sri
Sri is a member of our Management Committee. Get to know more about him in our Leadership section.