February 08, 2022

Then and Now: Esha Pillay

By Esha Pillay, Cytiva

I became a part of this company a year after graduating university, and it was then that I got first-hand knowledge of how the technology is used in the industry as compared to what is done in a university laboratory.


We had just taken over ownership of our Australian distributor, which had been a family-owned business, and it still retained a lot of the family culture and the people.

Quickly enough though, our culture and business approach was established, and I soon learned that meant being proactive, being present at the right time to provide the best support to the customer and doing what is best for the customer. This has laid the foundation for strong customer relationships and collaborations based on trust and respect. Today customers are looking to us for valuable advice for the solutions that they need, rather than us being just equipment vendors.

The last 27 years has seen constant growth in the industry, and constant growth for the team in Australia too. Only 15 years ago the business was still mostly filter related, used in traditional pharmaceutical products but today, through our innovation in technology and development we now support many new molecules in many new ways. The growth in technology and the constant learning with emergence of new molecules is motivating for sure, but so is the growing independence of the Australian team which, until recently, would default mostly to the UK or US for product, technical and scientific support. The learning and the experiences gained from the growing industry and the growing portfolio, now has me holding up the knowledge baton and passing it on to help guide the way for others.

While those who are comparatively new to the industry have a lot to learn, and can be taught, there is also a lot that can be achieved by letting go of the baby every once in a while, as they become increasingly knowledgeable and more independent. The phenomenal growth in business in APAC and especially the team in the region, is testimony to this and we collectively acknowledge that it takes many areas of expertise and combined team efforts to succeed in a rapidly evolving and growing industry. The talent and diversity are the strengths of the teams in the region, both when they work together as well as grow independently.

To continue this path, I look forward to us continuing to invest in the region as the industry asserts its local and global presence. The commercial growth in India, Japan, Korea and SE Asia, with Australia increasing its pace on becoming a hub for innovation, is encouraging for a great future. It might take a while, but I am hopeful that Australia too, will become like the US or UK. With the current encouragement and support from the Australian government there is lots in store not only for our prospects, but that investment would encourage people’s growth in the region.

It has been a very rewarding journey for me. The work family has changed and expanded, just as my role within it has grown, and I now look forward to all that is yet to be realized in the years to come.

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