Villgro mentor KL Mukesh is passionate about figuring out how to scale healthcare delivery and use of technology in healthcare. In 2011 he was named one of the top 10 CIOs in India and has been featured on the cover of CTO Forum. We get to know him better in this blog:
What is your background?
I was the founder of Akeso Healthcare – a company recently acquired by Apollo Hospitals Group. I serve on the board of a couple start-ups and social impact organizations.
Prior to starting Akeso Healthcare, I spent 17 years in the direct-to-home television business where I specialised in managing large-scale operations and helped turn around bankrupt businesses. I have managed operations across South and Central America, Japan, US and India.
Why are you excited about the social enterprise space?
I am passionate about figuring out how to scale health care delivery and use of technology in healthcare.
A substantial part of my career has been working in a business that was in bankruptcy protection, managing complex large-scale multi-national operations – businesses that were strapped for resources, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. Social enterprises fall in a similar category but have a greater impact.
What has been the biggest learning in your career?
To develop an organisation’s capability to scale, especially in a resource-strapped environment is much harder than one would imagine.
What is your forecast for the sector and entrepreneurs?
* Large format multi-speciality hospitals as a percentage of the healthcare industry will decline
* Point-of-care diagnostics, digital health, use of technology, frugal innovation in healthcare will grow rapidly
What advice do you have for budding entrepreneurs?
Persistence pays
Why do you like being a mentor?
Gives me an opportunity to learn
