Dr Nik Kotecha is an internationally renowned businessman, scientist, influencer and serial entrepreneur. He founded and led the inspirational growth of leading Midlands-based developer and manufacturer of generic medicines, Morningside Pharmaceuticals Ltd, and is Founder and Chairman of RandalSun Capital.
Arriving in the UK (1972) with his family as a refugee, Dr Kotecha’s family settled in Leicester. After academia, his career moved into drug discovery, focused on type II diabetes and infection. Next steps drew on his love of science, knowledge of pharmaceuticals and his passion for affordable, accessible and high-quality healthcare for all. Starting from a home garage in 1991 as a 100% export business, when he divested his interests (2022), Morningside Pharmaceuticals had exported to 120+ countries, with a global product range of over 300 generic and branded EU and UK licensed medicines.
Growth was driven by an unrelenting approach to innovation, new markets, new jurisdiction product registrations and international commercial partnerships within a socially focussed business model, where key contracts included those supplying global aid agencies.
Dr Kotecha holds many national and regional roles on boards as diverse as The King’s Trust Council, (formerly known as The Prince’s Trust), Chair of the Fundraising Advisory Board for The King’s Trust and a Director for the Centre for Social Justice. Closer to home, he’s been a long serving board member for the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) until it closed in March 2024; he is the former Chair of the Loughborough Town Deal Board and he has held the position of Chair for the successful Leicestershire Innovation Festival since its inception. He has represented the region in diverse roles including Deputy Lieutenant for Leicestershire, and as both Export Champion for over 10 years, and Trade Policy Advisor for HM Government Department for Business and Trade.
Dr Kotecha was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, for International Trade in 2012. He accompanied the then Prime Minister Teresa May on a trade mission to India in 2016 and in 2018 he received a Board of Trade Award, issued by the then Department of International Trade.
He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science by the University of Leicester in July 2023, formally recognising his contribution to science and the scientific community. In 2022 he was recognised by De Montfort University, where he is Pro Chancellor, by being awarded the role of Professor of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Philanthropy. In 2022, he also received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Imperial College, London.
His current global business portfolio is wide ranging and includes investments from start-ups to patient capital, with retained interests in health, life sciences and high innovation, IP rich businesses.
In 2017 he and his wife Moni established the Randal Foundation CIO, giving it powerful worldwide reach (www.randalfoundation.org.uk). The Foundation works with aligned partners and organisations to deliver its central ambition: to save 1 million lives, globally.
Dr Nik Kotecha OBE
