Meet Vikesh Ramsunder: The South African Leading Australia’s R53 Billion Sigma Healthcare

South African-born Vikesh Ramsunder is making major waves in the Australian pharmaceutical industry. After nearly three decades of steering the ship at the Clicks Group in South Africa, Ramsunder now leads Sigma Healthcare, a pharma heavyweight with a market cap of over R53 billion.

Since February 2022, Ramsunder has been the Managing Director and CEO of Sigma Healthcare Limited, a publicly listed company that supports more than 1,200 branded and independent pharmacies across Australia. But his rise to the top began back home.

From Clicks to Global Healthcare Leadership

Ramsunder’s journey is deeply rooted in his time at Clicks Group, where he served for 28 years—18 of them in executive roles. As CEO from 2019 to 2021, he helped grow Clicks’ retail footprint to over 800 stores and 600 in-store pharmacies. During his tenure, Clicks’ market cap surged from R48 billion to R75 billion, even in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He also served as Managing Director of United Pharmaceutical Distributors (UPD), playing a key role in integrating logistics and wholesale strategies across the group.

His operational insight and strategic acumen made him the ideal candidate to helm Sigma when he relocated to Australia in early 2022.

Driving a Billion-Dollar Merger in Australia

Ramsunder’s leadership at Sigma has been anything but quiet. In late 2024, Sigma Healthcare announced a massive AUD$700 million merger with Chemist Warehouse Group (CWG), one of Australia’s most recognisable pharmacy retailers. This bold move created a healthcare powerhouse with significant national reach.

Once the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) approved the merger, Sigma’s stock jumped by 40%, reflecting investor confidence in Ramsunder’s vision.

Post-merger, CWG shareholders now hold 85.75% of the combined entity, while Sigma shareholders hold the remainder. This reverse merger not only reshaped the Australian pharma landscape but also signaled Sigma’s ambitions beyond local markets.

Performance on the Rise

For the financial year ending 31 January 2025, Sigma Healthcare posted normalized revenue growth of 50.9% to AU$4.8 billion (R55.1 billion) and normalized EBIT growth of 183.5% to AU$68 million (R780 million).

Ramsunder credits the strong performance to a “laser focus” on driving efficiencies, simplifying the business model, and scaling operations—all while managing a high-stakes merger.

“We’ve created a leading wholesaler and retail franchisor with strong growth potential in Australia—and progressively, internationally,” said Ramsunder.

Global Impact with Local Roots

Ramsunder holds a B.Com in Logistics and a Master of Business Leadership in Corporate Strategy, credentials that have complemented his real-world experience in leading complex operations.

His story is a standout example of South African talent succeeding on a global stage—transforming not only the companies he leads but also the broader healthcare industries in both Africa and Australia.

As Sigma integrates its new assets and expands its footprint, all eyes will remain on Ramsunder—a South African export now shaping the future of global pharmacy.

{Source BusinessTech}

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