Founder's Corner
Driving innovation at the intersection of technology, science and human potential
Silji Abraham is an accomplished technology and business executive with 25+ years of transformational leadership across healthcare, life sciences, medical devices, and industrial automation. A proven C-suite leader, he has served as CTO, CDTO, and CIO at multiple S&P 500 companies, driving strategic innovation in R&D, supply chain optimization, digital transformation, and venture investments.
Currently, as founder of Bay Life Ventures & Holdings LLC in Miami, Florida, Silji is empowering innovators to conquer the gig economy by safeguarding their unique intelligence from bureaucratic, exploitative systems. His venture leverages cutting-edge AI to amplify value creation, unleash individual potential, and fuel a future where innovators own their ideas through strategic patent creation in the fast-evolving tech and science landscape. He also serves in several board and advisory positions, bringing strategic guidance to emerging and established organizations.
Most recently, Silji served as Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer at West Pharmaceutical Services (NYSE: WST) through 2024, where he led the company's global R&D and IT organizations. In this dual role, he oversaw the development of cutting-edge drug containment and delivery systems while directing enterprise-wide technology strategy, including global applications, infrastructure, and cybersecurity initiatives.
His distinguished career includes senior executive positions at industry-leading organizations:
- Executive Vice President & CIO at MilliporeSigma/Merck KGaA
- Vice President & CIO at Sigma-Aldrich
- Vice President & CIO at Invensys Operations Management
During his tenure at West Pharmaceutical Services, Silji served as a Board Member of Daikyo Seiko, Japan, bringing global perspective to strategic governance. He also served as the Executive Management Lead for the Innovation and Technology Committee, fostering a culture of continuous advancement and technological excellence.
Silji's leadership is characterized by his ability to bridge technology and business strategy, delivering measurable impact through digital innovation and organizational transformation in highly regulated industries.
Current Engagements
Professional Journey - Highlights & Expertise
Past Executive & Governance Experience
SVP & CTO
West Pharmaceutical Services (2018-2024)
EVP & CIO
MilliporeSigma/Merck KGaA (2015-2017)
VP & CIO
Sigma-Aldrich (2012-2015)
VP & CIO
Invensys Operations Management (2009-2012)
Board Member
Daikyo Seiko, Japan (2021-2024)
Recognitions & Awards
2022
CIO of the Year ORBIE Award, Philadelphia
2020
Minority Business Leader, Philadelphia Business Journal
2014
Top 25 Global CIO Leadership Award
Industry & Domain Expertise
Functional & Strategic Expertise
Healthcare Technology Innovation
Spearheaded R&D in drug containment/delivery systems while directing applied research, advanced engineering, and venture investments
Organizational Design & Growth
Created Chief Medical Officer function and established global Centers of Excellence across R&D, Robotics, and Digital Technology domains, attracting 1,000+ top talent
Digital Transformation, E-Commerce & Value Creation
Architected & successfully delivered enterprise digitization in multiple S&P500 companies
Transformative Leadership Achievements
Global Innovation & Technology Centers
Built and scaled 6 technology centers across US, India, and Taiwan—including R&D Robotic Innovation Center (Bengaluru), BSL2 Applied Research Lab (Pennsylvania), and Digital Technology Centers—growing to 1,000+ professionals
Enterprise Digital Transformations
Revolutionized ERP delivery with 10+ implementations at 30% traditional cost. Achieved industry-first remote 3/4 HANA greenfield deployment during COVID-19 across 25 sites (Americas, Europe, Asia) with zero disruption!
Healthcare Technology Innovation & Leadership
Launched 15+ regulated products with 36+ regulatory approvals (510K, EUMDR) for drug packaging/delivery systems, securing 650+ granted patents and 500+ pending applications
Digital Marketing & E-commerce Platform Excellence
Transformed and scaled sigma-aldrich.com into the then world's #1 Life Science e-commerce platform, surpassing 1B+ USD in annual revenue through software engineering and digital marketing innovation
Strategic M&A Integration
Led post-merger integration of Sigma-Aldrich and Merck Millipore following the $17B acquisition—unifying IT infrastructure, e-commerce, digital marketing, and bioinformatics platforms enterprise-wide
Venture Capital & Strategic Partnerships
Established venture arm with portfolio spanning healthcare technologies. Led Exosite IOT acquisition (Taiwan) for digital manufacturing. Forged many strategic partnerships across the technology ecosystem.
Opinions & Perspectives
Thought leadership and insights on innovation, technology transformation, and the future of work
Real Leadership is not about just cheerleader — It is about leading from front in challenging unanticipated situations
A podcast discussing the technology, leadership and future
The Anatomy of Corporate Culture: How to Build and Sustain What Truly Matters
Corporate culture is often heralded as the backbone of organizational success, yet it remains an elusive concept for many leaders. It's more than just a buzzword or an abstract ideal—it's the driving force behind how people work, interact, and grow within an organization.
Change Management - The Most Prominent Member of the Corporate Vocabulary Landfill!!
For far too long, "change management" has been the go-to buzzword in corporate corridors. It's a shimmering smokescreen, a verbal tap dance that leaders deploy to explain away stagnant performance and calm frustrated employees. But let's be honest: in its current state, "change management" is less of a tool and more of a permanent resident in the corporate vocabulary landfill.
Generative AI: The frontiers of Next Generation User Experience!!
Throughout my extensive career in digital and human interactions, centered around empathy-driven approaches, I have developed a thought-provoking hypothesis. This hypothesis categorizes individuals into three distinct brain preferences when it comes to consuming information and data. The three categories are Analytical Thinkers, Abstract Thinkers, and Visual Learners. These preferences, I believe, have been shaped by the user experience limitations we have encountered in the digital landscape. However, with the advent of conversational possibilities enabled by Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs), a massive shift in enterprise experiences is on the horizon.
Industry 5.0: The realization of adaptive problem solving in manufacturing
Industry 4.0 sought to revolutionize the manufacturing sector by integrating advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Big Data. However, the implementation and realization of these innovations have been slow, particularly in existing legacy capital assets that dominate global manufacturing shop floors.
Navigating Paradox: The Foundation of Leadership
All Leaders are responsible for leading their team towards success. However, the path to success is not always clear-cut. In fact, it is often filled with paradoxes that can be difficult to navigate. But, as a leader, it is your job to not only navigate these paradoxes but to also use them to your advantage.
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