John Shaw (MA 1970) and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, after whom our Advanced Research Centre is named.
A global career
After graduating in 1970, John began work at Paisley-based textile company Coats, where he had the opportunity to travel extensively, including to Mexico, Thailand and Venezuela. John quickly progressed through the business and was promoted to the role of Finance & Managing Director of Coats Viyella Group, before joining the brand’s Indian subsidiary, Madura Coats, as Chairman.
It was while in India that John first met Kiran Mazumdar, founder of the pioneering biotech business, Biocon. The two were married in Perthshire in 1998 and, in the same year, John joined Kiran’s company and helped to negotiate the buyout of the business’s key stakeholder, making Biocon an independent company.
Making an impact side by side
Together, Kiran and John grew Biocon into the global biopharmaceutical powerhouse it is today, while pursuing the goal of achieving health equity through the creation of affordable, accessible healthcare products. As well as building a hugely successful business, John and Kiran continued to invest in their philanthropic work, creating the Biocon Foundation and supporting projects across areas including healthcare, education, rural development, research and innovation. John also made donations to other institutions from his hometown, including a gift of £1.5 million to his former secondary school, which led to the creation of the John Shaw Science Wing at the High School of Glasgow.
An enduring legacy
John’s life was filled with acts of kindness and, although he sadly passed away in 2022, the impact of his world-changing giving will continue to be felt through the innovations and discoveries that were made possible by his philanthropy.
India's first self-made female billionaire
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw’s early aspirations saw her pursue a career in brewing in Australia. But her path changed in 1978 when she launched Biocon out of a garage in the suburbs of her hometown of Bengaluru, India. Initially, the business manufactured enzymes, but evolved to become focused on biopharmaceuticals.
In 2004, John and Kiran floated Biocon on the stock market and the business became the second Indian company to close its first day of trading with a market value of over $1 billion.
Kiran credits her relationship with John as an important factor in helping her to grow Biocon into the business it is now.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw in front of the colourful donor wall in the Advanced Research Centre.
Today, Biocon is India’s largest listed biopharmaceutical firm by revenue and employs more than 16,500 people around the world. In addition to building this incredible business, Kiran has worked tirelessly on her philanthropic missions and has achieved global recognition for her outstanding contributions.
Our evolving campus
If you have walked along University Avenue in recent years, you will have been struck by Gilmorehill's incredible transformation. From the construction of the Gilbert Scott Building to the development of the University’s Western site, Glasgow’s campus is continually growing and evolving to meet the needs of our staff, students and wider community. The world-changing giving of our incredible donor community has been essential to this remarkable transformation and the names of many of those who have contributed can be seen around the University today.
A Royal Rescue
Philanthropic giving in all its forms has been essential to the University of Glasgow since its foundation in 1451, with one of the most notable early donations having been provided by Mary Queen of Scots in 1560.
