Arda Minocherhomjee on the path to success and giving back through philanthropy

Arda Minocherhomjee (MSc 1978) grew up in India as the youngest of four children, with parents who valued good education and inspired him to strive for excellence. He studied at the University of Bombay (now the University of Mumbai), where he earned his BSc in chemistry and microbiology and his MSc in biochemistry.

As the top student in his class at the University of Bombay, Minocherhomjee received a University of Toronto Connaught Scholarship, designed to assist U of T graduate units in recruiting and supporting top international students. Excited for the opportunity to broaden his educational and career horizons, he left India for the first time and moved to Toronto to study pharmacology & toxicology at U of T. He later received a PhD and MBA from the University of British Columbia and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in pharmacology at the University of Washington.

After his post doctoral research in pharmacology at University of Washington (he has 15 publications), Minocherhomjee pivoted to a career in financial analysis and was named a Wall Street Journal All-Star Analyst in both pharmaceuticals and medical devices. He became a partner at William Blair, a global investment banking and wealth management firm where he had previously been the head of health care research. He later pivoted to private equity and was a founder and managing partner of Chicago Growth Partners, which managed $1.2 billion USD in assets. He is currently a managing partner at the private equity firm Nassau Street Partners, working out of his home base in La Jolla, Calif.

Today, Minocherhomjee acknowledges the privilege of the higher education he received by way of scholarships and fellowships at U of T and UBC and the importance of giving back through philanthropy. He generously supports the educational institutions that helped shape him and his career, including a contribution to UBC and a recent commitment to establish the Dr. Arda M. Minocherhomjee Doctoral Research Award in support of pharmacology and toxicology graduate students in U of T’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

We talked to Minocherhomjee about his life, career and philanthropy.

How did your early family life influence your education and career?

I was lucky to get a good education. My father taught me something that stayed with me all my life: the three As to be successful – adopt, adapt and adept. If you want to be successful, you have to adopt new ideas, adapt to change and be adept at whatever you do. That philosophy helped me adjust quickly when I moved to Canada. I’ve lived in many cities and made friends everywhere because of that mindset. It has shaped how I approached every stage of my career.

What prompted you to seek higher education outside of India?

I wanted to change my career course and study pharmacology. From early on in my studies I had an interest in pharmaceuticals and drugs and wanted to develop drugs and help people have cures for diseases. However, in India, pharmacology was only offered through an MD program and I wasn’t interested in practicing clinical medicine. I had received a University of Toronto scholarship, but I knew very little about Toronto or the university. We didn’t have the web or any way to research schools, so I relied on family members who were already in Toronto for information. They said U of T’s faculty of medicine had a great reputation and was competitive with American schools, so I accepted the scholarship and moved to Toronto.

What are some memorable experiences from your time at U of T?

My first year was mostly coursework and research, but in my second year, I performed research and worked as a teaching assistant. That was memorable because only when you teach do you realize what you don’t know. Students ask questions and you’d better make sure you understand everything. It really helped me deepen my knowledge. My research was on serum albumin binding specificity and mechanisms – how drugs bind to albumin and what fraction remains free, because only the free drug is effective. That understanding is critical for proper dosage and avoiding toxicity. U of T gave me a very strong foundation for my future career.

When did you decide you wanted to become a financial analyst? How did you manage the transition?

I always wanted to work in a company and eventually start my own business. Those were my goals even before I came to Canada. After my PhD at UBC, I talked to people in pharma companies, and they told me if I stayed on the research side, it would take 10 years to move into business. So, I got an MBA to help make that switch. Later, while doing research at the University of Washington, I saw a job posting for a Wall Street analyst. My dad was in the investment business and I was always investing on my own, so I thought, why not apply? I did not have any practical experience in finance or sales, but I was a quick learner, and the brokerage firm/investment banking company offered me the position. The compensation was almost double what I would have made at a pharma company, so I decided to give it a try. If it didn’t work out, I could always go back to pharma. Luckily, it worked out and that launched my career on Wall Street.

How has your science education helped you in your business career?

It’s been invaluable. First comes science – without that, everything else is less useful. When I analyze a company, I start by understanding the science (management). If it doesn’t make sense, I move on. You have to combine knowledge of science with business opportunity and then decide if it’s a good investment. That’s what matters to clients – not whether it’s a good company, but whether it’s a great investment.

What has inspired your philanthropy?

I don’t know if “inspired” is the right word. Whoever has helped me in my life, I’ve always given back. I received scholarships and fellowships, so I felt compelled to give back. That’s why I have supported my alma maters. Whatever I’ve given is not big but it’s important to me. Giving back is something I’ve always done.

Originally published by Temerty Faculty of Medicine