As one of the key market convergences of the MENA region, Pharmaconex Egypt 2025 has been an important growth and networking opportunity for Anzen Exports Private Limited, as we have discussed in our official report on it. Here is a brief interview with Riya Pramanick, who was one of our employees representing the company at the event, describing her personal point of view of an episode that became a milestone in her personal life as well as professional.

Q: Riya, let’s start at the very beginning. This was your first international event. What was going through your mind as you prepared?

⇒ Honestly? I was a bundle of excitement and nerves! I’ve been with Anzen for one-and-a-half years as a Business Development Executive, so I know our products and clients inside and out. But handling them from behind a screen is one thing. Being the face of the company, alone, in a different country? That’s a whole different ballgame.

My mission was clear: handle clients, take meetings, and manage our presence at the stall. But let me tell you, the weight of that responsibility felt very real.

I went into full preparation mode. Beyond the obvious — passport, tourist visa, flight tickets — I had this whole dossier: currency papers, hotel booking, exhibitor documents, and a detailed itinerary my manager had put together. I even packed dry snacks and chocolates; little comforts for those long days ahead.

The journey itself, from Kolkata to Cairo via Delhi, went smoothly, but with every mile, my anticipation grew.

Q: Describe the event itself. What was the atmosphere like?

⇒ The scale hit me the moment I walked in. Hundreds of companies, a real melting pot of global talent. The importance of the event wasn’t just in the numbers (over thirteen thousand people!), but in the sheer concentration of industry power players in one place.

Egypt is a pharmaceutical manufacturing hub for Africa and the MENA region, so basically everyone who mattered was there. You could almost feel the strategic significance hanging in the air.

The days fell into a certain rhythm. Things would start slow in the morning, then boom — massive influx from afternoon onwards, peaking around midday. The third day, though, was noticeably quieter as many out-of-town attendees had already headed home.

Q: And what did your day-to-day actions involve? It sounds chaotic.

⇒ “Chaotic” is the perfect word, but it was a controlled chaos, you know? My days were this constant cycle of meeting and greeting people, taking detailed notes, managing the stall, keeping track of meeting sheets, and making sure client gifts were delivered. Lunch was something you grabbed whenever there was a lull.

It was seriously a test of my multitasking skills! You’re talking to a potential distributor from Saudi Arabia while making sure an existing client from Jordan feels attended to, all while keeping the booth looking sharp. You’re basically the receptionist, the salesperson, the note-taker, and the brand ambassador, all rolled into one.

Q: Beyond the busywork, what were the networking opportunities like?

⇒ Incredibly fruitful! We connected with so many potential partners and distributors who were actively looking for reliable sources. I can’t stress enough how valuable face-to-face interaction is. With existing clients, we solved pending issues that would have taken weeks of back-and-forth emails. There’s a clarity that comes from in-person discussion: you understand their process, and they understand ours, so much more effectively.

This is exactly why Anzen Exports’ main USP is interpersonal relationships with clients. We love to talk things out, rather than having prolonged and possibly confusing email chains.

Anyway, the crowd was such an interesting mix. We had students looking for internships, existing clients stopping by to say hello or share new requirements, and new contacts who got interested after chatting with us.

What impressed me most was that everyone was so soft-spoken, well-versed, and genuinely warm. You generally don’t get that as a norm in the environment I grew up in. Sure, there are always a few nice people, but most of the crowd in any gathering generally tries to hustle and gets fiercely competitive. Not so here. It was so refreshing to have such a mature crowd! But I guess that’s only to be expected in a conference of highly-educated people, no?

Q: Any notable industry trends that caught your eye?

⇒ Absolutely! Two things really stood out to me.

First, there’s this growing interest in nutraceutical and herbal product collaborations. It’s definitely a space that’s expanding. The nutras alone grew by more than 10% CAGR in the last year, and the herbal extracts are going to hit the 100-billion mark in ten years. It’s an exciting (and not to mention, very profitable) time to be in the active pharmaceutical ingredient supply business!

Secondly, and this was huge for Anzen, was how we positioned ourselves. We weren’t just another active pharmaceutical ingredients supplier. We really emphasised that we’re a credible, quality-driven pharma API supplier; a reliable bridge between Indian manufacturing expertise and what the regional market needs.

Clients really appreciated that we came prepared for needs particular to the region. It showed them we’re not just about volume; we’re reliable too.

Q: Was there a single moment that was particularly outstanding for you?

⇒ Without a doubt! There were these incredible moments when people came to the stall specifically asking for me by name. That was… wow, just surreal! This total stranger across half the world, and suddenly she knows you by name and knows what you do and wants to know what you can do for her. That’s oddly connecting for me.

After all those calls and emails, to be recognised and sought out on an international platform was so validating. It really drove home the value of the relationships I’d been building from afar.

I get it, why does my company do this. It’s not just business for us. It’s truly personal.

Q: You mentioned representing Anzen as a woman on an international platform. Any insights from that perspective?

⇒ International business development has always been men’s playground, but this event opened my eyes. I was leading interactions and was getting recognised by strangers, making business for the company. It’s nothing about gender. It’s all about confidence and communication, and having the energy to survive the fast-paced, high-pressure atmosphere with grace.

Q: You’re a woman alone on an international journey, seeing and handling foreigners in a foreign place, and travelling and staying alone. Any complications?

⇒ Emphatically no. Because my company has taken very granular steps to ascertain that my journey, accommodation, and itinerary will be more finely defined than a Swiss watch. I was even given very specific training on everything I needed to do for the first time (which covers mostly anything related to international travel).

Despite being highly nervous about the whole situation, I was emboldened by the sheer amount of support I got from my management, especially the director (Mr Manish Kumar Jajodia) himself. Our staff on ground zero were also chosen with particular care (Mr Hany, the driver, for example), so I was taken care of in every reasonable manner.

Another point I must add is that, from my perspective, Cairo is a particularly visitor-friendly city. The people here are quite cultured and very well-mannered. Above all, they are very tolerant of foreign mannerisms that would look or sound odd from their standpoint. It is also quite safe, even at night. I do recommend my female colleagues to come visit the place, should they get a chance.

Q: What did you learn from this experience that you’re applying to your work now?

⇒ I would readily compare the event with those steroid injections that one can use to build muscles overnight, except this was for the brain and the heart. I learned to communicate more clearly under pressure, to think on my feet, and to juggle multiple priorities at once. Each step I took in the journey, each customer I interacted with — all increased my experience, confidence, and learning that I could actually feel. I’m definitely not the same person now who boarded that plane on that August evening.

Q: That’s certainly uplifting! But if a colleague were to attend next time, what would be your one piece of advice?

I’d tell them that handling clients face-to-face is a completely different beast from calls or emails. You need to cultivate this welcoming attitude, but ground it in deep calmness. There will be rushes, hunger pangs, and mental exhaustion. You’re the representative of a global pharma exporter company out there. You have to be a multi-tasker, a quick learner, and the steady face of the company, all at once.

For Riya Pramanick, the journey to Pharmaconex Egypt 2025 marked both a personal and professional milestone. “The overall journey was smooth and well-coordinated,” she reflected, “and representing Anzen was such a rewarding experience.” When asked if she’d do it again, her answer was an enthusiastic “Definitely!”