When Stephen Saad, Chief Executive of Aspen Pharmacare, walked onto the AABLA stage to receive two of the night’s most prestigious honours, African of the Year and Lifetime Business Leader of the Year, even he struggled to process the moment.
“I was overwhelmed. Emotional, actually,” he reflected moments after stepping off stage. “I’ve had awards before, but I don’t think there’s one I’ll cherish as much as this one.”
It was a rare glimpse into the inner world of a man whose name has become synonymous with African pharmaceutical innovation, global competitiveness and a decades long commitment to expanding access to life saving medicines across the continent.
A recognition of Aspen’s mission
For Saad, being named African of the Year is far more than a personal milestone.
“It is a recognition of all that we do as a company to facilitate healthcare across the continent,” he said. “From HIV and TB to COVID and now insulin, paediatric vaccines and GLP1 products that support diabetic and weight loss needs. Our focus is to make them affordable, to bring something new and to improve access. That is what keeps us going.”
He is clear that the honour reflects Aspen’s wider mission to ensure that Africans are never excluded from important global medical advancements.
A lifetime award that does not signal an ending
Receiving a lifetime award often suggests a closing chapter. Saad rejects that idea with a smile.
“Lifetime sounds like it is time for you to move on and I am not ready to move on,” he said. He jokes that he is not switching to an electric bicycle yet. He is a cyclist and still believes there is a long road ahead.
For him, this recognition offers a moment to reflect on decades of work, but it does not mark the end of the journey.
“I have worked in healthcare since my twenties. It has been over thirty years and it has been rewarding beyond awards. To help people, to contribute to society and to wake up energised with meaningful work has been a privilege.”
A career shaped by openness to opportunity
Looking at the scale of Aspen’s achievements, it is easy to assume a carefully designed blueprint. Saad insists that this was not the case.
“I had no strategy. Thirty years ago I never imagined I would be standing here speaking to you,” he said. “Each hurdle and each opportunity shaped the journey. You learn from the good times and you learn even more from the difficult times.”
His story, now honoured as that of a Lifetime Business Leader, is one of resilience, adaptability and belief in Africa’s potential to solve its own health challenges.
Still looking forward
What stands out most about Saad is his refusal to view this moment as the peak of his career.
“We have many things still to do at Aspen. Our journey is not over. I am not looking back. I am looking forward.”
For a man who has already changed the trajectory of African healthcare, that forward looking spirit may be the most important part of his legacy.