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Invest in people: Indian American CEO at Northwestern University graduation
“My time at Northwestern didn’t just solidify my technical foundation,” Mallik told graduates.
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Malvika Choudhary - Fri, 20, Jun 2025
- 16:55 EDT
- 21
Ameet Mallik / Northwestern University
ADC Therapeutics CEO Ameet Mallik urged Northwestern University graduates at to build meaningful relationships and live with intention, sharing the values that have guided his personal and professional life.
“Invest in people,” univeristy alumnus Mallik said at the 2025 doctoral Hooding and Master’s Recognition Ceremony. “They will enrich your life and broaden your world view.”
Also Read: Ameet Mallik to address Northwestern engineering commencement
Reflecting on his journey from a chemical engineering student to biotech executive, Mallik said, “My time at Northwestern didn’t just solidify my technical foundation. It sparked a way of thinking, a way of approaching problems, and a way of navigating life that I carry with me to this day.”
Mallik, who helms one of the leading companies in the field of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), outlined four core principles: be a lifelong learner, do things that fulfill a sense of purpose, nurture relationships, and live an intentional and balanced life.
He credited a formative undergraduate research opportunity in biochemical engineering with steering him toward the biotech field. A summer project under Professor E.T. Papoutsakis introduced him to lab research and helped shape his comfort with uncertainty.
“This opportunity taught me the importance of embracing the unknown and saying ‘yes’ to new experiences outside my comfort zone,” he said.
Mallik also shared how a personal loss — the death of his grandmother from ovarian cancer — helped define his professional purpose.
“It is truly fulfilling when your work aligns with your purpose,” he said. “Whether you have already uncovered your personal purpose or not, do what matters most to you — and be comfortable with the fact that this may change over time.”
He emphasized that some of the most important learning came not just from academics but from the community he built on campus. “My friends and family are my foundation, something I didn’t fully appreciate while at school,” he said.
Stressing the importance of balance, Mallik described his college experience juggling coursework, lab research, and performing in a rock band.
“Work is just one part of your life,” he said. “By finding a way to integrate and balance work with personal passions in an authentic and sustainable way, you will ensure you don’t just let life happen to you.”
“Make space for what fuels you,” he added.
Mallik’s address aligned closely with the mission of ADC Therapeutics, which focuses on developing targeted cancer therapies. Since assuming the role of CEO in May 2022, he has led the Switzerland-based company through major expansion—tripling staff size and launching new clinical trials, including for older cancer patients.
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