Aadar Poonawalla on Narayana Murthy’s 70-hour workweek debate: Sometimes I do it. My staff does it, but then you …

Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India, said that humans cannot remain productive beyond 8-9 hours of continuous work, weighing in on the ongoing debate about extended workweeks at the World Economic Forum 2025 in Davos.
"A human being can't be productive beyond 8 or 9 hours. Sometimes you have to put in those hours. It's fine. I do it. My staff do it, but you can't do that every day," Poonawalla told India Today.
Speaking about his own work habits, Poonawalla revealed he maintains a flexible schedule. "I would say I work at least 8 hours a day, sometimes on weekends if it's needed, but there may be some days when, you know, I may be just on the slope skiing or doing something else," he said.
However, Poonawalla acknowledged that extraordinary circumstances might require longer hours, citing his experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. "I could have a 16-hour day. During Covid, I was coming home at 11 PM at night. So it all depends on the journey and the stage that you're at."
While emphasizing the importance of hard work for entrepreneurs, Poonawalla stressed that strategic thinking and quality of work are equally crucial. "If you're an entrepreneur building your business, you absolutely should work hard, and do whatever it takes," he said, while maintaining that such intensive schedules should not become the norm.
The pharmaceutical executive's comments come amid discussions sparked by Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy's controversial suggestion that young Indians should work 70 hours per week. Murthy recently clarified his stance, acknowledging that such schedules cannot be forcefully implemented on any employee.