Anoushka Gungadin is an experienced CEO, non-executive director, and professional speaker. She currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of HeraMED, an ASX-listed medical data and technology company that is transforming maternity care. In addition to her leadership role at HeraMED, she is a Council member at Deakin University and the Australia lead for TiE Women, a global mentoring and investment platform supporting women entrepreneurs. At CIO CARE, we are honored to feature Anoushka Gungadin in the 2025 edition of Breaking Barriers: Women Revolutionizing Healthcare, 2025.
Her journey into healthcare has been unconventional. Trained as an economist, she was born and raised on the island of Mauritius. After spending 11 years living and working in China, she moved to Australia in 2012. Over the years, she has worked with clients and companies across multiple industries, including finance in the legal sector, health and beauty, education, and technology. Her experience spans five continents—Asia, Africa, Europe, America, and Australia—giving her a unique global perspective that she brings to her work. Her decision to join HeraMED was driven by a deep connection to the company’s mission of improving maternal health, equity and access to quality prenatal care worldwide through technology. She recognized the potential of this work to make a lasting impact not just on individual women but across multiple generations.
“Balance isn’t about perfection; it’s about making conscious choices that honor both professional aspirations and personal well-being.”
For Anoushka, breaking barriers—whether in her professional or personal life—means creating new pathways for growth and transformation. She believes that self-belief is at the core of overcoming challenges. This mindset has allowed her to step into industries and roles that were new to her, including areas where women have traditionally been underrepresented. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing one’s strengths while also acknowledging limitations. This clarity has helped her build confidence and create her own reality rather than conforming to societal expectations.
Her personal journey of breaking barriers has been one of self-discovery and empowerment. As someone proud of her Indian heritage while also embracing her Western education and life experiences, she has had to navigate sometimes conflicting perspectives. Letting go of belief systems that no longer serve her has been a crucial part of her growth. She views stepping outside of her comfort zone as a key to dreaming bigger and living life on her own terms. Ultimately, she sees breaking barriers as a means to create a ripple effect, building bridges where walls once stood and ensuring that future generations face fewer obstacles and greater opportunities.
Balancing professional responsibilities with personal life is an ongoing process that requires intentionality and adaptability. As a leader with a demanding executive role and a family of six, she relies on a set of strategies to maintain balance. She sets clear boundaries between work and personal time, designating specific hours for work while keeping spaces like the dining room, kitchen, and bedroom free from work distractions. Time management is critical, and she uses calendars, lists, and task planners to stay organized.
“True growth happens outside of comfort zones, and breaking barriers is a way to dream bigger and live life by design.”
As a leader, she has embraced the power of delegation, trusting her team to take ownership of tasks. She has also learned the importance of saying ‘No’ when necessary. Prioritizing activities that recharge her mentally and physically, such as going to the gym and practicing meditation, helps her stay focused and productive. She also values communication and planning with her family which are just as important as team communication and work meetings. On days when things do not go as planned, he has learned to be kind to herself, recognizing that navigating life and work is a continuous process of recalibration.
At the helm of HeraMED, Anoushka continues to pursue innovation in maternity and pregnancy care. The company is focused on revolutionizing prenatal and postpartum care through digital transformation and remote monitoring technologies. One of the key innovations is designing a mum centric clinical-grade solution, the HeraCARE platform, an end-to-end cloud-based platform that enables remote maternity care, reducing the need for in-person clinic visits which is redefining how care is delivered and experienced. The platform provides comprehensive care for both prenatal and postnatal needs, extending support for up to 12 months postpartum. It also enhances provider-patient communication through multilingual support and real-time monitoring, ensuring timely intervention when needed. These innovations are aimed at improving maternal health equity, increasing access to quality care, and reducing healthcare costs and provider workload.
For young women aspiring to enter the healthcare industry, Anoushka’s advice is to follow their passion and let their desire to make a difference guide them. She encourages them to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth and to continuously learn, as healthcare is constantly evolving. Building a strong network of mentors and peers is essential for support and inspiration. She also advises exploring the diverse career and entrepreneurship paths within healthcare, from technology to public health, and being proactive in advocating for opportunities and fair compensation. Resilience and self-belief are key, and she reminds young women that their unique perspectives are strengths that can drive meaningful change.
The future of women in healthcare holds great potential, but challenges remain. Anoushka is keenly aware of the gender disparities in healthcare leadership, particularly in women’s health. While women make up 70% of the global health workforce and represent 50% of the population, they hold only about 25% of leadership positions in the women’s health industry. At the CEO level, female representation can be as low as 15% or less. This disparity affects not only women but also the overall quality of healthcare. Women’s health urgently needs more funding, research, and investment. She believes it is essential to create spaces for critical conversations, education, awareness, and action to drive meaningful change.
As a female leader, Anoushka sees her role as multifaceted. She is committed to advocating for women’s advancement and representation, building allyship for a more equitable healthcare industry, and elevating discussions around women’s health. Through her work at HeraMED, she continues to drive innovation and leverage technology to improve women’s health and well-being.
Mentorship has played a crucial role in her career. Early on, she had an incredible mentor in her first job after university, working with the Chair of UNESCO. His guidance helped shape her career and provided her with valuable insights. Throughout her journey, she has benefited from both formal and informal mentors and has sought coaching when needed. As a certified coach herself, she understands the value of mentorship in accelerating learning and execution. She is dedicated to mentoring others and continues to do so through platforms like TiE Women. Through this initiative, she supports female entrepreneurs in making their businesses investable while working alongside other mentors to create opportunities for women. Her commitment to mentorship is driven by her belief that supporting others creates a cycle of empowerment and progress.
Anoushka Gungadin’s journey is a testament to resilience, innovation, and leadership. Through her work at HeraMED and her advocacy for women’s advancement in healthcare, she is making a significant impact. By breaking barriers and inspiring others to do the same, she is shaping a future where women in healthcare have greater representation, influence, and opportunities.