Annual Lecture - An evening with Sir David Cooksey GBE

In discussion with Steve Bates OBE, CEO, BIA and Matthew Foy, Partner, SR ONE.

The BIA Annual Lecture brings together a notable guest speaker and a brilliant mix of delegates, for what promises to be a remarkable evening. Join us on 3 May for 'An evening with Sir David Cooksey GBE'. 

Sir David Cooksey GBE formed Advent Venture Partners in 1981 as one of the first US style Venture Capital firms in Europe. He chaired it until 2006 during which time it invested in over 100 early stage life sciences companies as well as making investments in the IT and telecoms sectors. He was first Chairman of the BVCA and is now an Honorary Life President of the BVCA.

In 2003 he chaired the UK Biotechnology Innovation and Growth Team which published its report on the future of the UK Biosciences industry ‘Biosciences 2015’ which led to the formation of NIHR. In 2006 the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, appointed David to undertake the ‘Cooksey Review of Health Research Funding’. That proposed new institutional arrangements for the funding of health research, the formation of OSCHR, the ring fencing of the MRC and NIHR budgets and it proposed a more streamlined regulatory environment to provide early access to new medicines. HMTreasury increased its funding of medical research substantially in response to the report.

More of David's many noteworthy achievements and roles include:

• Governor of the Wellcome Trust in 1998 - he persuaded the Government to join Wellcome in funding the Joint Infrastructure Fund to improve the research facilities in our universities. Part of these funds were used to construct Diamond Light Source synchrotron accelerator at Harwell. He chaired Diamond from inception in 2002 until full operation in 2008 delivering it on time and on budget. Diamond is now a key tool for drug discovery.
   
• The Cooksey Review was a major stimulus to the creation of the Francis Crick Institute which is now the largest biomedical research institute under one roof in Europe. David was chairman of the Crick from inception until successful delivery, retiring from the chair in August 2017. It is a unique joint venture between the MRC, Cancer Research (UK), the Wellcome Trust and Imperial, Kings and University Colleges giving it extraordinary access to London’s clinical infrastructure.
   
• Chair of the Audit Commission for 9 years.
   
• A director of the Bank of England for 11 years.
   
• Chairman of UK Financial Investments from 2009 to 2012.
   
• He currently chairs Bechtel Ltd which has been key to the delivery of High Speed 1, Crossrail and many other infrastructure projects. 
   
• David was knighted in 1993 and made a GBE in 2007 both for public service.

More about Steve and Matthew

Steve Bates OBE

Chief Executive Officer

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Steve Bates OBE

Chief Executive Officer

What does your role at BIA involve?

Steve Bates is the CEO of the UK Bioindustry Association, the UK’s Trade Association for innovative life science companies with over 550 members. Steve is the visible face of the vibrant UK life sciences industry to government and media. He serves on the UK Government’s Life Sciences Council and the UK Biosecurity Leadership Council. Steve was a founder member of the UK Government’s Vaccine Taskforce in the Covid crisis, sitting on its steering Board alongside Kate Bingham. He is active member and former chair the International Council of Biotech Associations and has been a board member of EuropaBio since 2015.

Previous experience & achievements

Steve has championed, with government, effective industrial incentives like the Biomedical Catalyst, which have crowded in private sector investment into UK SMEs. He is a driving force behind the scale up agenda, spearheading policy agenda to unlock UK pension fund capital into productive UK growth in life sciences. He has forged several links for the sector across the USA, Europe and in China. In his time at the BIA, Steve has developed new member groups focused on cell and gene therapy, genomics and engineered biology. A strong advocate of partnership working, Steve champions sector collaboration with research charities and academia. Proud to lead an organisation with a diverse Board with over 40% female representation, Steve is committed to next generation talent and developing the skills needed for the sector to flourish. Before joining the BIA in 2012, Steve worked for Genzyme and was advisor to the UK Government of Tony Blair working on NHS reform and the Northern Ireland peace process. He was made OBE for services to innovation in 2017 and became a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Science in 2020.

[email protected]

020 7630 2180

Matthew Foy

Partner, SR ONE

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Matthew Foy

Partner, SR ONE

Matthew Foy joined SR One’s London office in 2011. Previously he was a Vice President at Greenhill & Co, an M&A Investment Bank and Private Equity firm in New York. Matthew studied Molecular Biology at The University of Oxford; Drug Discovery at UCL; Corporate Finance at The London Business School and holds various FSA & SEC qualifications. His portfolio companies include AtoxBio, Progenitor, PsiOxus, Pulmocide and VHsquared.