Meet new members joining the BIA's Board of Directors in 2024

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Nick Gardiner, the Company Secretary of the BioIndustry Association (BIA), is pleased to announce the members who have been elected to its Board of Directors and will begin their terms in January 2024. BIA members elect five Board Directors, which includes four Corporate and one Associate/Network member. Read this blog to learn more about the new representatives on the BIA Board from January 2024.

The new Board Directors were voted for by the BIA’s membership in the weeks leading up to the AGM which was held on 24 October 2023 and attended by 64 member companies. All present approved the appointment of the Directors.

These members will join the BIA Board from 1 January 2024, for a three-year term, adding to the considerable industry expertise that the BIA Board can draw on.

The newly elected Board of Directors are:

The re-elected Board of Directors are:

Dan Mahony, The Chair of the BIA also announced that David Atkins, Nicole Farmer, Jackie Hunter, and Deborah O’Neil will all have served to the end of their current Board terms and have decided to step down at the end of December.

Meet the newly elected Directors

Ros Deegan, CEO, OMass Therapeutics

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As CEO of OMass Therapeutics, a well-financed private biotechnology company applying native mass spectrometry to discover novel small molecule medicines, I am passionate about the potential of the life sciences sector in the UK to contribute positively to the UK economy and to change the lives of patients through innovation.

I have over 20 years’ experience in biotech, pharma and consulting in Europe and the US. I am a strong generalist with senior-level experience in strategy, finance, operations and project leadership at early-stage companies, and a successful track record in business development and financing.

At OMass I led its strategic development into a therapeutics company, raising >£110m.

In the past, I have negotiated significant transactions – both buy-side and sell-side – for Bicycle Therapeutics, Trevena and GSK. I have an MBA with distinction (INSEAD) and a first-class degree in Natural Sciences (Cambridge). In addition to my role at OMass, I serve on the advisory group for Harwell Science Park, providing insight into the challenges and potential of clusters, and support early career scientists and emerging female business leaders through mentoring.

I possess robust international exposure and have helped organisations make the transition from private to public company. I returned to the UK in 2019 to take on my current role having spent 11 years in the biotech sector in the USA, where I experienced the strong financial backing and positive culture for biotech that US peers enjoy.

OMass values and benefits from the successful role the BIA serves in raising awareness of the sector’s potential and value with investors and other stakeholders, and its work with Government to ensure a positive climate for early and scale-up stage companies to succeed and grow. I would be honoured to serve on the BIA board to support the organisation to continue in its mission.

Shaun Grady: SVP Business Development Operations, AstraZeneca

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I have had the privilege to work in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector for my entire career spanning over 30 years with AstraZeneca in the UK and for a short period in the US. In leading AstraZeneca’s global business development function in various guises over the last twenty years, I have had the opportunity to develop a strong understanding of the healthcare system and life science sector in the UK and globally.

As a Business Development leader, I have led the development and execution of buy-side and sell-side BD strategies for AZ through multiple business cycles particularly delivering the Return to Growth strategy led by Pascal Soriot over the last decade, and now leading the Business Development contribution to AstraZeneca’s bold ambition for 2030.

My responsibilities in AZ have enabled me to work closely and collaboratively across the life-science value chain with Academia, entrepreneurs and start–ups, Angel Investors, VC and PE as well as with Biotechs, peer Pharma, Diagnostic, Data and Digital companies and organisations. This has enabled me to develop a good understanding of the dynamics of our sector and the interdependencies, opportunities and challenges and the reliance we must place on each other.

My role (and high-performing team and colleagues) has allowed me to develop a strong and deep network and profile in the UK (particularly in Cambridge and the North West) but also across Pharma and Biotech globally. As part of that network, I am an Honorary Fellow on the University of Cambridge Judge Business School and Lucy Cavendish College Cambridge and sit on the Board of Directors of Healx an AI-enabled rare disease early-stage company, and Prostate Cancer Research Charity. I am the Chairman of the Board of Cambridge United Football Club and on the Board at the Cambridge Arts Theatre whose links to bioindustries is a little more nuanced.

I have always been a strong supporter of the BIA and share the organisation’s passion for helping the industry reach its full potential and ultimately benefit patients.

Laura Lane, Vice President, Lilly Ventures (Head of Europe), Eli Lilly and Company

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Laura is the European Regional Head of Lilly Ventures for Eli Lilly & Company. Her focus is on Lilly’s venture capital strategy for Europe covering both direct investments into biotech and life science companies and fund-of-fund relationships and investments, as well as supporting the wider external innovation efforts across Lilly.

As an organization, Lilly is determined to improve the UK’s attractiveness for scientific and medical research so that cutting-edge science can be developed into life-changing healthcare products for patients.

Laura is a PhD-trained scientist who brings diverse business, transaction, and operational experience to the BIA.

Over the last 15 years, she has participated in the pharma/biotech research and innovation sphere with her experience spanning key pillars of our industry: pharma leader; venture capital; technology transfer; charity sector; founder and executive of biotech and life science start-ups; and life science consulting. Her strong appreciation of the different pressures and needs of each of these contributors; as well as the acute need for cross-sector collaboration to achieve our goals of serving patients better, not only drives her as an individual but also provides a valuable breadth of experience she can leverage for the BIA.

Before Lilly, Laura was part of the investment team at Advent Life Sciences. She was involved across the full spectrum of investment activities; supported the wider portfolio; and led on business development and pharma outreach activities. While at Advent she also served on the Boards of Aleta Biotherapeutics Inc., Artax BioPharma Inc., Highlight Therapeutics S.L., and Ventus Medical Ltd. Prior to Advent, Laura held CEO and COO positions at several UK life science/biotech companies in Birmingham, Oxford & London.

Laura gained her masters and doctorate from the University of Cambridge and currently serves on the board of the non-profit Collaborative Community against Coronavirus (3CCorona) CIC.

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